South Korea’s Noh scoops Asian Tour top honours

Hua Hin: Teenage star Noh Seung-Yul of South Korea has been officially crowned the youngest Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and named the Players’ Player of the Year.

Following the final event of the 2010 Asian Tour season at the Black Mountain Masters in Thailand on Sunday, Noh enters the record books as the youngest to top the Asian money list at the age of 19 years and 204 days. Noh’s season included victory at the Maybank Malaysian Open in March and four other top-10s. He only missed one cut in Asia all year and finished 40th in the US Open and 28th in the PGA Championship. “I am honoured to receive the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit trophy and becoming the youngest ever champion in history. It is also special for me to win the Players’ Player of the Year Award as this is nominated by my fellow professionals,” said Noh in a video message to Sunday’s awards gala.The South Korean, who won 822,361 dollars to top the money list, was unable to attend the event after undergoing corrective laser eye surgery. Qualifying school graduate Rikard Karlberg of Sweden, who sensationally won twice, at the SAIL Open and Hero Honda Indian Open, to finish third on the Order of Merit, took home the Rookie of the Year award. “It has been a good year and for the last couple of months it has been unbelievable,” said Karlberg. Bureau Report