APGC
ASIA-PACIFIC GOLF CONFEDERATION JOURNAL
MARCH 2015
Looking good: The Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Yangmei, Taoyuan County, in Chinese Taipei.
CONTENTS Junior event takes APGC into the future 1-2 Chairman’s message
2
I can give Masters a shake – Murdaca
3
IGF sets Rio qualifying system
4
Hong Kong Golf Association adopts USGA’s handicap system
5-6
Montgomerie: Golf’s future is in Asia
6
Li Ning takes up post with R&A
6
Affiliate in focus: Myanmar
7
Faldo praises Australian addition
8
Junior event takes APGC into the future Chinese Taipei event presents an exciting new opportunity for young golfers to showcase their talent
The Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation has taken a step into the future with the announcement of the APGC Junior Championship.
The event will be staged at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club
in Yangmei, Taoyuan County, near Taipei in Chinese Taipei from August 25-27. Designed as an incubator for male and female junior golfers in the region, the championship’s focus is heavily
slanted towards creating opportunities for member countries to advance their younger players and grow the game’s popularity among teenagers, as well as providing a pathway to the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. n Continued page 2
Chairman’s message
APGC Chairman Dr David Cherry The Masters tournament in Augusta is once again only weeks away and our thoughts turn to our recently crowned 2014 AAC winner, Antonio Murdaca.
Murdaca will carry the weight of expectation from all of us in the APGC, as well his own ambitions, but I am confident he will show the same application that he did in winning the 2014 AAC at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. He should draw confidence from the manner in which he managed the hard and fast greens at Royal Melbourne, as I expect similar conditions will prevail at Augusta. Many of Exco will be there, myself as a referee, and we will be doing all that the rules allow to help him. Mohammed Al Naimi and I also went to Tehran in Iran to look at golfing facilities in that great and historic country. Golf is still very much a developing sport in Iran but we were both impressed by the manner in which the Iran Golf Federation was in close touch with the government to determine a way forward. Having also visited Mongolia recently, I am reminded of the privilege of
The ultimate aim is to develop boys and girls to the point where they will see golf as a viable alternative to other sports – and to this end, the tournament will feature R&A accredited coaching clinics and Rules of the Game guidance. In particular, the APGC hopes to encourage players from smaller member nations who have not traditionally had the benefits of a golfing heritage to take part and increase their enthusiasm, experience and knowledge of tournament play. The APGC Junior Championship is purely a team event, with teams made up of one male and one female 2 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ MARCH 2015
being Chairman of APGC and meeting wonderful people from all over the APGC region, all united by golf and enabling those developing golfing countries in some small way to help fulfil their golfing dreams. Golf is a medium through which people of all denominations come together and form friendships: where golfing ability is secondary, but determination to extend the game in their region is primary and we thank The R&A for their continued support in doing just that. In an effort to further develop junior golf in our region, the APGC has developed its own junior championship to be staged in Chinese Taipei in the last week of August. I am grateful for the hard work of Kei Muratsu, Chairman of the APGC Championship Committee, in arranging this event with great co-operation from officials at Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taipei. This event is open to both sexes and reflects APGC’s change of policy. The next Bonallack Cup in Turkey in 2016 will have a competition between women from
player aged 17 or under as of August 25. Each country will be able to send a maximum of two teams. It will consist of 72 holes over three days – an 18-hole four ball, 18-hole foursomes and an 18-hole boys’ individual and 18-hole girls’ individual event. There will be three educational sessions during the tournament, which begins with a practice day on August 24 and competition from August 25-27. Championship Committee Chairman Keisuke Muratsu said the organisation was delighted to be able to play the inaugural event at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club.
Europe and APGC along the same lines as the men’s event. I cannot wait for the strong female golfing nations – particularly Korea, Japan, China and New Zealand – to exert their influence and reverse the results achieved by the men. As you are aware, APGC voted unanimously at its AGM in Melbourne during the 2014 AAC to have females join APGC – we now await the outcome of the meeting in May by the Queen Sirikit Cup members to endorse this move. I have had the honour to visit the Middle East again, with Taimur Amin and Mohammed Al Naimi, and was particularly impressed by Yas Links in Abu Dhabi and some great courses in Muscat, Oman and Qatar, where they are building a world-class golfing facility incorporating an 18-hole Jose Maria Olazabal-designed course, a nine-hole par-three course, a six-hole championship-level course and a huge practice facility. This is alongside a new university and school facility to attract participation by young Qataris of both sexes.
“We had been looking for a venue in view of security, convenient location, a challenging course and sound accommodation,” Mr Muratsu said. “We were fortunate to receive an offer from the Chinese Taipei Golf Association to host the game at Sunrise. “Sunrise has hosted the Nomura Cup, a major regional boys’ team event staged every two years, in 2007 and the Queen Sirikit Cup annual girls’ tournament in 2013 in an excellent manner.” Mr Muratsu also emphasised that the tournament was not particularly focused on victory, as the ultimate aim was
discovering players with “star” potential. “While we were considering launching the APGC Junior Championship, we concentrated on how to popularise the game of golf, the juniors and their constituents,” he said. “Then we reached a conclusion to pursue a team event. In particular, by seeing the great success of the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing last year, we were convinced this would be the right structure. “Since team play is not common in our region, it may create some confusion, but I am sure we can overcome it,” Mr Muratsu said.
Augusta-bound: Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Antonio Murdaca will compete in this year’s Masters.
Photo: aacgolf.com
I can give Masters a shake – Murdaca Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Antonio Murdaca is far from daunted as he prepares for the biggest occasion in his golfing career.
In fact, the stocky Australian has some lofty goals in sight when he hits off in The Masters in April – one of the rewards for his victory in the APGC Championship at Royal Melbourne in October, where he blitzed the field to win by seven shots. Augusta National has made nervous wrecks of some of golf’s biggest names, but Murdaca says he is relishing another challenge. “I am expecting a decent result,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll go out and have the low amateur there and turn professional after that. It would be amazing if I was to come in the top 10 at Augusta. “A good week could see me potentially at the top of the leaderboard. After seeing the way I played (at Royal Melbourne) and how I have played in
previous tournaments, all I have to do is turn the putting on and hit some good shots, and anything could happen out there. “All you need is four good rounds. It doesn’t seem too hard, but you have to have the strong mental game and execute the shots.”
winner Greg Norman, who basically told him: “Drop me a line and maybe we can have a hit at Augusta in the lead-up to next year’s US Masters.” “It’s pretty cool,” Murdaca said. “I have met him once; that was in 2010. The Grange Golf
‘All I have to do is turn the putting on and hit some good shots, and anything could happen out there’ Murdaca expects to be well prepared when he lines up in The Masters, having already secured some high-profile practice partners and a personal invitation from Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Billy Payne. He recently took a surprise message from dual British Open
Club or Golf Australia organised it for me. I can’t remember. It’s awesome. “I don’t know what to say. It would be so cool.” As soon as he secured victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Mr Payne invited him to practise on the fabled
course early this year. “It’s so exciting,” Murdaca said. “Everyone was so happy. It was just amazing. I will probably go over and do some practice rounds in the upcoming months and see how we go from there. “Maybe I will see if I can organise something with Adam Scott. I have never actually met him before. It would be pretty cool to meet him. “It would be awesome to have a round with him given he is a Masters champion. He is one of the Australian icons.” Murdaca plans to turn professional this year but is also keen to get the most out of his remaining amateur events. That hasn’t gone exactly to plan, with a missed cut a week after his big win at the Western Australian PGA in Kalgoorlie. But it’s his game, rather than results, that he is focused on. “I am just trying to play some golf at the moment,” he said. n Continued page 5 MARCH 2015 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ 3
Olympic preparations: The International Golf Federation has announced its qualification process for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
IGF sets Rio qualifying system International Golf Federation (IGF) officials have confirmed the qualification system that will be used for golf in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The announcement was made during a press conference at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, site of this year’s Open Championship, and follows ratification of the system by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee. As outlined by IGF President Peter Dawson, Vice President Ty Votaw and Executive Director Antony Scanlon, the following will apply: In both the women’s and men’s events a field of 60 players will compete in a 72-hole stroke-play format competition for the gold, silver and bronze medals. The 60 positions available in each event will be allocated through an Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) list published on the IGF website, based on the player’s respective official world golf ranking as follows: 4 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ MARCH 2015
n The top-15 players on the respective women’s and men’s official world golf rankings as of July 11, 2016, will be eligible, except that there will be no more than four players from any one country eligible within the top 15.
male golfer will compete in the Games if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective official world golf rankings. n Another provision has also been included that each of the five continents of the Olympic
‘This is an important milestone on the road to golf’s return to the Olympic Games’ n The balance of the field will be selected in order from 16th place onwards on the respective women’s and men’s official world golf rankings as of July 11, 2016, up to a maximum of two players per country for those countries not already having more than two players within the top 15. n A provision has been included for the host country, Brazil, which will guarantee that at least one Brazilian female and
Movement (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) will be guaranteed at least one golfer in each of the men’s and women’s events, if not otherwise eligible, based on position within the respective official world golf rankings. These provisions will not increase the field size beyond 60 in each of the women’s and men’s competitions. n The two-year qualification period for the Olympic Golf
Ranking will run from July 14, 2014, to July 11, 2016. Throughout that time, an OGR list will be published each week using the current women’s and men’s official world golf rankings at www.igfgolf.org (showing the mock field for the event as if played that week using the rankings system). n The IGF will publish the final OGR list as of July 11, 2016, after the conclusion of all eligible events. “This is an important milestone on the road to golf’s return to the Olympic Games in 2016,” Mr Dawson said. “We are pleased to confirm the eligibility criteria and to give the athletes, national olympic committees and national federations clarity on the qualification process. “The world’s best players now know what they must achieve to be part of golf’s historic return to the Games in Rio de Janeiro.”
For more information visit www.igfgolf.org
I can give Masters a shake – Murdaca n Continued from page 3
“Trying to play some tournaments and do what I do, not worry about what’s coming up in the future. ‘It’s going to be a big week and a big year for me, hopefully a life-changing year.” “It is already exciting just
thinking about it. It is a dream come true for me.” Mr Payne and his fellow Augusta members were impressed by the event, which was staged for the first time in Australia, and confirmed it would be back at Royal Melbourne in the near future. He said Murdaca would be
adopted by the membership and the fans at Augusta National when he steps out in April, just as previous AAC winners were. “It makes us feel wonderful,’’ Mr Payne said. “Quite honestly, I can tell you that when one of these young men comes to Augusta and plays The Masters every
year, the membership, and I think the fans, immediately have a favourite. I think we are so proud of them – they’re like our children. It’s very important to us that they have this wonderful experience. And because they do, a million more watching around the world are going to want to compete in this championship.’’
Pretty as a picture: Hong Kong Golf Club’s Fanling course.
Hong Kong Golf Association adopts USGA’s handicap system The United States Golf Association has announced that the Hong Kong Golf Association has adopted the USGA’s Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN) for its more than 15,000 subscribers.
Formed in 1968 with a mission to govern and promote the game in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Golf Association’s responsibilities include selecting Hong Kong national teams, junior and elite player development, grassroots initiatives and conducting international and domestic
golf events. The association runs more than 30 amateur tournaments each year, as well as the Hong Kong Open,
GHIN service to golfers in Hong Kong,” said Ning Li, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA).
‘We aim to provide a modern online system with added benefits and first-class service’ the city’s oldest professional sporting event. “We look forward to working with the USGA to introduce the
“The HKGA administers the Handicap Index for more than 15,000 subscribers and golf club members. We aim to
provide a modern online system with added benefits and firstclass service.” As a National Sports Association, the HKGA works closely with the four member golf clubs of Hong Kong (Hong Kong Golf Club, Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, Discovery Bay Golf Club and Shek O Country Club); the public golf courses at Kau Sai Chau and Nine Eagles; Hong Kong’s public driving ranges; and governing bodies, including the Home n Continued page 6 MARCH 2015 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ 5
Montgomerie: Golf’s future is in Asia Scottish golf legend Colin Montgomerie says the sport’s future lies in Asia, as the game has stagnated in Europe and America.
“Golf in America and Europe, I think, has stagnated in the last 10 years. The growth of the game is in Asia,” Montgomerie (above) said. “We have an Asian winner of a major, Y.E. Yang, who beat Tiger Woods in the PGA championship, and that is a proof. We feel there is more to come. “China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and India have all come up well. I see India are going to Korea to compete in the Asian Games and I wish them all the success. And it would be great to see an Indian champion, a real world champion.” While conducting a clinic in India, Montgomerie was asked about his advice to juniors. “You have to have the passion and the desire. I saw that in the questions some of the juniors asked,” he said. “It’s amazing when you play golf in Britain, Scotland, Europe and America, but I have realised that it’s incredible to play this game in India with the youngsters. I also saw the girls playing so well and it’s wonderful that many girls are playing so well.”
Harbour views: Above, Discovery Bay Golf Club; below, Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club.
n Continued from page 5
Affairs Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, and the Hong Kong Sports Institute. “We are proud to welcome the Hong Kong Golf Association to GHIN,” USGA President Thomas J O’Toole Jr said. “The USGA Handicap System is in use by a growing number of golf associations, federations and unions throughout the world, and it is a priority for the USGA to expand the GHIN service’s global presence as part of our commitment to provide the best possible service to these licensed organisations and their members.” Developed in 1981 at the request of state and regional golf associations, the USGA’s GHIN service is the largest handicap computation provider in the world, serving more than 2.3 million golfers from 80
golf associations, federations and unions that collectively represent more than 14,000 golf clubs in 47 US states, as well as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Guam, Bermuda, the Bahamas, India and Hong Kong. GHIN is offered exclusively through state and regional golf associations, federations and unions as a service for their member clubs to assist
in meeting the policies of the USGA Handicap System, which enables all golfers to compete on a relatively equal basis. GHIN is easily assessable as a mobile app available free via Google Play or the iTunes Store to any golfer who holds a Handicap Index issued by a licensed golf club through a state or regional golf association that subscribes to the GHIN service.
Li Ning takes up post with R&A Hong Kong Golf Association President Li Ning has been appointed a representative of the APGC to The R&A Amateur Status Committee.
Mr Li will replace India’s
6 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ MARCH 2015
Dilip Thomas, who served in the capacity for more than a decade. A member of The R&A since 2009, Mr Li first became involved with the Hong Kong
Golf Association after passing an exam in Refereeing and The Rules of Golf in 1997. He assisted in local tournaments in Hong Kong and in 2009 became captain of the
club for the traditional one-year term. In 2010 Mr Li became President of the HKGA and was Honorary Chairman of the association from 2011 to 2013.
AFFILIATE IN FOCUS: MYANMAR Myanmar, also known as Burma, has a flourishing golf culture that continues to grow alongside its strengthening economy. With 127 golf courses spread across Myanmar, from Myitkyina in far north to the southernmost town of Kawthaung, golf has been played for more than 100 years in the country.
Golf was first played in Myanmar by British regiment officers, merchants and administrators who brought the sport to the country as a popular pastime from back home. When Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948, the golf courses remained and continued to be used. A military coup in 1962 largely closed off the country from the outside world until 1988, but recent government reforms coupled with an influx of investment has allowed new golf courses to be built, with more expected in the future. The Myanmar Golf Federation estimates there are about 50,000 club golfers in the country, with a further 25,000 golfers who are not attached to clubs. The R&A has provided funding to Myanmar to support coaching programs for the national team and to develop the country’s coaching infrastructure. A Level 1 Rules School, the first level of The R&A’s threetiered Rules Education program, took place in Yangon (Rangoon) in 2012, with a second school
taking place in March 2014 in Mandalay that welcomed 50 golf enthusiasts. The country has turned out a number of successful professional golfers, including Mya Aye, who became the first golfer from Myanmar to play in The Open Championship in 1980 at Muirfield. Zaw Moe won the Asian Tour’s Singapore Open in 1997, after twice winning the Burma Amateur Open in 1987 and 1988, and has played regularly on the Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Tour. Myanmar’s most well-known golfer is Kyi Hla Han, who rose to prominence as a player in the 1980s and is currently the Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour. He earned a number of professional victories, including the Malaysian PGA on two occasions, the Thai PGA, the Johor Masters, the Rolex Masters and the Asian Tour’s Volvo China Open in 1999, before finishing at the top of the Asian Tour
Order of Merit that same year. In 2006 he was appointed to his position at The Asian Tour and has overseen its rapid growth. Myanmar’s capital city of Naypyidaw hosted the 27th South East Asian Games in December 2013, featuring more than 5000 participants from 11 different countries competing across 37 different sports. The Royal Myanmar Golf Club hosted the golf competition, with medals awarded in men’s and women’s divisions. The R&A provided £10,000 in funding to support the staging of the golf competition. In the men’s division, Myanmar’s four-man team proved to be a successful combination, with every player contributing good scores in each of the four rounds. The team from Thailand pulled well ahead of the field and Myanmar was able to hold off a strong charge from Malaysia to take the team silver medal. A strong
performance from Ye Htet Aung boosted the team – the young player finished fourth overall in the competition. On the women’s side, promising 18-year-old Yin May Myo led the Myanmar team to silver medals after delivering a strong performance in one of her first international tournaments. Myo carded rounds of 72, 73 and 71 to finish at even par and earn the individual silver medal. Myanmar finished third overall in the medal table for the golf competition, a successful effort for the host nation. Golf continues to have a promising future in Myanmar, with a new 8000-yard championship golf course in Mandalay, featuring driving range facilities and a golf academy, set to open in 2015. This year saw the relaunch of the Myanmar Golf Tour after a four-year hiatus due to a lack of funding. The tour has welcomed new sponsors and will allow amateur and professional men and women to compete on some of Myanmar’s best courses. Story courtesy of The R&A MARCH 2015 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ 7
Faldo praises Australian addition Six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo has hailed the addition of an Australia Championship to the burgeoning Faldo Series.
‘Australia is one of the world’s great golfing countries and I’m thrilled that the Faldo Series will be staging an event there’ – Nick Faldo
“Australia is one of the world’s great golfing countries and I’m thrilled that the Faldo Series will be staging an event there,” said Britain’s greatest-ever golfer. The inaugural Faldo Series Australia Championship was scheduled for late January but was postponed due to a packed amateur schedule, and is now set to be staged later this year at Sydney’s Castle Hill Country Club. A venue for numerous toplevel professional and amateur events, Castle Hill will play host to the Faldo Series Australia Championship for three years. Australia becomes the 18th country on the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia schedule, which stretches over 11 months and will be made up of a minimum of 20 championships. “We have announced that New Zealand and Bangladesh were joining the Faldo Series. The addition of Australia further underlines my commitment to developing junior golf around the world,” Faldo said. “I always enjoyed playing in Australia and I now very much look forward to seeing the Faldo Series Australia Championship develop into one of the linchpins of the Faldo Series.” Patrick Young, Chief Executive Officer of Faldo Series Asia, added: “Australia has a proud
Rory McIlroy: A former winner of a Faldo Series event. Photo: Bruce Young
history of producing great golfing champions, male and female. Today, Adam Scott and Karrie Webb are among the bestknown players in the world. “It is our hope that the Faldo Series Australia Championship will provide a platform for identifying and nurturing the next generation of world-class Australian golfers.” David Geraghty, President of Castle Hill Country Club, said: “At Castle Hill Country Club we have a great interest in securing the future of our game through the development of junior golf. We are, therefore, thrilled to be partnering Sir Nick Faldo, one of the legends of the game, by hosting the Faldo Series Australia Championship. “We are immensely proud to have been chosen by Sir Nick Faldo to host the Faldo Series Australia Championship – the first tournament to be held in Australia bearing the name of Sir Nick Faldo. “The course will certainly offer all participants a great test of nerve and skill. Castle Hill Country Club members stand right behind Sir Nick Faldo in
furthering his aim to ensure the viability of the game through the development of our junior champions. The event promises to be very exciting and is certain to be well supported by the club’s members and the Sydney metropolitan community.” Since its inception in 1950, Castle Hill Country Club has been a frequent tournament venue. As well as holding last year’s New South Wales Open, the club has staged two Australian PGA Championships, three NSW PGA Championships, four Canon Challenges and the 2013 Men’s and Women’s NSW Medal. Supported by The R&A, ISPS and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the AsiaPacific Golf Confederation, the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia campaign will comprise three events in China and one each in Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Dominic Wall, The R&A’s
Director of Asia-Pacific, said: “The R&A has supported the Faldo Series for the past 10 years and we are delighted to see the series now being played in Australia. “The Faldo Series has provided opportunities for many young golfers across the Asian region to test their skills at national level and internationally in the Asian Final, held in China, and the European Final. These opportunities will now be available to Australian junior golfers, which will no doubt help these golfers gain valuable international experience.” At the ninth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, Faldo will work with winners from around the region as well as champions from the Faldo Series in Europe and the US. Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006. Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, involving more than 7000 golfers each year.
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation
Chairman Dr David Cherry
Vice chairman Mr Dilip Thomas
Secretary general Mr Taimur Amin
Treasurer Mr Philip Hassall
Secretary Mr Kyungjae Lee
Championship Mr Zhang Xiaoning Mr Rungsid Committee Luxsitanonda chairman Mr Keisuki Muratsu
Mr Mohammed Faisal Al-Naimi
The Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation encourages all member nations to contribute news from their countries for inclusion in the APGC journal. News items can be emailed to editor Robert Grant at rob.grant1948@gmail.com 8 ❘ APGC NEWSLETTER ❘ MARCH 2015