The Clubhouse Issue 23 (June 2013) by The ClubHouse

EXCLUSIVE: MGA PRESIDENT TAN SRI MOHD ANWAR ON HIS SECOND TERM PG16

ISSUE 23 (06/2013) PP17714/04/2013(032168)

LIONS

TRIUMPH IN LAGUNA ENGLAND'S ROSE BLOOMS AFTER 17-YEAR WAIT FOR MAJOR PG 24

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TRUE TO THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME If his third consecutive finish as the best domestic performer at a leading Malaysian professional tournament did not catch attention, Gavin Kyle Green’s decision to call a penalty on himself during the just-concluded Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters has definitely earned him new admirers. Despite being in contention, the 19-year-old national amateur proved that the spirit of the game had to take precedence when he called for a ruling after his ball had moved upon address on the 11th green of Seri Selangor Golf Club. No one, but Green, saw the ball move and a quick check with the television camera stationed there confirmed the bad news. His ball had indeed moved backwards and the rising star gallantly accepted a one-stroke penalty before conceding a bogey - all but taking the steam out of his game as he eventually finished six strokes behind winner Pariya Junhasvasadiskul (full report to follow in the next issue). His timeless act exemplifies that of another amateur - the great Bobby Jones, who called a similar penalty on himself during the United States Open Championship in 1925. In an era where there were no crystal-clear high-definition coverage or slow-motion replays, Jones’ call would eventually cost him winning the Major by a stroke in regulation, necessitating a playoff he would go on to lose. He was reported to have told reporters who praised his gesture that “you may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank.” Hence, Gavin’s gesture is a lesson to many upcoming juniors that in their pursuit of success and achievement, the principles of sportsmanship and fair play should not be sacrificed. As a fervent observer of our junior scene, I’m come across many complaints of unsavoury incidents of gamesmanship that have cause much anguish to the competitors involved, resulting in rifts and differences, which remain unresolved overtime. I appreciate that in any competition, the will to win is as important as having the talent and putting in the hard work. But winning should never come ahead of honour and integrity. Whenever I meet a junior amateur, I do not just see a strapping golf professional in-the-making. I see a future doctor, lawyer, accountant or even, a politician who I expect to be honest and consummate in his or her trade.

Being honest with yourself and to others is just one of the important lessons that golf can teach us and we should make every effort to inculcate just that. Just like everything else in life, golf is much more enjoyable and fulfilling when we act with integrity. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF OUR CALLAWAY X-HOT CONTEST THE CORRECT ANSWER WAS B

Edward Saminathan Chief Golf Writer news@theclubhouse.com.my

GRAND PRIZE - (Callaway X-Hot driver + cap) Abdul Kamal Fadzil, Dungun, Terengganu MAIN PRIZE - (Callaway X-Hot fairway wood + cap) Manoharan Kumaran, Ipoh, Perak CONSOLATION PRIZES - (Callaway Hex Chrome+ golf balls + cap) Jayakumar Rajasekaran, Kuantan, Pahang Kamal Adzham Kamarudin, Shah Alam, Selangor Wing Lock Yim, Puchong, Selangor Kon Teik Chin, Putra Heights, Selangor Peter Tan, Luyang, Sabah

THE TEAM Chief Golf Writer Edward Saminathan Sub-Editors Lina Abdul Wahab, Khalidah Jamil, Evelyn Gan Contributors Andrew Myles, Calvin Koh, Doyle De Costa, Jason Winter, Justine Moss, Martin Vousden, Normas Yakin, Richard Fellner, Samantha Cebrero, Scott Kramer Photography Eddie Putera, T. Ravi Chitty Brand Manager B.N. Murali Art & Design Siva Yoham Jalaguvalan Operations Associate Suzila Afirah Abdul Rauf Advertising: info@theclubhouse.com.my Editorial: news@theclubhouse.com.my Subscription: subscription@theclubhouse.com.my Website: www.theclubhouse.com.my

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>> IN YOUR ISSUE 23

MARQUES TRIUMPHS IN KUANTAN

ON THE COVER: Singapore’s Lam Zhiqun sprays champagne on winning captain Lip Ooi after the prize presentation ceremony of the Prudential Causeway Trophy (Photo by Luvin Lim/PMG) >>> Story starts PG8

REGULARS

KELLY BRACES FOR LPGA CHALLENGE

18 INSIDE THE ROPES 20 MALAYSIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION 21 MYJUNIORS 23 AROUND THE GLOBE 24 MAJOR MOMENTS 33 IN THE BAG 34 GEAR UP 35 TEE BOX 40 WHERE TO GOLF COLUMNS

WELCOME BACK MR PRESIDENT

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LIONS ROAR TO

There proved to be little drama in the end at Laguna National Golf & Country Club but enough elation and heartbreak to make up for it as Singapore lifted the inaugural Prudential Causeway Trophy in emphatic fashion By Edward Saminathan

here are times as a journalist when the best thing you can do is simply get out of the way. As the Malaysian side silently trudged back into their team room with shell-shocked looks on their faces, there was little that a few consolatory words and pats on the back could do to alleviate what had been a humbling experience for the visiting side at Laguna National Golf & Country Club. They had entered the inaugural Prudential Causeway Trophy as the early favourites, pitting their individual depth and tournament experience against the hosts’ chemistry and home ground advantage. But Singapore were not to be denied on their own turf as they put together a near-flawless, all-round performance to romp to victory with a comprehensive 15½-8½ scoreline. In all fairness, the Lions skippered by their charismatic PGA honorary secretary Lip Ooi,

“

The margin was not important because all we wanted to do was cross the line and keep the trophy in Singapore. It’s not often that you say golf is a game of two halves but my boys stepped up whenever they were down this week. The Malaysians fought so hard and made it really difficult for us but my boys just went out there and nailed those crucial points.

”

~ Lip Ooi (Team captain -SG)

LAGUNA VICTORY © Luvin Lim / PMG

“

My goal really was for the team to come together and they did. The whole week was great but given the history of the players in the team, it was quite an admirable display. The yardages proved a real handicap for us and on hindsight, we should have done something about that but this result leaves us with much to improve on for the next edition.

”

~ Chong Chee Ming (Team Captain - MY)

were gracious hosts and in the end proved every inch, deserving winners. On paper, Singapore appeared as little more that a motley crew comprising of a handful of seasoned tour players, untested professionals, driving range instructors and even a banker. But on the treacherous World Classic tract, the Singaporeans transformed into a highly effective unit. Galvanised by a sense of patriotism and powered by the motivation to defeat their perennial rivals, the Lions always seemed to be one step ahead. Months of preparation and the strong understanding forged between the players proved to be their trump card with master tactician Ooi providing the much-needed strategic touch once the tournament was well underway. Mixing grit and hardiness with youthful bursts of enthusiasm and resilience, Mardan Mamat & co proved a difficult barrier to tackle by an

over-confident Malaysian side that at times appeared listless on the field of battle. Time and time again, the visitors led by the vocal Chong Chee Ming struggled to translate their early leads into points and failed to capitalise despite drawing first blood on all three days. Armed with an in-depth knowledge of the layout, the Singaporeans dug deep and bounced back on the back nine as the Malaysians were found wanting at the crunch. Their egos bruised, the Tigers proved fast learners as they closed ranks in defeat. There were renewed vows to make amends in 2014 and it was heartening to witness the Malaysian professionals’ new-found camaraderie and unity post-event. The post-mortem will show that save for a few brilliant moments and the overall fighting spirit displayed, the Malaysians were found wanting in many departments. The Singaporean professionals have laid notice that this tournament is not a mere exhibition and it is time that their Malaysian counterparts stand up to this significant challenge. For many years, the idea of such a tournament has been bandied around but it took the massive support from Prudential Assurance Singapore, Laguna Hospitality as well as other sponsors to realise Parallel Media Group’s vision of promoting a tournament of such local interest. The stature of the Prudential Causeway Trophy will reach greater heights after the successful debut it enjoyed. The Ryder Cup model is a proven one and the traditional rivalry between the two Causeway neighbours clearly set the tone for the tournament right from the practice rounds. But it was the genuine friendships and camaraderie between the two sides that shone through in the end. Singapore were magnanimous in victory and Malaysia ever sporting despite coming off short.

Ooi gets a drenching from the Singaporean boys.

Singapore captain Lip Ooi hoists the trophy as Prudential Assurance chief executive Tomas Urbanec applauds.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR MALAYSIA?

LACK OF YARDAGES Making do with yardages provided by the club proved inadequate in a tournament of such stature, where precision and accuracy of every shot makes all the difference. The golf course was a brutal challenge to the Malaysians, who did well in the circumstances.

TEAM INSTABILITY It did not help that the captaincy changed three times in the runup to the tournament, leaving the skipper with a Herculean task to strategise the week’s battle plan in a short period of time.

INADEQUATE PRACTICE The team had its first practice session together in Singapore on Wednesday, two days before the tournament teed-off. The ClubHouse learned that attempts to gather the players before hand in Kuala Lumpur proved futile as they could not take time off their busy playing schedule.

OVER-CONFIDENCE It goes without saying that pre-tournament, some members of the Malaysian team voiced out that it was going to be an easy walk in the park with over half of the Singaporean team coming from the teaching ranks. That proved to be an expensive lesson indeed, especially for some of the nation’s more established stars.

NOT GELLING TOGETHER The matchplay format demands chemistry and understanding, especially in the alternate-shot format, which on paper was the Malaysians’ weakest link. The hosts had tested their various combinations and partnerships for the opening foursomes and fourball contests after playing a solid number of competitive and practice rounds at the venue. Chemistry definitely gave Singapore the early advantage.

How Singapore won it?

FRIDAY FOURSOME SINGAPORE 4½ MALAYSIA 2½ Airil Rizman Zahari and Sukree Othman (right) got the first point on the board for the visiting team with a convincing 4 & 3 defeat of Poh Eng Wah and M. Murugiah, but the hosts quickly levelled matters with Lam Zhiqun and Lam Chih Bing cruising to a 4 & 3 victory of their own over Danny Chia and Rizal Amin.

SATURDAY FOURBALLS SINGAPORE 3½ MALAYSIA 2½

SUNDAY SINGLES SINGAPORE 7½ MALAYSIA 3½

With the tie looking nicely balanced, Singapore pressed ahead courtesy of their fifth pairing of Chang Ren Chiat and Choo Tze Huang, who combined for four straight gains from the 13th to triumph 3&2 over Nicholas Fung and Anis Helmi Hassan.

With match 6 being halved after Singapore’s Slorach pulled out with a wrist injury, Malaysia got off to a bright start when their third pairing of Nachimuthu and Shaaban put one on the board with a crushing 4&3 victory over Quincy and Marc to keep the Malaysian hopes alive.

Sukree got the Malaysians off to a superb start when he thrashed Murugiah 7 & 5 to reduce the gap.

Shaaban Hussin and R. Nachimuthu pushed the final match to the wire but lost out 2-up in the end to Quincy Quek and Marc Kawasoe. But the host came back strongly with Chih Bing and Zhiqun (top) combining brilliantly for the second day running to grind out a 1-up victory over Nicholas and Anis. The Singaporeans found themselves 1-down at the turn but battled to square the match when Zhiqun parred the par-four 10th. Chih Bing then turned the tables on the Malaysians when he eagled the 12th hole for Singapore to go 1-up. They were 2-up on the 15th hole before Nicholas birdied the 16th to reduce the advantage for Singapore to one.

The Malaysian selection then clinched another point when their top pairing of Airil Rizman Zahari and Sukree Othman combined for six birdies to edge past Tze Huang and Ren Chiat 4& 2, keeping it a one-point contest. But it was the veteran Eng Wah (left), partnering Vincent who pulled off the major upset of the day, when his two closing birdies ensured a 1-up defeat of Danny and Rizal. The local duo had trailed up till the 13th hole but won the next hole to go level before Eng Wah drained a 15-footer on the 17th to stun the Malaysians. Mardan and Dengshan then despatched off Murthy and Akhmal with a solid 3&1 victory to improve Singapore’s overall lead to three points.

Singapore however edged closer to victory when Mardan triumphed over Airil 4 & 3 to extend Singapore’s lead to nine in the third match. The 45-year-old repeated his heroics when he returned to the scene of his biggest career victory where he won the Singapore Masters in 2006 at the Laguna Golf and Country Club. © Luvin Lim / PMG

The second match saw an old rivalry rekindled with Malaysian veteran S. Murthy taking on his amateur-day adversary Mardan Mamat alongside S. Sivachandhran and Koh Dengshan respectively. The Malaysians were 1-up coming into the final hole but the Singaporean number one Mardan had the last laugh as he set up a tap-in birdie for his partner Dengshan to finish all square.

By then Md Rashid Ismail and Akhmal Tarmizee Nazari had rallied back for an improbable comeback, halving the match with Vincent Khua and Mitchell Slorach after being fourdown at the turn.

Danny (top) provided a brief reprieve for Malaysia by battling to halve his match with Dengshan. Danny was 3-up with six holes to play but a spirited Koh dug deep to win four consecutive holes to go 1-up with two holes to play. Chia fought back gallantly with a crucial birdie on the last to salvage a half point for Malaysia. Evergreen Eng Wah, who will be turning 50 in November this year, showed he could still match his younger rivals when he beat the reigning Malaysian domestic circuit champion Nicholas 3 & 2. Murthy and Nachimuthu secured two more points for Malaysia when they beat Vincent Phua and Lam Zhiqun 7 & 5 and 3 & 1 respectively. Tze Huang then made it 11 ½ for Singapore when he defeated Sivachandhran 3 & 2 and it was all over for Malaysia when Chih Bing won his match 2 & 1 against Anis to claim the maiden edition for the Lion state.

Kevin Marques

MARQUES TRIUMPHS IN KUANTAN

Poom Saksansin

ustralian Kevin Marques claimed the biggest win of his amateur career after seeing off a resurgent Poom Saksansin of Thailand to lift the 111th Malaysian Amateur Open on May 26. Neck-to-neck with fellow Aussie and joint third round leader Taylor Macdonald for much of the round, Marques took advantage of his compatriot’s triple bogey on the 13th to move into the lead before finishing off strongly with a pair of birdies on 14th and 17th for a threeunder 68. It proved enough for the 23-year-old to finish a stroke clear of Saksansin, who had set the clubhouse target at nine-under on the back of a tournament best six-under 65 at the sunswept Royal Pahang Golf Club.

Taylor Macdonald

“It changed the momentum a bit in my favour. Both of us were playing really well and there was little between us. I didn’t allow his triple bogey to affect me too much because I still had to get the job done. I just stuck to my routine and grabbed two more birdies, which really proved the difference in the end,” noted Marques. Despite ruing a successive defeat in the event, having finished second behind 2012 champion Gavin Kyle Green, who did not defend his title, Poom was still able to see the funny side of things.

The quartet of Thailand’s Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol (71), Udayan Mane of India (69), Indonesian Syukrizal (69) and Chinese Taipei’s Chieh Po-lee (72) were five strokes adrift in joint fifth.

“Maybe the name [Gavin/Kevin] is not very lucky for me,” laughed the 20-year-old arts and communications student from Rangsit University in Bangkok. “I struggled with my swing for the first three rounds but my manager managed to tweak it for me during practice and I played a very good final round. I missed some crucial putts on the back nine but was most disappointed with the last hole, when I missed my eagle attempt.”

“Obviously, I feel for Taylor who paid for an errant shot on the 13th but it doesn’t take away the significance of winning such a prestigious championship.

Macdonald, who was the top-ranked player in the field, bounced back strongly with a closing eagle to salvage a one-under 70, taking third place on 276 ahead of India’s Karan Taunk (67).

It feels awesome to have played really well and lifted this trophy, which has the names of Aussies like Robert Allenby and Andrew Dodt inscribed,” added the Brisbane-native, whose previous best result outside Australia was third in the Singapore Amateur Championship in 2012.

Karan Taunk

“I played solid all week. I didn’t make that many costly mistakes and apart from yesterday when my round was a little average, I am pretty pleased with my ball-striking this week. I hit a lot of fairways as well as greens and gave myself a lot of chances,” said Marques, who totalled 10-under 274.

Marques admitted that the 13th hole proved an important turning point as his interstate teammate had gone a shot clear earlier.

“That was a nice eagle to finish off the tournament but in perspective, it would have meant a lot more if I had won the championship with that,” shared a distraught Macdonald.

Queenslander Kevin Marques comes good in a tight tussle at Royal Pahang Golf Club for the Malaysian Amateur Open crown

Abel Tam

Abel Tam (72) finished as the leading Malaysian with a four-day total of one-under 283 for a share of ninth alongside Singaporean duo Edgar Oh (71) and Jerome Ng (72). Leading final round scores 274 – Kevin Marques (AUS) 68-66-72-68 275 – Poom Saksansin (THA) 69-70-71-65 276 – Taylor MacDonald (AUS) 68-67-71-70 277 – Karan Taunk (IND) 73-69-68-67 282 – Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol (THA) 70-70-71-71, Udayan Mane (IND) 74-69-69-69 Syukrizal (INA) 72-72-69-69 Chieh Po-lee (TPE) 71-71-68-72 283 – Edgar Oh (SIN) 70-72-70-71 Jerome Ng (SIN) 72-66-73-72 Abel Tam (MAS) 71-69-71-72

have to go through three stages in total to earn my playing stripes, so it is about taking one step at a time,” said Tan. Ranked 38th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Tan will however look to getting through the qualifying process before giving up her amateur status. “There is no pressure to turn professional immediately as I still hope to represent the country at the SEA Games in Myanmar in December. It is a gold medal that I would love to add to my collection and I look forward to training hard for that. While I am quite certain that I would be moving up the ranks at some point in 2014, a LPGA card will definitely seal the deal.”

Hard-fought victory

Tan was speaking after lifting her second Malaysian Ladies’ Amateur Open title in three years at the 30th edition of the tournament in late May.

KELLY BRACES FOR LPGA CHALLENGE

Buoyed by her victory at the Malaysian Ladies’ Amateur Open, Kelly Tan will turn her attention to clear the first hurdle of realising her dream of becoming a LPGA professional

The hot favourite overcame an early scare to preserve her single stroke advantage coming into the final round, closing with an even-par 71 at the East Course of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Challenger Princess Mary Superal (71) of the Philippines, who trailed Tan closely after the second round, took over the lead midway through the closing round but a double bogey on the 13th spelt an end to her title charge as she settled for a share of second on 209 alongside compatriot Cyna Rodriquez (68).

ith all signs pointing to Kelly Tan Guat Chen regaining the competitive form that established her not only as the nation’s top lady amateur but also a world-class performer in 2010, the 19-year-old Johorean has now set her eyes on earning a place on the highly competitive LPGA Tour.

“My target for the second half of the year is to earn my way into the LPGA Tour. It is no doubt an uphill task because it is a gruelling qualifying process plus the field is highly competitive but I believe that my game is really peaking now and it is worth the try. I

Kelly Tan adds a second Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open title to her belt, having won in 2010

Tan will head to Mission Hills Golf Club in Racho Mirage, California for the first stage of the 2014 LPGA Qualifying School later in August, hoping to make the grade into the paid ranks on the biggest stage of them all.

Pauline Del Rosario, Cyna Rodriguez and Princess Superal clinched the team title.

MALAYSIA TO HOST 2014 QUEEN SIRIKIT CUP

Thailand’s Suthavee Chanachai (68) and Indonesian Gavrilla Arya (70) were tied for fourth on 215, one stroke ahead of Thai lass Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (71) and India’s Gurbani Singh (73). The strong Pinoy contingent however went home with their heads held high after winning the overall team championship as well as the Division 2 title courtesy of nine-handicapper Sophia Chabon, who carded a 15-under 198 total. Malaysia’s Fatin Aiman Afiqah Mohamad (14) topped the Division 3 contest with an even-par 213 scoreline. Tan cut a relieved figure as she received the challenge trophy from the Malaysian Ladies’ Golf Association (MALGA) royal patron HRH Tunku Ampuan Negeri Sembilan Tunku Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. “I am honoured to win the national amateur title for the second time. I had to be patient out there and despite falling behind Princess at the turn, I did not give up. I proceeded to give myself several chances on the back nine and despite dropping a shot on the last, I am pleased with my five-under overall,” said Tan, who totalled fiveunder 208. Tan started positively with a birdie on third but was caught by the strong charging Princess after her ball took a drink on the ninth. The turning point however came when the Malaysian birdied the 14th, taking advantage of the Filipino’s slip on the previous hole for a three-shot swing in her favour. “The 14th was pivotal as I drained a 14-foot birdie to gain a twoshot cushion. Once I retook the lead, I told myself to hang on to the lead till the end and I managed my game well through the tricky closing holes. I misjudged the wind a little on 18th and pulled my approach a little too long than I wanted but knew that bogey would be enough to claim the win,” added Tan. Superal admitted that her blunder on the 13th took the winds off her sails as she charged for another win on Malaysian soil. “It is disappointing because I really tried hard but it was a case of coming so close yet so far. I started strongly to put pressure on Kelly but left myself with too much to do after the double bogey,” shared the 16-year-old reigning Malaysian and Filipino junior champion.” Leading final round scores (Division 1) 208 – Kelly Tan (MAS) 67-70-71 209 – Cyna Rodriquez (PHI) 69-72-68 Princess Superal (PHI) 70-68-71 215 – Suthavee Chanachai (THA) 73-74-68 Gavrilla Arya (INA) 74-71-70 216 – Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (THA) 75-70-71 Gurbani Singh (IND) 74-69-73 217 – Ashley Ona (AUS) 73-71-73 218 – Loy Hee Ying (MAS) 77-71-70 219 – Parinda Phokan (THA) 72-73-74 221 – Aditi Ashok (IND) 74-72-75, Michelle Koh (MAS) 71-74-76 Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras (THA) 72-72-77 Pauline Del Rosario (PHI) 70-73-78

Sunrise Group chairman Tien Ya Hsu, tournament founding member Rae-Vadee T. Suwan, MALGA president HH Tunku Puteri Tunku Jawahir and Dominic Wall of the R&A

hirteen Asia-Pacific nations are expected to send their top lady amateurs for the 36th edition of the Queen Sirikit Cup (QSC) for the Asia-Pacific Ladies’ Invitational Golf Team Championship in Kuala Lumpur next year. The Malaysian Ladies’ Golf Association (MALGA) accepted the invitation to host the prestigious event a year earlier than scheduled after Sri Lanka pulled out. The event is set to be staged at the Saujana Golf & Country Club from April 9–11 with each nation sending a three-player team to compete in the championship. MALGA’s executive director Dato’ Rabeahtul Aloya Abbas expressed her delight that Malaysia will host the championship for the third time, having last hosted the event in 2002, when it was played at the A’Famosa Golf Resort. “We feel honoured that the QSC secretariat accepted our bid to host the 36th edition of the championship next year and we have pledged to put on a memorable edition. The Queen Sirikit Cup has always been a highlight event on our calendar and we hope to showcase the Malaysian hospitality once again to our friends from across the region,” said Rabeahtul, who noted that the Malaysian Ladies’ Amateur Open will be likely moved to coincide with the event. MALGA hopes to raise close to RM300,000 to cover the operational and logistic expenses of hosting the event and has approached the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as the National Sports Council (NSC) for assistance. “We can rely on our members to come out in force as volunteers and officials but we still need a helping hand from private corporations as well as well-wishers to sponsor the event as MALGA alone cannot cough up the amount required,” she added. Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin noted that he will look into MALGA’s request seriously. “I have just been briefed by MALGA officials on the championship and we will look into doing all we can to not only support the organisation of the prestigious tournament but also assist MALGA’s in their continued efforts to nurture junior girls and produce future champions in the footsteps of Kelly Tan,” he said.

WELCOME BACK

MR PRESIDENT

“We are keen on expanding

the outreach of golf and making it affordable to the masses, especially to juniors.

”

- Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor

From winning the presidency by a single vote in 2011 to being returned uncontested in the recent Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) election, Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor has come one full circle. With his first term behind him, the former armed forces chief is poised to make his second tenure a significant one for the golf’s national governing body. He speaks his mind to The ClubHouse at the sidelines of the association’s annual general meeting. A stronger second mandate As they say, acknowledgement or recognition comes from affiliates and I would like to express my gratitude for the trust and faith they have in me. I think it is a job that not only requires passion but also a lot of time because you have to go around the country to meet and engage with the affiliates. That is maybe why for the moment they feel that I should continue as the president but I will not consider it an achievement or something. I have reminded my executive committee that we must remain humble and work harder. We have been given a mandate to serve rather than just warm the seats. On what he learnt in his first tenure One of the first things I observed upon helming the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) is that we have inherited a legacy system with many structural organisations with differing practices rather than just one governing body managing golf in the country. Much of my first term was spent understanding how we can integrate our efforts for the common good of golf. It is a tough ask because the inclinations and mindsets of preferring to work in silos are there. But the spirit to collaborate is getting better; there is a sense of optimism and enthusiasm about working together as a team now. For example, after many years, I believe that our relationship with the Malaysian Ladies’ Golf Association is healthy and appreciable. I don’t have to rock the boat anymore but the willingness to co-operate is there. Engaging with the grass roots I appreciate the passion on the ground and having gone to all corners of Malaysia and visited golf clubs—small and big—I feel that the more rural states still require a lot of direction and support from the MGA. For example, we launched a junior golf programme in Kelab Golf Rantau Petronas in conjunction with Petronas—something that they had struggled for years to come out with. I believe strongly in engagement with the grass roots and I can only espouse my executive committee as well as the management. Only then can we virtually understand the pace of growth that they are comfortable with because if we try to dictate our style, the model may not be suitable for them.

Mohd Anwar with his executive committee for the 2013 - 2015 term

On moving forward My personal perspective, which I also feel is the MGA’s direction is that we do not want to curtail and stifle the growth of golf in the country but at the same time, it will be better if the different groups with their own programmes can work together with us, so that we can have a common template across the country. They say golf is about consistency, so we are also trying to inculcate the spirit of consistency in what we do, which is managing and most importantly, growing golf in the country. Golf in schools I am pleased that we have managed to penetrate schools with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education. Introducing golf in schools is something of a breakthrough-so much so that the R&A were taken by surprise by the pilot programme we have managed to pull through and have extended their support by sending their professionals to assist in “Teaching the Teachers” programme. On the national set-up We are glad that our amateurs are on an improving trajectory and the youngsters coming through the ranks are raising the standards all the time. We are ranked 12th in the world currently [ladies are ranked 25th] and we have qualified for the Youth Olympics, which is quite an achievement. But it is important that we put extra effort in training our amateurs because in the long run, they will join the professional ranks and carry the nation’s hopes in prestigious tournaments such as the Maybank Malaysian Open. I think we’ve got one rising star (Gavin Kyle Green) in our line-up and he has shown a lot of promise. I feel it is a matter of staying on track with the rest of the amateurs and nurturing those rising juniors to take over in the years to come. However, I strongly believe that we need a golf professional within the MGA that can refine the way our amateurs play in tournaments. The players have got their swings and routines set up correctly but they need that extra bit of help in terms of strategy and tactics that can deliver the results we desire, especially in international events. This is something I will look into seriously. Success in regional meets It is a big priority of the MGA to secure a gold medal in the upcoming 27th SEA Games in Myanmar and we will be preparing a strong team for that assignment. In the near future, our team will also travel to the Philippines for the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship for the Putra, Santi, Lion and Kartika Cups and we hope to achieve some success there as well. On the new Youth & Sports Minister Sure, we are optimistic about the leadership change in the Youth and Sports Ministry. We want to be open-minded and progressive in our relationship with the ministry, with the sole purpose of developing golf in the country. Another priority of mine is to get golf recognised as a mainstream sport, now that golf is in the Olympics, we need to put our achievements on the table.

INSIDE THE ROPES

. Sivachandhran overcame a sluggish final round display to prevail in a playoff over newly minted professional Arie Fauzi at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Kelantan Classic on May 30.

SIVA EDGES ROOKIE FOR KELANTAN TITLE

With a handsome four-stroke advantage at the start of the day, the 34-year-old Siva produced a listless performance, mixing three bogeys with two birdies to come around with a one-over 73 at Kelantan Golf & Country Club for a 10-under 278 aggregate. He was caught up by a fast-charging Arie-the exciting youngster closing with a five-under 67 on the back of a card of six birdies and a sole bogey to force matters into extra holes.

Experience however played its hand as Siva parred the first playoff hole to claim a morale-boosting second PGM Tour title-his first in nearly two years on the burgeoning domestic circuit. “That was a real relief because I almost let it slip, but I was mentally strong going into the playoff. I probably wanted that victory a little bit more in the end but I want to congratulate Arie, who did really well to come home with a 67 and gave it his best effort in the playoff,” said Siva, whose best result in 2013 was a runner-up finish at the season-opening I&P Kinrara Classic. He added that he was moving in the right direction and hoped that the win would spur him even further.

“The event has grown from strength to strength over the last four years. This year it makes its debut as a full-fledged PGA Tour event with an increased field and we feel that the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club is a venue that will give us the scale we need to take it to the next level,” said CIMB Group chief executive Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak.

NEW HOME FOR CIMB CLASSIC, MICKELSON HEADLINES FIELD © Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour

“The Mines is a world-class facility and we have been great partners over the last three years. We extend our greatest thanks and appreciation to their management and staff for all the effort in getting us to where we are today.”

t is time to say goodbye to The Mines Resort & Golf Club and hello to Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club as the CIMB Classic heralds a new era when it becomes an official moneylist event on the newly aligned 2013–2014 FedExCup calendar. An increased field of 78 players will compete for a fatter prize purse of US$7 million, as compared with US$6.1 million in 2012 at the championship West Course from October 24– 27.

The announcement comes as title sponsor CIMB Group unveiled that Phil Mickelson, winner of 41 PGA Tour events including four Major championships, will headline the field alongside the tournament’s three past champions, Ben Crane, Bo Van Pelt and titleholder Nick Watney. In a statement, title sponsor CIMB Group expressed their belief that moving the tournament to a new venue will mark a new beginning for the marquee event.

Nazir noted that with official FedExCup points being awarded, more PGA Tour players are expected to make their trip to Malaysia for this year’s event. “We are delighted to have our past champions Ben, Bo as well as Nick back and we look forward to seeing Phil tee off in Malaysia for the first time. I am confident that this year’s CIMB Classic will be yet another amazing display of talent,” added Nazir. The Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club is no stranger to world-class golf, serving as the host of the European Tour and Asian Tour’s cosanctioned Maybank Malaysian Open for the past four years as well as the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia since 2010. “It is a privilege for any golf club to host an

“A win is always nice but I don’t think I’ve been posting consistent scores on all four rounds in a particular tournament this year and that has really let me down. I know I have to keep working hard in practice and the areas of my game which I think will need extra attention are my driving and short game,” he added. A disappointed Arie said that he was pleased with the way his game has been “progressing” and will continue to work as he finds his footing on the professional ranks. “I only turned professional in April, so I know there is still a lot more to learn. But I am happy with my performance here in Kelantan as I gave myself chances until the very end. As far as my overall game is concerned, I will just continue to stick to the basics and hopefully it will get better,” added Arie, who turns 23 in August. Kenneth De Silva carded a 67 of his own to climb into a share of third alongside Haziq Hamizan (70) while local hotshot Mohd Nazri Mohd Zain, who grew up playing the layout, shot a tournament low eight-under 64 to finish tied fifth with Shaaban Hussin (71) on 281. Leading final round scores 278 – S. Sivachandhran 71-68-66-73, Arie Fauzi 71-71-69-67 (Siva wins on first playoff hole) 279 – Kenneth De Silva 74-70-68-67, Haziq Hamizan 68-73-68-70 281 – Mohd Nazri Mohd Zain 71-75-71-64, Shaaban Hussin 70-69-71-71 282 – Airil Rizman 70-68-73-71 283 – S. Murthy 67-72-74-70, Azman Basharuddin 75-68-68-72, Sukree Othman 71-71-69-72, Nicholas Pua 73-69-69-72 285 – Akhmal Tarmizee 73-72-72-68, Wilson Choo 74-70-73-68, Khor Kheng Hwai 71-71-68-75 286 – R. Nachimuthu 76-72-68-70, Kemarol Baharin 72-68-75-71, Lam Yu Shuen 71-68-75-72

SHAABAN GETS IT RIGHT IN PENANG

INSIDE THE ROPES

haaban Hussin claimed an early birthday gift when he coasted to a three-shot victory at the PGM-ASEAN Penang Masters on June 15. Shaaban, who turned 33 the following day, fired a career-best seven-under 65 at the Penang Golf Resort to beat compatriot R. Nachimuthu (69) and Filipino Mars Pucay with a winning total of 18-under 270. Third round leader Michael Tran of Vietnam could only muster an even-par 72 to finish sole fourth on 14-under 274, two shots ahead of rookie professional Arie Fauzi (68). Thailand’s Atthakorn Rodrangka (67) and Nakarintra Ratanakul (71) were tied for sixth on 10-under-par in the RM180,000 (US$60,000) event co-sanctioned with the ASEAN PGA Tour. A flawless display featuring seven birdies meant that Shaaban, who started the final round two strokes off the lead, not only made amends for his playoff defeat to S. Murthy last year but also joined the likes of Danny Chia, Ben Leong and Nicholas Fung as winners on the regional circuit. “I came pretty close here last year, so I’m happy to have ensured that I will celebrate my birthday tomorrow in style. Everything just fell in place today and I pulled off five birdies on the back nine, which gave me the momentum to cruise to the title,” said Shabaan, whose last triumph in the domestic circuit came at the 2011 Terengganu Classic.

international tournament; to host an official PGA Tour FedExCup event is a truly unique opportunity. We are honoured and our members are in for a great golfing treat with all the excitement around the club. We are extremely pleased to have been entrusted to host such a prestigious event,” said Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club general manager Steven Thielke.

“I drove the ball well and my irons were also in good shape, which gave me the confidence to chase the victory. I knew that a low score would do the trick and my putting proved decisive as I buried most of the chances I got,” he added. Despite settling for his third runner-up finish of the season, Nachimuthu was pleased with his consistent performance.

Mickelson, who is no stranger to Asia having competed in Singapore and China previously, will grace Malaysian shores for the first time in his illustrious career.

“I am happy with how I played this week. I could not do better than three-under in the final round, which on another day might have been good enough to win”.

“I’ve heard great things about Kuala Lumpur and the CIMB Classic from the guys who played there. This will be my first visit to Malaysia, I’m really excited and looking forward to the experience,” said Mickelson.

Leading final round scores (Malaysian unless stated otherwise) 270 Shaaban Hussin 67-69-69-65 273 Mars Pucay (PHI) 71-69-68-65, R Nachimuthu 68-66-70-69 274 Michael Tran (VIE) 68-68-66-72 276 Arie Fauzi 67-69-72-68 278 Atthakorn Rodrangka (THA) 74-67-70-67, Nakarintra Ratanakul (THA) 66-72-69-71

“The CIMB Classic presents an excellent opportunity for PGA Tour players to compete in Asia, and it is part and parcel of promoting the game globally. I think it is fantastic that the CIMB Classic is part of the FedExCup; it certainly drives the tournament’s competitiveness and encourages the presence of American golfers in the region.”

MALAYSIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION

CHIAM TAMES THE COBRA FOR SAUJANA AM TITLE S

ingapore’s Nicklaus Chiam powered his way to a four-stroke victory at the 26th MPI-Saujana Amateur Championship on May 30 as the expected challenge from Down Under fizzled out on a sizzling afternoon at Saujana Golf & Country Club. The 17-year-old, who trailed Taylor Macdonald of Australia by one stroke coming into the final round, clinched the prestigious title with an impressive two-under 70 for a 214 aggregate on the challenging Palm tract. After a late slip had cost him the title at the Malaysian Amateur Open earlier in the week, Macdonald was once again cursing his luck as a closing three-over 75 saw the Queenslander settle for a share of second alongside compatriot Christopher Robert Brown (73). Edgar Oh (73) took sole possession of fourth on 225 to cap a strong performance by the Singaporean contingent as fellow Lion Jerome Ng (77) finished a further shot back alongside Chinese Taipei’s Sung-i Yu (77) on 226.

“I just played my usual game and tried to focus on my own routines instead of what Taylor [Macdonald] was doing. The wind picked up a lot today and the pins were a little different from the opening two rounds but I guess my putting was up to it,” said Chiam, who had the luxury of bogeying the last hole. “Despite taking the lead, I was trying really

Muhammad Afif Mohd Razif was the best placed Malaysian in joint 14th with a 233 overall, ahead of national backup players Ervin Chang (237) and Bryan Teoh Wiyang (239). Six-handicapper Faiz Khalid of Saujana Golf & Country Club claimed the nett division with a three-day score of 220.

Leading final round scores 214 – Nicklaus Chiam (SIN) 72-72-70 218 – Christopher Robert Brown (AUS) 72-73-73, Taylor Macdonald (AUS) 74-69-75 225 – Edgar Oh (SIN) 76-76-73 226 – Jerome Ng (SIN) 77-72-77, Sean Sung-I Yu (TPE) 72-77-77 227 – Chieh Po-Lee (TPE) 78-73-76 229 – Syukrizal (INA) 79-76-74 230 – Marc Ong (SIN) 74-80-76, Andrew Hans (USA) 78-75-77, Abdul Hadi (SIN) 72-77-81

AMERICAN CHEN TOPS KGNS LADIES’ MEET

nheralded Justine Chen clinched a twostroke victory to emerge as the overall champion of the sixth Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS)-Mazda Ladies’ Amateur Open held from May 28–30.

After a mixed start to his round, with birdies either side of a bogey on second, Chiam stormed away with a superb eagle on the 13th, when he drained a 30-footer from the apron.

hard to post a low number, so I pushed myself all the way to the end. It was difficult to stay focused in the searing heat but I drank a lot of fluids to keep myself hydrated and my fellow team mates and officials played a huge part in urging me on over the last few holes,” added the 2011 Malacca Amateur Open champion.

With senior nationals representing the country at the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open, twohandicapper Chen registered rounds of 72, 75 and 79 to see-off the challenge of Hillferah Tan (73-77-78) with a 10-over 226 overall. Club

champion Irene Hong was a further two shots adrift in third, totalling 230 on the back of rounds of 80, 75 and 75. Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s Fatin Amin (14) topped the nett division with a 190 total, while Hillferah led her Universiti Utara Malaysia team mates Nur Diyanah Damian and Nur Atikah to victory in the team event with a combined 309 score.

ON THE MOVE Abdul Razak Samad has been named the general manager for the newly built Labuan International Golf Club.

Danau Golf Club has a new man in charge with Johan Fariz taking over as the club manager

With a ton of experience in organising major golf tournaments, David Wang Shao Ming is a welcome addition as assistant golf manager in Tropicana GCR.

Ahmad Hairry Agus returns as senior executive – golf at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club.

MY JUNIORS

OUCHI MAKES IT THREE OUT OF THREE

apanese youngster Kokoro Ouchi continued her dominance on the SportExcel circuit with third straight victory at the first leg of the Malaysian Junior PremierElite Golf Circuit played at Monterez Golf & Country Club from May 25–27. The 10-year-old student of Fairview International School carded rounds of 81, 82 and 76 for a three-day haul of 239, adding to her victories at the opening two legs of the National Junior Golf Circuit at Pulai Springs Resort and Clearwater Sanctuary Resort respectively. Kokoro finished three strokes clear of Jeneath Wong while Sarah Mazri was third on 253. In the boys’ under-10 division, Glenmarie Golf & Country Club’s Feirish Nor Feizal Nor claimed a back-to-back victory of his own when he registered rounds of 71, 78 and 79 to beat close rival Isaac To of Saujana Golf & Country Club by six shots. The leg also witnessed first wins of the season for Muhamed Izzad Ibrahim Mohd Jagkeira (boys’ 18 and under), Sarfina Seretharan (girls’ 18 and under), Sazanur Iman Salenin (boys’16 and under), Kelie Kan Kah Yan (girls’ 16 and under), Daeng Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz (boys’ 14 and under) as well as Victor Ng Yu Kai (boys’ 12 and under).

SportExcel-NSC-Milo-MGA Malaysian Junior Premier-Elite Golf Circuit - First Leg (Monterez Golf & Country Club) BOYS’ UNDER 18 1. Mohd Izzat Ibrahim 2. Izzat Mirza 3. Vernn Chan 4. William Ching

228 (74-78-76) 240 (79-80-81) 241 (80-83-78) 243 (83-79-81)

Girls’ Under 18 1. Sarfina Seretharan

222 (72-74-76)

BOYS’ UNDER 16 1. Sazanur Iman 232(80-80-72) 2. Alvin Hiew 235 (79-77-79) 3. Kishaan Tharmalingam 235 (77-75-83) Ocb 4. M. Syafiq Musa 236 (82-75-79) GIRLS’ UNDER 16 1. Kelie Kan 2. Chong Yong 3. Warda Amira 4. Ong Shi Qing

220 (76-73-71) 235 (80-78-77) 241 (83-79-79) 241 (80-82-79) Ocb

BOYS’ UNDER 14 1. Daeing Abd Rahman 2. Galvin Kendell Green 3. Khavish Varman 4. Lucas Yee

226 (76-71-79) 228 (80-77-71) 229 (82-73-74) 232 (80-77-75)

GIRLS’ UNDER 14 1. Kim Joo Yeon 2. Gereldine Wong 3. Nur Syazani Amalia 4. Junie Khaw

237 (78-76-83) 243 (79-78-86) 246 (87-79-80) 250 (84-84-82)

BOYS’ UNDER 12 1. Victor Ng 2. Rhaasrikanesh 3. Adam Arif Masri 4. A. Hafiz

227 (71-80-76) 233 (77-79-77) 234 (79-77-78) 235 (74-78-83)

GIRLS’ UNDER 12 1. Natasha Andrea Onn 236 (76-82-75) 2. Winnie Ng 244 (80-80-84) 3. Liyana Durasic 256 (88-86-82) 4. Megan Lee 256 (91-80-85) Ocb BOYS’ UNDER 10 1. Feirish Nor Feizal Nor 2. Isaac To 3. Foo Tee Jui 4. M. Aqil Nazrul

228 (71-78-79) 234 (84-79-71) 237 (76-77-84) 245 (81-85-79)

GIRLS’ UNDER 10 1. Kokoro Ouchi 2. Jeneath Wong 3. Sarah Mazri 4. Hailey Loh

239 (81-82-76) 242 (83-78 81) 253 (86-85-82) 263 (92-89-82)

SINGAPORE JOY FOR LUCAS

poor final round of 77 could not derail Perak’s Lucas Yee Jung Jin from winning the boys’ 12 –14 category at the Singapore Junior Open held from June 4–6 at Keppel Club.

The 13-year-old from Clearwater Sanctuary Resort had a five-shot advantage coming into the final round over compatriot Aaerishna Shahsty Balakrishan but needed to compose himself after a triple bogey on 15th to finish two shots clear of Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaiyasit. The Thai had carded a solid round of even-par 72 to finish on 229, two strokes ahead of thirdplaced Aaerishna, who managed a closing 76. Edgar Oh from Singapore and Pornpawee Thammavichai of Thailand emerged as the overall champions with scores of 213 (70-69-74) and 229 (75-76-78) respectively.

MY JUNIORS

IN-FORM GENEVIEVE TRIUMPHS IN RSGC Royal Selangor Golf Club president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor who was present for the prize presentation shared that the club will look into introducing an under-12 category for boys and girls respectively next year. RSGC-AmBank Junior Amateur Open Royal Selangor Golf Club

enevieve Ling clinched her second title in less than a week after winning the girls’ under-18 division in the second RSGCAmBank Junior Amateur Championship at Royal Selangor Golf Club. She carded a solid even-par 72 to add to her opening two rounds of 74 and 87, edging national Nur Durriyah Damian (74) by three strokes with a six-over 224. In the boys’ under-18 division, promising player Mohd Asyraf Rosli notched a 72 of his

own to emerge victorious by a single shot after trailing second-round leader Aizat Nazhif (80) by seven shots going into the final round on June 6. Cinta Sayang Golf and Country Resort’s Nor Amalia Shahzan bagged the girls’ under-15 crown by a massive 19 strokes, edging Damai Laut Golf and Country Club’s Farhatul Munirah (253) while national junior player Bryan Teoh Wiyang underlined his growing stature by winning the boys’ under-15 division by 14-shots with a total of 225.

BOYS ‘ UNDER-18 Mohd Asyraaf Hj Rosli Aizat Nazhif Shah Kasim Paul San

232 (77-83-72) 233 (76-77-80) 236 (76-79-81)

GIRLS’ UNDER-18 Genevieve Ling Nur Durriyah Damian Ong Shi Qing

224 (74-78-72) 227 (74-79-74) 243 (84-80-79)

BOYS’ UNDER-15 Bryan Teoh Wiyang Sazanur Iman Salenin Muhd Iqbal Saharudin

225 (75-74-76) 239 (82-78-79) 239 (81-78-80)

GIRLS’ UNDER-15 Amalia Shahzan Farhatul Munirah Kim Joo Yeon

234 (76-79-79) 253 (81-87-85) 254 (77-92-85)

ABEL LEADS JUNIORS TO SELANGOR MASTERS

ational amateur Abel Tam clinched his fourth amateur start at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters in five years after emerging as the overall champion of the Etiqa Selangor International Junior Masters on June 1. The 20-year-old Johorean registered rounds of 74, 71 and 73 at the challenging Seri Selangor Golf Club to defend the boys’ under-21 title that he won last year and in the process, top the field of 101 golfers with a five-over 218 aggregate.

SITI SHINES IN SCOTLAND

ational junior Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari finished second in the girls’ 13– 14 category at the US Kids European Championship, which was played from May 29–31 at the Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian.

Boys’ under-18 champion Muhammad Naqiuddin Mohd Fuad and youngster Galven Kendall Green, who triumphed in the boys’ under-15 division, joined Abel in the start list for the US$400,000 Asian Tour sanctioned event, which was played at the same venue from June 23–26.

Despite having little experience playing in links conditions, Siti managed to card rounds of 73, 73 and 75 to finish six shots behind winner Emily Price of the United Kingdom.

In the sole girls’ under-21 division, Genevive Ling I-Rynn successfully retained her title, carding rounds of 72, 70 and 73 for a composed 15-stroke victory over Chong Yong while Khavish Varman Varadan eased to boys’ under-12 title on the back of rounds of 70, 76 and 71, defeating Victor Ng Yu Kai by ten shots.

The 14-year-old from Kelab Rekreasi Tentera Udara Subang also helped the Internationals team to a 6–4 defeat of the Western Europeans in the Ryder Cup-styled Van Horn Cup.

AROUND THE GLOBE ASIAN TOUR

BRILLIANT PRAYAD SEALS QUEEN’S CUP VICTORY

hailand’s Prayad Marksaeng finally tamed the beast of Samui when he won the Queen’s Cup by three strokes at the Santiburi Samui Country Club on June 16. Having come close with three top-three finishes since the Queen’s Cup made its debut on the Asian Tour in 2009, Marksaeng finished with a 14-under-par 270 total, holding off fellow Thai Arnond Vongvanij in the US$312,000 Asian Tour event. Japan’s Daisuke Kataoka posted a 68 to secure third place with a 275 overall. Starting the final round one shot off the lead, Marksaeng struck eagles on the eighth and 18th holes to come around with a twounder 69 and “I’ve come so close to winning here but couldn’t finish the job previously. So obviously this win really means a lot to me,” added Prayad, who is reigning Thai national champion.

EUROPEAN TOUR

COOL MATTEO REIGNS AS EUROPEAN PGA CHAMPION

talian sensation Matteo Manassero became the youngest winner of the PGA Championship when he beat Simon Khan and Marc Warren in a play-off at Wentworth on May 26. The 20-year-old birdied the fourth extra hole to edge 2010 champion Khan after Scotland’s Marc Warren dropped out on the first hole. The trio ended on 10-under 278, one clear of Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez and third rounde leader Alejandro Canizares. Lee Westwood had a two-shot lead after four but carded 73 to finish tied ninth on seven-under. Manassero, who has now won four European Tour titles, is 60 days younger than Bernard Gallacher was when the Briton lifted the title in 1969 at the age of 20 years and 97 days. “It’s been an amazing week, I’ve always felt something special about this place and this tournament. I’m the happiest man in the world right now,” said Manassero.

LPGA

PARK CONTINUES LADIES’ MAJOR DOMINANCE © Getty

orld number one Inbee Park recovered from a late meltdown to earn her fourth victory and second major title of the season at the Wegmans LPGA Championship on June 16. The 24-year-old Korean held a three-shot lead with five holes to play in regulation but watched that cushion disappear with bogeys on three of the holes after errant shots into the rough to finish at three-over-par 75. It dropped her into a tie for five-under 283

with Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew, who stormed from seven shots back with a flawless four-under 68 on a marathon 36hole final day at Locust Hill Country Club. Park edged Matthew with a 20-foot birdie putt on 18 on the third extra hole. “It feels good to win because I hit the ball everywhere and it made a really long day so much tougher,” said Park, who became one of six LPGA players to win the first two majors of a season. “I struggled, and it’s almost a miracle that I won.”

MAJOR MOMENTS

“

I’ve been a pro 15 years ... but only in the last two years have I felt ready for that moment. You think you’re good enough, you can tell yourself you’re good enough. You can tell yourself you’re ready and believe you’re ready, but until it happens you really don’t know.

”

Driver: TaylorMade R1 Fairway: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Tour HL (16.5°) Irons: TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour (#3-#6) TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB irons (#7-PW) Wedges: TaylorMade ATV wedges 52°, 56° & 60° Putter: TaylorMade Spider Blade putter (37”) Ball: TaylorMade Lethal (#99) Glove: TaylorMade R9 Tour Footwear: Ashworth Cardiff

Rose’s Arsenal

MAJOR MOMENTS

ROSE COMES OF AGE IN MERION

With his finger pointed to the heavens, Justin Rose paid a personal homage to his late dad after locking up his first major championship, winning the US Open at Merion Golf Club by two strokes.

FITTING FATHER’S DAY TRIBUTE: Rose dedicates the US Open win to his late dad and mentor Ken, who lost a battle to leukemia in 2002.

How they finished? +1 Justin Rose (ENG) +3 Phil Mickelson (USA), Jason Day (AUS) +5 Jason Dufner (USA), Ernie Els (RSA) Billy Horschel (USA) Hunter Mahan (USA) +6 Steve Stricker (USA) Luke Donald (ENG) +7 Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) Selected others: +9 Lee Westwood (ENG) +11 Padraig Harrington (IRE) Ian Poulter (ENG) +13 Tiger Woods (USA) +14 Rory McIlroy (NRI) +15 Sergio Garcia (ESP), Adam Scott (AUS)

n one way or another, the 113th U.S. Open Championship was always going to be one for history annals.

First there were questions surrounding the future of legendary Merion Golf Club in the United States Golf Association’s rota for its flagship tournament, with skeptics deeming it to be way too short and easy for the modern game’s big-hitters. There was third round leader Phil Mickelson, who was once again battling with destiny to avoid the fate of Sam Snead, who had never won his national Open in an otherwise glittering career, which included seven Majors.

DISAPPOINTING STUFF: Mickelson struggled down the stretch on the testing back nine of Merion’s East Course, posting bogeys at the 13th and 15th holes to fall behind Justin Rose and never really managed to recover.

In the end, it would be Rose, who bounced onto the world stage when he finished in a tie for fourth place as an amateur at the 1998 Open Championship, would prevail, handing Mickelson a sixth heartbreak. Starting the final round a single stroke behind Lefty, Rose fired a level-par 70 against the American’s 74 to be proclaimed the US Open champion.

And then, there was was Justine Rose - trying to become the first Englishman to win the U.S. Open in 43 years since Tony Jacklin did it in 1970 and only the first of his generation to garner a maiden Major victory after Nick Faldo’s Masters win in 1996.

ASIA’S BEST: Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, 21, continued his remarkable start to life as a professional by finishing in a tie for 10th at Merion to break into the world’s top-50 list. © Getty

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Jason Day hovered near the top but was unable to breakthrough as he kept canceling himself out to eventually finish tied second alongside Mickelson. The 25-year-old now has four top three finishes in his last four Major appearances.

RARE BIRDIE

Martin

Vousden

experienced golf writer and editor, equally at home in print publications or online content. A former editor of Today’s Golfer, he now freelances from Scotland, near Carnoustie. His Ryder Cup book With Friends Like These, was published in 2006.

t’s a very risky business, writing about an event before it happens – especially as, by the time you read this, the US Open will be done and dusted. But I’m prepared to stick my neck out with a few observations about the way the USGA sets up golf courses for its national championship. Merion will be tight, featuring narrow fairways and clinging rough (especially if the forecasted rain arrives) and putting will be akin to rolling marbles across glass. The tournament will feature car-crash golf, where the ambition of most of the competitors will be to stagger through to the weekend, bleeding as little as possible. Bogeys, double-bogeys and worse will be much more prevalent than birdies and the winning score is unlikely to be below par – it may even be several over. All of this misery, for both player and spectator, occurs because the USGA seems to view itself as a guardian of the game, the last defender at the Alamo, the body charged with maintaining the holy sanctity of par. Somehow, it believes that making its championship ludicrously difficult is honouring the tradition and history of golf when in fact it’s just being wilfully stubborn. And stupid.

26 Quote of the Month

“The world’s number one tennis player spends 90% of his time winning, while the world’s number one golfer spends 90% of his time losing. Golfers are great losers.” ~ David Feherty

When will the USGA learn?

One hundred years ago par golf over four rounds represented an excellent standard of play; now it can only be achieved by presenting the venue in a state that draws legitimate comparisons with Mickey Mouse. It was the early 1950s when the then executive director of the USGA, Joe Dey, invited architect Robert Trent Jones to ‘modify’ the layouts that would be allowed to host the US Open. As a result, when Ben Hogan – in the view of many the finest golfer who has lived – won his second US Open in 1950 at the same Merion course where it is being staged this year, he came off the 18th after the final round and said to the architect’s wife: “Mrs Jones, if your husband had to play the courses he designs, you’d be on the breadline.” Since then the pattern has been that the courses get tougher and more extreme, to the point where it all goes pear-shaped and the USGA has to back off for a few years. There’s the infamous ‘Massacre at Winged Foot’ in 1974, for example, during which none of the field broke par in the first round. Hale Irwin eventually won with a score of seven-over. It was seen as a ridiculously over-the-top response to the fact that Johnny Miller had shot a championship best 63 the year before at Oakmont. This was also the course that, in 2007, saw an average score in the second round of just fewer than 77. Three years earlier at Shinnecock Hills the USGA was forced to break its own rules of competition (you cannot alter the condition of a course during a round) by watering the seventh green between groups because it was just about unplayable.

How is anyone supposed to take seriously an organisation that it is so incompetent that it is obliged to ignore the directives it issues to everyone else, in order to save some degree of face? Criticism of sadistic set-ups like these prompted the famous response, from Sandy Tatum, another USGA president, that: “We’re not trying to humiliate the best players in the world, we’re trying to identify them.” What this attitude fails to acknowledge is that they identify the best of a certain type of golfer – a straight hitter who putts like God. That’s why Hale Irwin was so successful, why Andy North won three events in his life, two of which were US Opens, and Lee Janzen and Retief Goosen have tasted success twice. It is also why Phil Mickelson, one of the greatest players of the modern age, now holds the record of most runners-up finishes in a particular major without winning it. Mickelson has a short game to die for but his driving will always catch him out. Likewise Seve Ballesteros, an equal genius around the greens with an equally frustrating tendency to miss the short grass once or twice too often with a long club in his hands. Of course, if you take a masochistic delight in watching the best in the world suffer, you will thoroughly enjoy the US Open and will be delighted to hear commentators saying things like: “That was a good bogey”. I can see good bogeys every week at my own golf club but that’s not the reason I tune in to the majors. You might think that even the most suicidal stupid and incompetent of fools would one day, eventually, recognise that it is not the rest of the world that is marching out of step but themselves. Except that the USGA doesn’t. It keeps goose-stepping along to a drummer only it can hear, ploughing its own lonely furrow from which nothing can grow and trying to turn back the clock to an age that passed a century ago. King Canute is famous for allegedly trying to hold back the waves as the tide rolled in but he had an excuse, he was madder than a box of frogs*. The USGA has no such justification. *Actually Canute wasn’t mad and was in fact demonstrating to his over-obsequious courtiers that even he couldn’t hold back the tide.

TOUR WATCH WITH ASIAN TOUR

Calvin Koh and Doyle De Costa form part of the dynamic and globe-trotting media team at the Asian Tour. Known for their differing viewpoints on all things golf in Asia, the duo give their insights and thoughts on the happenings and developments on the region’s established Tour.

Disappointed to see Thongchai Jaidee lose at the Volvo World Match Play championship? Calvin Koh (CK): Thongchai never disappoints Asia with his battling performances abroad. He was the underdog heading into the Volvo World Match Play championship and he defeated a host of stars including match play specialist Ian Poulter to reach the finals. On the flipside of the coin, we all know Thongchai is playing some of his best golf this season so I expect him to win soon. Doyle De Costa (DDC): He might have finished second but it was enough to move him inside the top-50 on the Official World Golf Rankings. It also earned him a spot in the U.S. Open. Thongchai played well the whole week at the Volvo World Match Play championship and he had only one errant drive on the 14th hole which dashed his hopes of winning. He held his head high and his fans around the world are still proud with his achievement. What do you think of Singapore’s victory over Malaysia in the inaugural Causeway Trophy? CK: It was a great victory for Singapore. There’s always a strong sporting rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia and it was great fun to watch the players in this Ryder Cup style event. The local boys definitely had the home advantage at the Laguna National’s World Classic course! It isn’t an easy golf course to play on and you need some local knowledge to negotiate around that tough track. DDC: On paper, Malaysia looked like the much stronger side but as we all know, anything can happen in golf. The golf course was playing tough and this is a slightly different format for the Malaysian professionals. Let’s hope that this is a learning curve for them and that they will bounce back even stronger in next year’s edition!

What did you think about the line-up? CK: Singapore had a mixture of seasoned and young players. Asian Tour regulars Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing were the pillars of the Singapore team and their young partners Lam Zhiqun (partnered Chih Bing on Day 1 and Day 2) and Koh Dengshan (partnered Mardan on Day 1 and Day 2) benefited tremendously by playing with these two maestros. It was also nice to see the veteran Poh Eng Wah defeating young gun Nicholas Fung in the Singles match 3 & 2.

DDC: Malaysia had a strong team but we were just outplayed in the singles matches on the last day. It was disappointing to watch Fung lose to Poh while Shaaban Hussin was defeated by Singapore’s rising star Quincy Quek 6 & 4. I would have expected Danny Chia to win his match against Koh but Chia did well to halve the match. Overall, we could have done better but it is back to the drawing board as we aim to recover from the 15 ½ and 8 ½ trashing. If you could choose 12 Asian Tour players to play in an event similar to the Causeway Trophy format, who would they be? CK: My pick would be Thongchai Jaidee, Mardan Mamat, Lam Chih Bing, Arnond Vongvanij, Anirban Lahiri, Liang Wen-chong, Jonathan Moore, Scott Hend, Baek Seuk-hyun, Berry Henson, Shiv Kapur and Boonchu Ruangkit! I like having a mixture of veterans and some young guns on my side! DDC: I’ll go with Jeev Milkha Singh, Thaworn Wiratchant, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Siddikur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Chapchai Nirat, Jbe Kruger, Angelo Que, Prom Meesawat, Scott Barr, Mithun Perera and Rikard Karlberg on my side. I prefer a team comprising of big hitters and short game experts.

CAUSEWAY RIVALRY

UNCHARTED COURSE WITH NORMAS YAKIN

Normas

Yakin

considers

himself an all-rounder: a former cocoa and oil palm planter, golf course superintendent, golf club manager, director, lecturer and consultant. He believes there are only two great mavericks in Malaysia; one of them is a former Prime Minister. Modesty, however, prevents him from telling you who the other one is. In his free time, he scribbles at

www.mynormas.com

Grass-whisperer?

olf is a very technical game. Nowadays when I play golf, I get just so many contradicting advice from my flight-mates and the aunty that works at the drink hut: “Don’t stand too far, don’t stand too close; don’t bend down, bend down some more; feet further apart, feet closer together.” I end up getting confused and my golf gets worse rather than better. Course superintendents by nature of their work are technical people too. As if trying to remember all 16 (or was it 17) nutrients required by grass is not hard enough, they still have to memorize budget limits and their own wedding anniversary. No wonder my hair is turning white prematurely. We like to say that “greenkeeping (that’s what we call our jobs) is part science and part art”. We need to know all the scientific bits of soil science, fertiliser chemistry, machinery engineering, pests’ biology and the physics of ball flight (o.k. I made that last bit up) among others. The art part comes from designing and maintaining the beautiful landscaping, the stripes on the fairways and the b**lsh*tting we have to do when cornered by our bosses.

KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY.

Some superintendents get to be too technical that they ends up confusing themselves. This usually happens after he (or she – let’s not forget the endangered species of female superintendents) comes back from a seminar and has heard a particularly good speaker. It all sounds good and of course it works very well… there, but when it comes to implementing it here; sometimes there are a lot of ‘trial by error’ experiments required. However, more often than not, what little technical information we get is acquired from the sales people of suppliers. Some of these well-meaning people don’t have turf or agriculture background. The problem is compounded when these sales people got their information from the sales people of their suppliers too. It becomes a kind of watered down information. We still buy the stuff because some of the sales people can be quite convincing in their figures (and not just the figures on paper, some of them look good in t-shirt, if you know what I mean) that it is hard to not get bought.

So that’s how some golf clubs end up with unused – and in some cases, unknown – piles of chemicals and fertilisers in their stores. When the next superintendent comes in, he shoves it to the back of the store and starts a new round of purchases. That’s another reason for many years as a superintendent, in December I will try to empty out my stores of left-over fertilisers and whatever relevant chemicals on my rough which I don’t normally fertilise. We get our rainy season in December so I don’t have to worry about watering the fertiliser in areas that has no irrigation system. One time, a club burned 18 of their greens and asked me to help. I found out that they were using so many types of foliar chemicals that their sprayer is in use almost daily. After the greens recovered I told them: “Perhaps its best to go back to basics. You know; just one or two chemicals. Keep it simple”. Then, some clubs are so determined to investigate the exact pathogen that damaged their greens that they send out samples to various experts and waited. In the meantime, the disease spreads. The investigation part is logical, the waiting part is not. Some superintendents find it funny that in this context; I’ll go on my hands and knees to look at the grass. I may not know the exact pathogen (I’m good but not that good) but at least I can explain to you whether it is a disease, insects or dry spot and act accordingly. Keep it simple. I also know of clubs that even make mowing difficult for themselves. I once took over from an expat superintendent who had different cutting heights for the fairway, tee, collar, the first cut of rough and the second cut. He also had a collar for the fairway and a path from the tees to the fairway. That is fine and good but the golf course has only one mechanic and is also tight on machinery and manpower so by the end of the second month I had only three cutting heights; the green, the roughs (I standardised the heights on all roughs); and the fairway (I made the heights on the fairway, tee, collar and apron the same). I also took out the paths from tee to fairway and the fairway collar too. You know what? Nobody noticed and the club was voted number one in Malaysia. Keep it simple. Just go back to basics.

GOLFING TALES FROM THE LION CITY

Growing up in a golfing family with a grandmother who was an amateur champion golfer, Justine Moss developed a love of golf at an early age. After moving to Singapore in 1998 from Sydney, and opening her

Princess Superal kissing the SLAO trophy

his year’s Singapore Ladies Amateur Open attracted some of the region’s best amateur women golfers such as Malaysia’s Kelly Tan, USbased Singaporean Melissa Loh, India’s Aditi Ashok, Australian Ashley Ona and Princess Mary Superal of The Philippines. The strong field for the 24th edition of the event featured players from nine countries (including Singapore, New Zealand and Thailand) at Laguna National Golf & Country Club. This is something that new Singapore Ladies Golf Association (SLGA) president Loh Ju Fern would like to see grow in the future, in addition to an increase of younger players.

own communications company (70-73-74) rounded out the top five. Tan however secured a hole-in-one on the par-three third hole, winning cash vouchers worth S$1000. Said Tan, “I felt confident going into the final day but Princess played great. And her putting was so good. She gave herself chances and capitalised on them,” said the 19-year-old, who nonetheless picked up a win in the team division alongside Koh and Loy Hee Ying (below).

a year later, Justine expanded the writing side of her business and currently writes for a number of golfing and lifestyle publications in the region, with her finger on the pulse of local golf happenings in the Lion City

“I would like to see more young participants which we do actually have this year. In a sense, it is proof that golf is a growing sport. And of course, with the participation of more countries this time round. We would love to see China take part.” “While we’ve had talented female amateur players from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond compete over the years, SLGA is pleased to see many very young players participate in recent years. This year, Hashilla Rivia from Indonesia is just nine years old. “The SLGA is committed to supporting local and regional young talent and this tournament gives them a great opportunity to experience amateur competition at the highest level. But the ladies amateur open, like many in the region, is also a platform for gifted amateur golfers of all ages to compete,” she added. After a sizzling first round of 69, Tan was a strong favourite to take out the title after her victory in the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open the week before. Unfortunately she couldn’t follow that up in the subsequent two rounds, carding a 73 and 72 respectively, to finish third behind compatriot Michelle Koh (71-70-72) and champion Superal, who had finished . Ona finished fourth with rounds of 71, 71 and 73 while Thailand’s Pannarat Thanapolboonyara

Superal’s first round of 71 was followed by a flawless course record of 67 and the 16-year-old shot another 71 in the final round to give herself a total of seven-under-par 209 to coast to a four-shot victory and avenge her runner-up finish to Tan in Kuala Lumpur. One of Singapore’s top contenders should have been Loh, who won this event back in 2007, at the age of 17 and finished runner up last year. She had a disappointing, outing finishing 31st with a total of 233 (75-79-79). In contrast, youngster Amanda Tan was the best of the home golfers and finished in 11th spot (73-7377).

PRINCESS OF THE FAIRWAYS

BUILDING COURSES WITH JASON WINTER

Having lived for over 18 years in Malaysia, Jason Winter considers himself very much at home here as he does in his native majored

Tasmania. in

Having

Environmental

Design, the single-handicapper got his big break in golf course design when he joined E&G Parlsow and Associates in 1993, where he is a partner here. When he is not tackling quicksand and

the occasional wild animal in the pursuit of the perfect golf tract, he prefers the rough-andtumble of Aussie Rules footy.

Grassing under way at Saujana GCC with sod around bunkers and on slopes while stolons (some with netting cover) on other areas.

rassing is an exciting time in the creation of a golf course, when it really comes alive and becomes a living breathing entity. It marks the transition from construction to maintenance, before the superintendents and agronomists play their part and nurture the course into maturity. It is a critical stage that must be scheduled correctly and be completed quickly and efficiently to ensure that shaping is not lost to erosion or other factors while ensuring the grass remains healthy at all times. Final preparation of the soil and grassing should ideally take place after all drainage works are completed, irrigation is installed and functioning, buggy paths and kerbing are constructed, trees planted and bunkers, tees and greens construction completed, as well as fine shaping has been tied into all features. Having all of these works completed will mean there is little reason for disturbance or damage to the grass once it has been planted. Generally, these items will be completed in smaller areas such as two or three holes at a time or as the construction sequence or grass deliveries allow. Trying to grow in very large areas at the same time can put great pressure on the irrigation system and/or manpower as newly planted grass need to be watered every 20 minutes or so, particularly during the day time.

superintendent will specify what amendments, such as chemical or organic fertilisers and lime, will be added to the soil prior to grassing. Laboratory testing is done to see what the soil and sand for the greens and tees require to create the best possible growing medium for the grass in the short and long term. These amendments will then be added to the soil, usually by spreading and rotovation, or sometimes mixing off site for green sand. Grass is generally planted in one or two of three methods, they are by seed, sod (close turf/instant turf), or Stolons (grass cuttings created by ripping through existing turf with a series of blades or by shredding washed sod). If budget allows, seed or stolons can be hydromulched, where they are mixed up with a liquid mulch and sprayed onto the ground, as you see sometimes on the highway cuttings. This method can help protect against erosion and provides an immediate source of fertiliser for the plant but is much more expensive. In the tropics, sod and stolons are the norm. The turfing plan from the golf course architect will outline all areas to be grassed and with what species of grass and by what type of grassing method. The size of the nursery will usually determine how much sod is used to grass the course, as the nursery takes a longer time to recover after cutting sod from it than producing stolons.

Prior to grassing, an agronomist and/or the golf course

GRASSING and GROW-IN MAINTENANCE

Sod being placed around the green and bunkers

BUILDING COURSES WITH JASON WINTER

Disc rolling of stolons after spreading to push them into the ground Stolons as delivered to the site

Areas to be sodded include steep slopes, lake edges, bunker and tee surrounds, around drainage pits (sand-based sod only) and other areas where erosion might be a problem. Stolons can be spread over large areas very quickly but take time to put out roots and stabilise the soil, meaning these areas are susceptible to erosion, particularly on slopes. Greens and tees will almost always be grassed with stolons, so as not to create a thatch layer on the surface of the green from the start. Erosion protection at all stages of the grassing operation is critical. Temporary open drains, erosion fences and pipes, netting protection over grassed areas are all required to control the speed and direction of water that falls onto the grassed areas.

Rolling to smooth back surface

Sometimes there is not much that can be done against the extremely heavy rainfalls, like six inches of rain in an hour, which can occur here in Malaysia. It can be heartbreaking to see work destroyed and washed away, but it is part and parcel of grassing in the tropics. It is critical that protection measures are in place prior to grassing to reduce as much damage as possible. Immediate repair of erosion is very important to ensure the original shape is maintained. Small erosion gullies can become bigger and difficult tasks to repair later, and the material washed down to the low points can block water from getting to pits, block subsoil drains and create many drainage problems in the short and long term.

Severe erosion can happen without proper protection

The agronomist or superintendent will also produce specific programmes for the grow-in of the grass, generally running for three months, until each area is mature and ready to switch to a regular maintenance programme. This will include regular fertiliser, fungicide and pesticide applications carefully carried out when necessary to ensure the turf remains in good health at all times. Mowing will begin as soon as possible, usually after three to four weeks, once the grass has established and the soil is stable, as mowing will encourage the grass to grow sideways rather than upwards and knit together and create full cover more quickly. Scarifying and topdressing will also be done to help smoothen the surface, and rolling also, particularly on the greens. The faster full coverage is established, and the risks of erosion, disease and weed issues will all be less of a problem. Generally, all areas of grass will be maintained for a minimum of three months before being ready for play; however the first areas grassed may be maintained for up to 12 months! As you can imagine, looking after 120 acres or so of grass in various stages of grow-in, while juggling all the rest of the ongoing construction activities from previous articles is a huge task. Hatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off to the construction superintendents who do a fantastic job to bring the golf course to life!

A lot of damage can be done if water flow is not controlled

Mowing takes place as soon as possible

COVERING CARLSBAD BY SCOTT KRAMER looking, well-built irons that will help them get the ball airborne and straight.

Scott Kramer is a veteran golf writer based in the golf equipment capital of Carlsbad, California. In his 20-plus years covering the golf industry, the former senior editor of GOLF Magazine

has

lowered

his

playing index to 5.1, raised his IQ on the sophisticated technology used to make golf clubs, and stayed even keel on his propensity to miss short putts.

But he always brings game to his columns.

he year’s only half over but trends have already developed in various equipment categories. So what are the hot movers and the latest inclinations? Multiple-lofted drivers from several major companies this year seem to be intriguing consumers but not enough to buy these all-in-one models, indicate the most-recent reports. The market leader is still TaylorMade, but the brand’s lost some of the market share that it owned last year – mainly to Callaway, Titleist, Nike and PING. Adjustable drivers have become the norm. TaylorMade’s R1 and Rocketballz Stage2 drivers, Titleist’s 913 and PING’s G25 have been the best sellers – at least in the United States. Nike has also enjoyed large growth in share with the success of the glossy red VR_S Covert line – thanks to usage and endorsements by Tiger Woods (who used the fairway wood only) to win the Player’s Championship in May and Rory McIlroy. While 2012 was a nice bounce-back year for the fairway woods category – it grew 10 percent in sales – not quite as many golfers have been buying woods this year. Clubfitting has become a larger factor with woods. Golfers now know that it is important and provides performance benefits.

2013 MARKET TRENDS

Perhaps that’s why several major brands are offering adjustable-lofted fairway woods this year that essentially take one club and convert it into two or more. TaylorMade’s Rocketballz Stage2 fairway wood continues to be the best-selling model, followed closely by its predecessor Rocketballz model from last year (perhaps because it’s selling for about $120 less per club). As for irons, the hottest-sellers are TaylorMade’s RocketBladez and Rocketballz (the latter a 2012 model that’s selling for significantly less this year), PING’s G25 and Callaway’s XHot. Of note here is that all three are forgiving, game-improvement irons from large labels – not better player’s clubs or super gameimprovement models – which is a global situation. In other words, golfers are generally seeking nice-

The wedge market has slowed down slightly in 2013. That said, market leader Cleveland Golf has significantly increased sales. How? “Our technology is pushing the limits,” says Cleveland’s brand manager Adam Sheldon. “We’re using much more precise manufacturing techniques, with respect to surface roughness and groove size and edges. Golfers notice the effects when they hit the ball and see spin.” Titleist Vokey wedges continue to be played more than any other brand on the PGA Tour, accounting for roughly 40% of wedge use. On a typical week, Cleveland and TaylorMade duke it out for second place. The putter market is hot – despite the ban on anchoring. Odyssey and PING continue to lead market sales. Both sell putters for less than the industry average price. Particularly doing well are Odyssey’s Versa and White Ice models as well as PING’s new Scottsdale TR. Consumers have also recognized the importance of ball fitting. Titleist, Srixon and Bridgestone all offer online interactive ball fitting, which they collectively say has helped boost sales. Not surprisingly, Titleist’s new-for-2013 Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls are the market’s best sellers, combining for about 22% of the market. On the PGA Tour, Titleist also continues to lead the way, with nearly 70% of the field typically playing the company’s new Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls. That’s more than five times the nearest competitor. Then there are shoes. Lightweight, cleatless shoes are in. Athletic-rich brands such as PUMA, adidas and Nike are setting the tone, having “an advantage as we’re able to utilise technologies and materials from other sports categories and bring them to golf,” says PUMA Golf footwear product manager Grant Knudson. “This technology crossover has accelerated innovation in golf footwear and we’re now seeing shoes that offer more performance benefits than ever before.” adidas has pushed its adizero Tour all year – already its best-selling shoe model ever, Oakley its Cipher 2, and TRUE linkswear its Sensei. Last month, PUMA debuted its 6.5-ounce Faas Lite Mesh shoe, which it claims is golf’s lightest shoe. Still, golf’s best-selling shoe is FootJoy’s Contour casual, which sells for about $5 less than the average selling price of all golf shoes. On the PGA Tour, more players are trying cleatless shoes that offer extreme comfort without sacrificing traction.

IN THE BAG

R1 BLACK DRIVER

www.taylormadegolf.com The most adjustable driver in TaylorMade’s history now in black l Features an unrivalled loft sleeve that allows the golfer to play anywhere from 8° to 12° driver in seven standard lie settings as well as five upright lie angles. l Shot-shaping movable weights promote a neutral/straight flight or a distance-enhancing draw. l Thick-thin crown provides lower and more-forward CG location promoting high launch, fast ball speed and low spin. l Inverted Cone Technology milled into the inner side of the clubface expands the portion of the face that delivers high ball speed l Improved aerodynamics reduce drag over the head to promote faster clubhead speed. l Comes fitted with TM1-113 by Mitsubishi Rayon shaft

RRP: RM2,030

TPS TOUR WEDGES

www.powerbilt.com

Value-proven wedge set suitable for low to high handicappers. l Designed for ease of use from a wide range of lies, including rough, sand or fairway. l Sole widths “match” the bounce angles perfectly for precise ball-striking.

RRP: RM599 (available at Transview Golf outlets)

SPIDER BLADE 12 PUTTER www.taylormadegolf.com

A heel-toe weighted blade that offered a similar leap in stability and forgiveness offered by the Spider range of putters l Head construction consists of 11 parts made of eight materials - 304 stainless steel, 17-4 stainless steel, aluminum, 3M Foam, tungsten, polycarbonate, Surlyn and TPU which moves the weight out of the center to the heel and toe of the blade for increased MOI. l Counterbalanced with a 130-gram grip that’s twice as heavy as a typical putter grip for added stability, helping the golfer roll the ball more accurately. l PureRoll Surlyn® insert promotes soft-yet-solid feel and smooth roll straight off the face. l White leading edge and linear alignment aid in aiming.

RRP: RM990

GEAR UP

PURE TOUCH LIMITED GLOVES www.footjoy.com

l Finest quality Cabretta leather undergoes a new preparation technique for a lighter specification that provides exceptional soft and luxurious feel at first touch. l The tailored cut design delivers a molded-like fit by conforming onto your hand for a precision fit.

RRP: RM110

TOUR V3 GOLF LASER RANGEFINDER www.bushnell.com

Sets the standard for being the complete laser rangefinder package design, performance and feel. l Packs 1000-yard/ 900-meter rangefinding capability into a compact, ergonomical design wrapped with a custom high-tack grip. l Utilises the revolutionary PinSeeker® with JOLT Technology to zero-in on the flag up to 300yards away, promoting accuracy within 1 yard. l JOLT™ technology eliminates all doubt by delivering short, vibrating burst to reinforce the laser has locked onto the flag to deliver exact distance. l Bright, crisp multi-coated optics in a 100% rainproof design and available with a slope measuring feature.

RRP: RM1,550 RM1,995 (slope version) available at Transview Golf stores

STAND BAG

www.callawaygolf.com

Stylish, lightweight performance stand bag designed for easy access with many of the storage amenities normally found in a cart bag. l Weighing just over 6lbs, the 10” bag features a 14-way top with an integrated handle and three full-length dividers. l Eleven pockets, including a large apparel pocket, a waterproof pocket, a hidden valuables pocket and an insulated water bottle pocket as well as custom towel/glove holder ring, umbrella holder and rain hood. l Redesigned lightweight molded base maintains full contact with ground when stand is activated l Dual molded handle on spine with Callaway’s Comfort Tech four-point strap.

RRP: RM690

TEE BOX

EXPATRIATE LIFESTYLE CHARITY GOLF OPEN Hauser grabs hat-trick of expat tourney

RAMADHAN GOLF PROMO DANAU GOLF CLUB – 03 8925 3030 W/D RM 60 (AM/PM) W/E RM 130 (AM) RM 70 (PM)

G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE

TEMPLER PARK COUNTRY CLUB – 03 6091 9111 W/D RM 120++ (AM/PM) G/FEE, BUGGY, CADDIE, MEAL HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – 07 232 3166 W/D RM 140 (AM/PM) W/E RM 230 (AM/PM) SAT RM 170 (AM/PM) SUN G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE PULAI SPRINGS – 07 555 4804 W/D RM 65 (AM/PM) W/E RM 270 (AM) RM 688 (PM) - NETT PER FLIGHT G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE The Malaysian expatriate golfing community raised over RM62,000 during the Expatriate Lifestyle Charity Golf Open on May 17. A total of 92 golfers congregated at Royal Selangor Golf Club for the highly competitive annual tournament. Unfortunately, the 18-hole was rained out, forcing organisers to award the winners based on nine-hole scores. Nathan Hauser of JNG Golf clinched the top prize for the third year running with Calle Lund and Alistair Guthrie of Old ClubHouse finishing a close second and third respectively. The proceeds from the event were channelled to three charities, namely Precious Children’s Home, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Yatim Dan Miskin Wawasan Port Dickson and SOLS 24/7.

CSSB OPEN

Exciting Thai finals awaits winners

am Kong Foo emerged as the gross champion of the opening leg of CSSB Open at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club on May 12. The two-handicapper was declared the winner on countback after finishing tied with Tan Vui Kong (7) on five-over 77. Ten-handicapper Dzahaman Abdul Rahman topped the A Medal category with a Stableford score of 39. All three booked a place in the grand final to Kao Yai & Bangkok in Thailand later in the year.

GLENMARIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – 03 7804 0414 W/D RM 200 (AM/PM) RM 130 (AM/PM) – LADY GOLF W/E G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE, CADDIE TASIK PUTERI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – 03 6034 4721/2 W/D RM 68 (AM/PM) – 18 HOLES RM 50 (AM/PM) – 9 HOLES W/E RM 108 (AM/PM) – 18 HOLES RM 78 (AM/PM) – 9 HOLES G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE STAFFIELD COUNTRY RESORT – 03 8766 6117 W/D RM 88 (AM/PM) W/E RM 158 (AM/PM) G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE KINRARA GOLF CLUB - 03 8076 2100 W/D RM 80 (AM) RM 90 (PM) W/E RM 150 (AM) RM 100 (PM) G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE PERMAIPURA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 04 459 4000 W/D RM 58 (AM/PM) W/E G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB - 03 7846 1466 W/D RM 225 (AM/PM) W/E RM 225 (AM) RM 335 (PM)

G/FEE

KULIM GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT - 04 403 2828 W/D RM60 (AM/PM) W/E RM60 (AM/PM) G/FEE, BUGGY, INSURANCE

GLENMARIE GCC ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Fast greens no obstacle for Hazali

azali Mansor totalled 238 to win the the 20th edition of the H Glemarie Golf & Country Club annual championship presented by Bank Muamalat held from May 17 -19.

ordin Yahaya notched a two-stroke victory in the gross category of the fourth leg at Templer Park Country Club on May 30, shooting a round of two-over 74 to finish clear of Kamarulzaman. Joining the duo in the grand final is Yong Feng Nam (11), who won the A Medal category with a score of 42 Stableford points.

The five-handicapper beat runner-up Shaeful Ardan Adenan (8) by five strokes while Hamdan Zambahari (5), who had won the senior championship held from May 11 to 12, was third on 245. In the ladies division, Patricia Lai Pik Chun (14) claimed a whopping ten-stroke victory over Sue Wong Peng Hoon (13) with a 169 winning aggregate. Antonette Maria Wong came in third on 181.

TEE BOX

MERCEDESTROPHY

Winners advance to Malaysian final

PRUDENTIAL ASTRO MASTERS Rocky road to Siem Reap

ohamad Nor Kassim carded a nine-over 81 to defeat five others by one stroke during the Damai Laut Golf & Country Club stop on May 11. In the nett division, Othman Hashim managed a 68, edging three others on countback.

Medal winners during the fourth leg of the Mercedes Trophy at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club on May 22. L to R: Shaharifuddin Sarif (champion), Mercedes Benz Malaysia president and CEO Roland S Folger, Teoh Jay Jay (runner-up) and Gan Seng Yong (second runnerup).

six-over 78 saw Wong Loy Hin book a berth to the Siem Reap grand finals during the 10th leg of the Prudential Astro Masters at Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Famosa Golf Resort on May 18. Joining him on the trip will be Zalizan Osman, who emerged the lowest nett achiever with a score of 68, beating three others on countback .

Medal champion Stephen Chin with Folger, Tan Hock Kheng (runner-up) and Jimmy Teh (second runner-up) at the fifth leg in Penang Golf Club on May 29.

he 11th round at Staffield Country Resort on May 23 saw Abdul Rahman Haron winning the gross title by one stroke, earning himself a ticket to the grand final in Siem Reap. The overall nett title went to Mark Tark Chion after the eight-handicapper carded a 68.

Medal winners during the sixth leg at Palm Garden Golf Club on June 5. L to R: Tan Boon Leng, (winner), Richard Lee See Ang (runner-up), Folger and Datoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Koh Yaw Hui.

am Kim Fatt picked up the gross title during the 12th leg at Tasik Puteri Golf & Country Resort on June 12 after shooting a commendable 76 to win by two strokes. The nett title when on countback to Shahraman Mohd Yusof, who finished tied with two others at four-under 68.

TEE BOX

CCM FERTILISERS GOLF TOURNAMENT Anniversary bash for leading fertilizer manufacturer

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The #1 Golf Card Just Got Better

umah Putera Harapan was the recipient of a RM10,000 donation R in conjunction with CCM Fertilisers Golf Tournament held at Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club recently to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary this year.

The corporate appreciation tournament saw the participation of 80 golfers, representing various agro-related agencies and businesses including the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Felda Global Ventures, Sarawak Land Development Board and Farmers’ Organization Authority. Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd manager Solomon Emilio Rosidin was crowned the winner of the tournament with a score of 40 points while Ghazali Kasim from Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) notched 39 points to finish second. Jason Wong of Tropical Pulpwood came in third with a score of 38 points.

DANAU GC CAPTAIN’S TROPHY Nasarudin tops field

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nthusiastic members of Danau Golf Club turned up in force for the E annual Captain’s Trophy held on June 9 as the club unveiled its new TifEagle greens on the front nine. Four-handicapper Nasarudin Basir proved the fastest to adapt, carding a brilliant three-over 75 to edge Dr Ruslin Amir and Khalid Zakaria to win the gross category and lift the trophy. Nineteen-handicapper Khairul Azri scored a superb 63 to win the nett division, ahead of lady player Noraishah Alisa, who notched a 64. Club manager Johan Faris stated the green renovation exercise will conclude in August with the opening of the second nine.

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Weekday Golf - RM120 + 6% GST (18 holes with one meal inclusive) Validity: 1 July – 8 August, 2013 Terms & conditions ● Applicable Monday to Friday except on public holidays ● Rate inclusive of green fee, buggy caddie & 1 meal ● No rain check ● Rates not inclusive of Insurance

TEMPLER PARK COUNTRY CLUB

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5:03 PM

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Kelab Golf Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah No.1, Rumah Kelab, Jalan Kelab Golf 13/6, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Contact No : 03-55191512 / 55122242

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ROYAL PERAK GOLF CLUB BHD. (723922-K)

Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia Tel: 05 542 3266 Fax: 05 545 5046 H/P: 016 526 6156 Email: info@royalperak.com.my Website: www.royalperak.com.my

WHERE TO GOLF - MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE KUALA LUMPUR

TANJUNG PUTERI GOLF RESORT

KINTA GOLF CLUB

MIMPIAN JADI GOLF CLUB

KUALA LUMPUR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(54 holes) Tel: (607) 271 1888

(18holes) Tel: (605) 366 7270

(18 holes) Tel: (088) 787 122

(36 holes) Tel: (603) 2093 1111

PULAI SPRINGS RESORT

TAIPING GOLF RESORT

MOUNT KINABALU GOLF CLUB

ROYAL SELANGOR GOLF CLUB

(36 holes) Tel: (607) 521 2121

(18 holes) Tel: (605) 883 7500

(18 holes) Tel: (O88) 889 445

(36 holes) Tel: (603 ) 9206 3333

PORESIA COUNTRY CLUB

KUALA KANGSAR GOLF CLUB

NEXUS GOLF RESORT KARAMBUNAI

KELAB GOLF PERKHIDMATAN AWAM

(36 holes) Tel: (607) 510 1812

(9 holes) Tel: (605) 776 2396

(18 holes) Tel: (088) 480 888

(27 holes) Tel: (603) 7957 1958

STARHILL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

BUKIT JALIL GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

(36 holes) Tel: (607) 556 6325

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 8996 1468

IOI PALM VILLA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

BUKIT JAWI GOLF RESORT

LAHAD DATU GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KELAB REKREASI ANGKATAN TENTERA

(27 holes) Tel: (607) 599 9099

( 36 holes) Tel: (604) 582 0759

(18 holes) Tel: (089) 889 288

(9 holes) Tel: (603) 2141 1113

THE LEGENDS GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

PENANG GOLF RESORT

SABAH GOLF COUNTRY CLUB

KELAB GOLF TITIWANGSA PDRM

(27 holes) Tel: (607) 652 4388

(36 holes) Tel: (604) 578 2022

(18 holes) Tel: (088) 247 533

(9 holes ) Tel: (603) 2693 4964

AUSTIN HILLS GOLF RESORT

PENANG GOLF CLUB

SANDAKAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: ( 607) 352 4300

(18 holes) Tel: (604) 644 2255

(18 holes) Tel: (089) 660 557

SELANGOR GLENMARIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 428 6001

(36 holes ) Tel: (603) 7803 9090

DAIMAN 18 GOLF CLUB

KELAB GOLF NEGARA SUBANG

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 351 6813

(36 holes) Tel: (603) 7876 0388

HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KELAB RAHMAN PUTRA MALAYSIA

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 232 3166

(36 holes) Tel: (603) 6156 6870

KUKUP GOLF RESORT

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 696 0950

(36 holes) Tel: (603) 7846 1466

CHRISTINE RESORT

BANGI GOLF RESORT

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 387 3000

(27 holes) Tel: (603) 8925 3728

ORCHARD GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

KELAB GOLF SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 897 7934

(27 holes) Tel: (603) 5519 1512

PONDEROSA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TASIK PUTERI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 354 9999

(27 holes) Tel: (603) 6034 4722

JOHOR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (27 holes) Tel: (603) 7804 8888 BKT BERUNTUNG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (36 holes) Tel: (603) 6028 1840 BKT KEMUNING GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (603) 5121 6552 BKT UNGGUL COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (603) 8920 2888 DANAU GOLF CLUB

BUKIT BANANG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 8925 8953 KELAB GOLF SERI SELANGOR (18 holes) Tel: (603) 7806 1111 KELAB REKREASI TENTERA UDARA (18 holes) Tel: (603) 5513 0998 KINRARA GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel : (603) 8076 2100 KOTA PERMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (603) 5122 3700 KUNDANG LAKES COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (603) 6034 2725 MONTEREZ GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (603) 7846 5989 PALM GARDEN GOLF CLUB (18holes) Tel: (603) 8213 6333 PERANGSANG TEMPLER GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (603) 6091 0022

PULAU PINANG

KEDAH

KENINGAU GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (087) 331 113

SHAN SHUI GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (089) 916 888 KINABALU GOLF CLUB

TIOMAN ISLAND GOLF CLUB

99 EAST GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (604) 955 1153 HARVARD GOLF COUNTRY CLUB (27 holes) Tel: (604) 458 8888 KULIM GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (604) 403 2828 BLACK FOREST GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (604) 922 2222 CINTA SAYANG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (604) 441 4666 DARULAMAN GOLF COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (604) 917 0001 GUNUNG RAYA GOLF RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (604) 966 8148 PERMAIPURA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes)Tel: (604) 459 4000 ROYAL KEDAH GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (604) 731 9405 SG.PETANI GOLF CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 419 1000

(9 holes) Tel: (604) 422 4894

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 223 3322 SEBANA COVE GOLF & MARINE RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (607) 826 6655

BATU PAHAT GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (607) 432 9221

PERLIS

(9 holes) Tel: (088) 251 615 TAWAU GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (609) 765 555

LABUAN KELAB GOLF LABUAN (9 holes) Tel: (087) 412 810

SARAWAK (KELAB GOLF SARAWAK (36 holes) Tel: (082) 440 966 BINTULU GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (086) 252 001 DAMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (082) 846 088 EASTWOOD VALLEY (18 holes) Tel: (085) 421 010 HORNBILL GOLF & JUNGLE CLUB

IMPIAN EMAS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PUTRA GOLF CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (082) 577 930

(9 holes) Tel: (607) 552 2202

(18 holes) Tel: (604) 976 9660

KELAB GOLF SIBU

KLUANG COUNTRY CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (607) 771 8840

MELAKA A’FAMOSA GOLF RESORT ( 27 holes) Tel: (606) 552 0888

KELANTAN KELANTAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (609) 748 2102

TERENGGANU

(18 holes) Tel: (084) 801 119 MIRI GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: (085) 416 787

SINGAPORE SELETAR COUNTRY CLUB

AYER KEROH COUNTRY CLUB

AWANA KIJAL BEACH & GOLF RESORT

(18 holes) Tel: +65 6486 0801

(27 holes) Tel: (606) 233 2000

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 864 1188

CHANGI GOLF CLUB

ORNA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

GREEN ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(9 holes) Tel: +65 6545 5133

(27 holes) Tel: (606) 521 0333

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 616 3500

SEMBAWANG COUNTRY CLUB

TIARA MELAKA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KELAB GOLF DESA DUNGUN

(18 holes) Tel: +65 6751 0320

(27 holes) Tel: (606) 231 1111

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 848 1041

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB

KUALA TERENGGANU GOLF RESORT

(36 holes) Tel: +65 6275 0022

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 666 6836

TANAH MERAH COUNTRY CLUB

NEGERI SEMBILAN NILAI SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (27 holes) Tel: (606) 850 8888

PAHANG

(18 holes) Tel: +65 6592 0343 (Garden) / 6592 0345 (Tampines)

STAFFIELD COUNTRY RESORT

AWANA GENTING HIGHLANDS

WARREN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(27 holes) Tel: (603) 8766 6117

GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

(18 holes) Tel: +65 6586 1240

ERA GOLF &COUNTRY RESORT

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 6436 9000

ORCHID COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 8734 4195

(18 holes) Tel: (6019) 255 3059

BERJAYA HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(27 holes) Tel: +65 6750 2111

SERENDAH GOLF LINKS

GEMAS GOLF RESORT

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 288 8180

RAFFLES COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 6081 1077

(18 holes) Tel: (607) 948 2687

KELAB GOLF SULTAN AHMAD SHAH

(36 holes ) Tel: +65 68617649

SRI MORIB GOLF CLUB

ROYAL PALM SPRINGS GOLF CLUB

CAMERON HIGHLANDS

SAFRA RESORT & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 3198 1419

(18 holes) Tel: (606) 661 9599

(18 holes) Tel: (605) 4911126

(27 holes) Tel: +65 542 8288

UTOPIA BERINGIN GOLF CLUB

PORT DICKSON GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

ROYAL PAHANG GOLF CLUB

JURONG COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 6460 0016

(18 holes) Tel: (606) 647 3586

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 567 5811

(18 holes) Tel: +65 5 6560 5655

SUNGAI LONG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

ROYAL SRI MENANTI GOLF CLUB

KELAB GOLF BENTONG

KEPPEL CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 90762233

(18 holes) Tel: (606) 497 9600

(9 holes) Tel: (609) 222 2585

(18 holes) Tel : +65 6375 1818

THE MINES RESORT & GOLF CLUB

SEREMBAN 3 PARADISE VALLEY

KELAB REKREASI TUDM KUANTAN

LAGUNA NATIONAL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 8943 2288

(18 holes) Tel: (606) 633 5033

(9 holes) Tel: (609) 538 4282

(36 holes) Tel: +65 5 62481 777

TEMPLER PARK GOLF CLUB

SEREMBAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB

LIPIS VALLEY GOLF CLUB

SINGAPORE ISLAND COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (603) 6091 9630

(18 holes) Tel: (606) 677 5277

(9 holes) Tel: (609) 312 1963

(81 holes) Tel: + 65 6466 2244

PERAK

SABAH

PORT KLANG GOLF RESORT (18 holes) Tel: (603) 3176 1323 IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PADANG GOLF UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA (18 holes) Tel: (603) 8946 7996 KELAB DARUL EHSAN (9 holes) Tel: (603) 4257 2333 ROYAL KAMPUNG KUANTAN CLUB (9 holes) Tel: (603) 3289 1069

JOHOR PALM RESORT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (54 holes) Tel: ( 607) 599 6222

CLEARWATER SANCTUARY GOLF RESORT

SUTERA HABOUR GOLF COUNTRY CLUB

(27 holes) Tel : (605) 366 7433

(27 holes) Tel: (088 ) 318 888

MERU VALLEY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TAWAU HOT SPRINGS GOLF CLUB

(27 holes) Tel: (605) 529 3300

(18 holes) Tel: (609) 765 555

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

BORNEO GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (605) 685 9333

(18 holes) Tel: (087) 861 888

ROYAL PERAK GOLF CLUB

DALIT BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

(18 holes) Tel: (605) 542 3266

(18 holes) Tel: (088) 791 188

MARINA BAY GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: + 65 6345 7788

Help us keep this list accurate! Please send additions, corrections and updates to info@theclubhouse.com.my

PRECISION. TRUST. PROVEN. CONSISTENCY.

10,604 Nearest Competitor

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ÂŠ2013 Acushnet Company. Source: Darrell Survey, Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. Northmountain International. Based upon results through 06/16/2013 on the U.S. PGA, U.S. LPGA, Champions, Web.com, South African, Asian, Korean, OneAsia, Australasian, Japan, Canadian PGA and PGA European Tours.