“Accidental” was how Norlia Embong described her title triumph in the Tanah Merah Country Club’s Ladies Club Matchplay Championship.
With three “one-up” victories in the July-August event at the Garden course, Norlia could not have been more accurate about her assessment of her performance in the competitive event.
However, the battle-hardened multi-title winner of TMCC events is a deserving champion.
The accomplished single-handicapper has a winning mentality, is a gritty and determined golfer who is not one to give up until the last stroke execution.
In the final, she snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against a celebrated opponent in Dion Lim, a 4.5 handicap index player.
On the deciding par-five 18th hole, Norlia (handicap 5.5) was four on while Dion was three on. At best Norlia was looking at a playoff.
But shockingly Dion four-putted for a double bogey while Norlia two-putted for a bogey to bag a distinguished victory.
Earlier, Norlia also snatched close victories, beating Hannah Ng in sudden-death in the second play-off hole, and then edging out Sarah Tan one-up in the semi-finals.
“It was a lucky win in a competition where the format has been changed with all golfers playing level in the matchplay competition. So, handicaps did not matter,” said Norlia, who plays three or four times a week.
