Foo and Ong bid to end Singapore's long drought in golf

It has been 28 years since Singapore won a gold medal in golf at the SEA Games.

All eyes will be on Singaporean golfers Gregory Foo and Marc Ong at The Mines Resort and Golf Club in Serdang today as they bid to emulate the rare feat achieved by Samson Gimson, who is the only Singaporean to win a SEA Games gold in golf in 1989, coincidentally also in Kuala Lumpur.

The duo put themselves in the driver's seat after firing matching four-under 67s in the second round of the men's individual competition yesterday to take the joint-lead on seven-under 135 with Thailand's Kosuke Hamamoto (68).

Foo and Ong were fifth and sixth respectively after the first round on Tuesday.

"I've showed signs of good play these past few days and I'm definitely feeling confident (for today's final round)," said Ong, who finished sixth at the 2015 Games on home soil.

"It's always nice playing from the front... I'm glad to have moved up a few spots and I'm really pleased to be in the position I'm in.

"(Today) was a good round, but I definitely feel that I still have the ability to go low.

"It's possible to improve and I think (tomorrow) is going to be exciting.

"Greg's a tough competitor and, if I want to come out on top, I'll have to play my best."

Foo, who last represented Singapore at the 2011 SEA Games, said: "I definitely believe I can win tomorrow, but I can't afford to get ahead of myself.

"Anyone in the last two groups has a very good chance to win, so it will be a real shootout tomorrow.

"It would be nice to shoot a lower score tomorrow, but that's something I can't control.

"I just have to keep doing what I've been doing and improve on the things I can control, like my focus and commitment to my shots on the course."

Ong was also part of the men's quartet that won a team silver medal in 2015.

The men's team event starts tomorrow and will be contested in match-play format in three rounds - first round, semi-finals and final.

Singapore are represented by Foo, Ong, Joshua Shou (ninth in singles after two rounds) and Joshua Ho (19th).

The scores of the top-three golfers in the individual event will determine the countries' seedings for the team event.

Singapore will know who they face in the first round only after the completion of the individual event today.

Each country are allowed to field three golfers and the winner in each of the three matches will score one point and half a point for a square.

Said Ong: "Our goal for the team event is to win gold.

"We're definitely one of the favourites coming in and the four of us are playing great.

"We have great camaraderie. Match play is an interesting format and it's anyone's game to win, but I think we're in a great position to win the gold as a team."