Noh holds his nerve

Korean teenager Seung-yul Noh produced a brilliant birdie on the final hole to claim his maiden title with a one-shot victory in the Maybank Malaysian Open.

18-year-old Noh beat fellow Korean KJ Choi by one shot as his closing birdie saw him finish on 14-under for the tournament following a remarkable recovery shot.

After watching Choi birdie the last to draw level, Noh then fired his second shot well wide of the 18th green and ended up on the cart path behind a hospitality marquee, and needing to get up-and-down to win.

Noh held his nerve superbly as his chip shot landed four feet from the pin, and he duly holed out to avoid a play-off and claim his maiden European Tour title.

Noh's birdie saw him card a final round 68, four-under-par, to claim the title at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, with Choi shooting 69 to finish in scond place just a shot back.

Struggles

"I first won on the Asian Tour in 2008 but I struggled last year, but to win early in this year I am very happy," said Noh, who now holds card in Asia, Europe and Japan.

"Coincidentally when I was playing a practise round with KJ earlier in the week he asked me when my last win was and when I told him it was in 2008 he said 'isn't it about time you won?'

"For it to happen this week, I couldn't think of a better situation."

Joint overnight leader Rhys Davies dropped three shots in five holes on his front nine, but the Welshman responded well with three birdies helping him finish on 12-under in a tie for third.

Although the 24-year-old's three birdies over his last seven holes proved too little too late, the two-time Challenge Tour winner was able to post his best finish on the European Tour after claiming sixth at the Open de Andalucia last year.

Positives

"There are a lot of positives for this week," he said. "I wasn't too comfortable today but I still managed to stay calm and stick to what I was trying to do.

"I battled well today and eventually found good rhythm with the putter on the back nine.

"I felt I was going to make every putt I looked at and if I had had a little bit of luck coming in I might have made a few more, but that's the way it was today."

Kiradech Aphibarnrat replicated Davies' score to drop from his overnight leading position to third, while the duo were joined by Denmark's Soren Hanson after his final round of 70.

Englishman Danny Willett enjoyed a storming round of 68 to finish on 11-under, but it could have been even better had he not taken six at the last after reaching the side of the green in two.