Kuala Lumpur, July 19: An ethnic Indian has won Malaysia's golf tournament Negri Sembilan Masters Invitational, becoming the first Malaysian to win it.
Siva, 31, led from day one and was consistent throughout the four rounds at the Seremban International Golf Club (SIGC) Sunday, The Star newspaper said.
He shot a three-under 69 yesterday, despite rain at the end of his round, for a tournament total of 18-under 270, which is a championship record.
Besides taking the winner's cheque for RM78,500 ($25,301), Siva got an additional RM10,000 ($3,096) from Negri Sembilan state's Menteri Besar (chief minister), Utama Mohamad Hasan, for being the first Malaysian to win the event.
Previous winners were Toshiyuki Wasa of Japan (2005), Singapore's M. Murugiah (2006), Juvic Pagunsan (2007) and Benjie Magada (2008) both of the Philippines and Lam Chih Bing of Singapore (2009).
Two other local players, Akhmal Tarmizee Mohd Nazari and Iain Steelm, shared second place with defending champion Chih Bing on six-under 282, with each earning RM36,250.
Airil Rizman, the 2007 Pakistan Open champion, shared fifth place with R. Nachimuthu and Korean T.J. Lim on five-under 283.