The ClubHouse (Issue 21) April 2013 by The ClubHouse

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ISSUE 21 (04/2013) PP17714/04/2013(032168)

PUSHING THE LIMITS! AUSSIE SCOTT LAYS GHOST OF LYTHAM TO REST WITH MASTERS WIN PG26

AN ACCOMPLISHED DISPLAY On the Saturday of The Masters Tournament, I put up a Facebook status as follows: “It’s time our young amateurs started looking at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship as a THE benchmark for themselves. Just look at what last year’s winner Guan Tianlang is up to at Augusta.” The status attracted a couple of responses and I’m sure it made some think as well. Too often in the last year or so, I have been on the receiving end of countless personalities espousing on the need for an accelerated programme ahead of golf’s re-introduction to the 2016 Summer Olympiad programme in Rio De Janeiro. I accept that much of these suggestions and even initiatives are done in good faith. But I also feel that we need to put our hearts in the right places. Rather than set lofty targets, I feel that if we focus our attention on producing a regional champion first - as China have done with Guan - it will eventually pave the way for us to have a world-beater in our ranks. Personally, I was not out to judge Guan on how he played at Augusta National. That the middle-school boy from Guangzhou was naturally talented and would hold himself well against the world’s top professionals was never in doubt. That he would go on to play four rounds and clinch the low amateur award in the footsteps of Hideki Matsuyama was but a pleasant surprise But it was the way in which the 14-year-old handled the media daily - it was reported that there were at least 12 -15 Chinese journalists at The Masters this year, up from the usual two to three annually - that really caught my eyes. Composed, precise and thoughtful in his response, Guan displayed maturity well beyond his young age in keeping his nerves under check in front of a worldwide audience and in the process, ‘educating’ a clueless Western journalist on the Chinese school system . Too often, in our pursuit of excellence on the course, soft skills such as communications and public relations are taken for granted. It is not uncommon to see our local athletes - and that includes our golfers - struggling to express themselves in front of the camera or during press interviews. Whether it’s purely a case of being timid and tongue-tied or just ignorance, public speaking is an important tool in the bag for any sportsman. Being able to present your story is a skill any aspiring young golfers should pursue fervently and I believe that Guan’s performance off the course at Augusta National is one that our juniors should try to emulate.

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

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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26 MAJOR MOMENTS IN YOUR ISSUE 21

COURSE FEATURE

SPOTLIGHT 5 MAYBANK MALAYSIAN OPEN 22 CHIANGMAI GOLF CLASSIC

EQUIPMENT FEATURE

28 30

CALLAWAY X-HOT METALWOODS ODYSSEY VERSA PUTTERS

COLUMNS

REGULARS

14 17 18 23 32 33 44 47 48

12 AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT

MALAYSIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION INSIDE THE ROPES MY JUNIORS AROUND THE GLOBE IN THE BAG GEAR UP TEE BOX GOLF DIARY WHERE TO GOLF GET MORE GOLF ONLINE

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34 COVERING CARLSBAD

BY SCOTT KRAMER 35 GOLFING TALES FROM THE LION CITY BY JUSTINE MOSS 36 RARE BIRDIE BY MARTIN VOUSDEN 37 TOUR WATCH WITH ASIAN TOUR 38 UNCHARTED COURSE WITH NORMAS YAKIN 39 FIT FOR GOLF WITH SAMANTHA CEBRERO

GUTSY KIRADECH PREVAILS

Big-hitting Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand nets the biggest win of his young career with a hard fought wire-to-wire victory at the Maybank Malaysian Open

4/19/13 6:49 PM

ÂŠ eddieputera / The ClubHouse

clubhouse_Titleist strip __may12.indd 2

the hazard, it would be tough to win. But I concentrated hard on 18th. I’ve played here for about 20 times, and on 18th, I think I’ve birdied it more than 10 times. Bogey was tough but it was good enough to win.”

“During the suspension, I couldn’t eat anything. I was so excited. When I walked out, everything was shaking, even my voice. My caddie told me to just concentrate, just two more holes. I’m lucky that I played only 54 holes. Otherwise, I am so tired due to the weather and the golf course,” added a drained Kiradech.

iradech Aphibarnrat became only the second Thai to lift the illustrious Seagram Trophy after negotiating a string of star names, unpredictable weather and a thyroid condition to win the 52nd edition of Maybank Malaysian Open on March 24. Starting the day one clear of Major winner Charl Schwartzel, the 23-year-old former world junior champion fended off the challenge of, among others, Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari of Italy, Dane Anders Hansen and Victor Dubuisson of France on a fascinating final day at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Aphibarnrat held resolute and even a dropped shot at the last could not prevent the big hitter, nicknamed Asia’s John Daly, from carding a two-under-par 70 for a 13-under total 203 at the US$2.75 million weather-disrupted tournament, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours. A prize cheque of US$458,330 was followed by a two-year exemption on the latter Tour, seeing Aphibarnrat emulate his compatriot Thongchai Jaidee, who earned his own playing stripes in Europe through back-toback victories at the Malaysian Open in 2004 and 2005. “I’m so excited and happy this week. I’m proud of myself and my family. I almost won here a few years ago and finally I made,” said

“I felt if I birdied the lasts I might have won outright because it puts a lot of pressure on the guy coming up behind,” said the Italian, who was struggling to make cuts after returning from a three -month long hiatus due to a wrist injury. “It’s mixed emotions because I’m very happy to have a good week for the first time in a long time. The swing changes (with new coach Sean Foley) are starting to pay off which is surprising because I thought it would take a lot longer. But I’m disappointed because I had a lot of chances on the back nine. The 18th is only the second fairway I missed all day which is very disappointing.”

Kiradech, who was tied third behind another youngish winner Noh Seung-yul in 2010. He led by a single stroke through 15 holes of the third and final round when play was suspended for two hours because of a lightning storm and came back out shaking at the prospects of winning his career’s biggest title yet. He birdied the 16th hole upon the resumption of play from four feet to open up a two-shot advantage and then enjoyed a stroke of fortune when his approach into the 17th green ended just a few feet from the water hazard. After leaving his chip some 15 feet short of the flag, Kiradech drained his par putt and celebrated with a clenched fist. Taking a safety first approach on the last, Kiradech played his iron off the tee before scrambling a bogey to finish one clear of Molinari. “After I made birdie on 16th, I knew I had a chance to win. But in golf, you can’t say you can win when you’re not finished. I was lucky my ball was still safe (on 17th). If it rolled into

204 – Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 66-71-67

203 – Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 65-68-70

Molinari, who was getting ready to warm up for a possible play-off, was disappointed he only made par at the closing 18th hole after a wayward drive.

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AMATEUR GREEN SHOWS THE WAY

ational amateur Gavin Kye Green once again underlined his immense potential for the future with an scintillating display at the national Open. The 19-year-old Universtity of New Mexico sophomore signed off his campaign with a flawless three-under 69 to finish with a creditable share of 22nd on six-under 210.

205 – Anders Hansen (DEN) 66-71-66

Chia posted a final round of one-over 73 to settle for a 215 overall while Murthy endured a frustrating final day in the office, dropping six shots around the turn to close with a 79 to slump down the leaderboard for a share of 65th.

“It was disappointing. It’s a hard week with being on and off the course the whole time. It’s difficult to find any rhythm. I feel like I swung the club pretty well, but I didn’t play that well today,” said the South African, who was searching for his second title in Asia after cruising to victory at the Thailand Golf Championship in December. “I was hitting terrible iron shots from the middle of the fairways. That’s my strength. For some reason I was hitting short irons all over the shop. What can I do? Kiradech did well. I would’ve liked to have applied a bit more pressure on him.”

Returning on Sunday morning with only eight holes to complete after the third round was suspended due to inclement weather, Green tapped in for a seven-foot birdie on the par-three 11th in a otherwise quiet round. “I played well again today. After that birdie, I didn’t make anything. I gave myself chances but I couldn’t do much. I stayed in the zone and tried to do my thing but nothing dropped, that’s alright,” said Green. Despite falling a little short of his initial target to break into the top20, the long-hitting youngster was proud of his effort on the biggest stage of them all.

In only his third amateur start at the prestigious tournament, the reigning national amateur champion was the toast of the nation as he not only advanced into the weekend rounds for the first time but finished as the top-placed Malaysian in the field, ahead of seasoned campaigners Danny Chia and S. Murthy.

Schwartzel, playing in the last group with Kiradech, rued the missed opportunity to emulate countryman Louis Oosthuizen, who won the Maybank Malaysian Open in 2012.

“It was a good week for me. I only expected to make the cut when I arrived. Other than it was good. I wish we would have four rounds. That would been better for me. This is still good. The course was in good condition and the galleries were good. Jetlag kicked in a bit but I learned a lot,” he added.

RICOH COLOURS THE MALAYSIAN OPEN

Official solutions provider takes opportunity to reach out to golfing community through sports sponsorship

or the fifth year running, office automation experts Ricoh played an important part in the successful organisation of the Maybank Malaysian Open. As the national Open’s Official Solutions Provider, Ricoh contributed vital back-end support with equipment such as printers, fax machines and photocopiers in areas such as the media room and the tournament’s nerve centre, to ensure the smooth flow of the event. Aside from the branding benefits of being associated with the most prestigious golfing event in the country, Ricoh also did its part in making the fan experience a bit more comfortable, given the unpredictable weather pattern that forced the US$2.75 million tournament to be shortened to 54 holes. Besides taking the opportunity to entertain its key clients to a round of golf during the pro-am tournament as well as the sponsor’s

game, Ricoh also invited its corporate clients to watch their favourite stars in action from the cool comforts of the marquee complex around the 18th green. Free season tickets to catch the tournament was also given out to Ricoh Malaysia’s Facebook fans.

“At Ricoh, just like any other business, we realise that our operations leave a direct impact in the communities in which we operate. Realising that Malaysians in general are huge sports fans, we have chosen to be part of sporting events such as the Maybank Malaysian Open”.

Adding to the merriment at the event, golf fans were feted to nutritious titbits and goodies at a specially constructed snack bar at the entrance of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club before being ushered all the way to the exhibition marquee in colourful Ricoh buggies.

“It is our way of saying thank you to our clients for their support and the general community at large. More than the marketing aspect of things, it is an excellent way of engaging the community through our sponsorship platform”.

Limited edition foldable binoculars were also handed out to lucky fans who were spotted with the Ricoh “Colour” stickers every day while its attractive booth at the tournament, showcasing its latest digital office solutions. Ricoh’s chief operating officer Peter Wee expressed his delight on the successful partnership with the Maybank Malaysian Open.

“Besides adding an element of fun into our sports engagements, we also drive home core values such as team spirit, care for the environment, and building a spirit of togetherness to add value to the community,” he added, noting that Ricoh would continue to grow its involvement in the Malaysian golf scene in the coming years.

COURSE FEATURE

Where raptors meet birdies

Eagles are aplenty at the newly unveiled Amverton Cove Golf & Island Resort but it remains a challenge to chalk a few on your scorecard, says Edward Saminathan

M 12

ention Carey Island and the things that come to mind include the indigenous Mah Meri tribe, palm oil plantations, seafood (ah yes, mud crabs) and to the well-travelled golfer, a rustic estate tract belonging to Sime Darby Plantations. On a hot and sunny December morning some years back, I was invited by Steven Junior Ng of A&M Group, the owners of Bukit Kemuning Golf & Country Club, to visit a new course golf development on island - which until a month or so was perhaps, the best-kept secret within the local golf community. Now, having never visited a golf course under construction (and being over-excited at the prospect of doing just that), I set out on an hour-long drive through the KESAS highway before entering the Klang-Banting trunk road headed towards the small town of Teluk Panglima Garang, the gateway to this island that time has forgotten.

Little did I realise, that I was wrongly dressed for the occasion - instead of sporting yellow Phua Chu Kang boots which would have been appropriate with earthwork still actively ongoing, I arrived sporting my nicely polished pair of leather shoes. As it turned out after halfa-day of tracking through thick mangrove peat, the shoes were a little more than history.

Having had a first-hand tour by Ng and course architect cum regular The ClubHouse contributor Jason Winter of EGP Golf Course Architecture on how Amverton Cove Golf & Island Resort would in the future offer a unparalleled, back-to-nature experience to avid golfers and their families, I was excited at the prospect of re-visiting this slow-going labour of love at Ngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invite once again. Measuring at just over 5,875m from the back tees the golf course carved out of the mangrove forest that line the mighty Langat River that which cleaves the lowlands, winding and curling as it meanders sinuously to converge with the Straits of Malacca, has slowly matured into an mesmerising layout. Offering a breath taking view of the imposing Bukit Jugra in the background, Amverton Cove aims to be a little rough on the edges, promoting a natural layout with a links feel. Nowhere is it more particular than around the sloping, undulating greens, where the many run-off areas create a variety of options for approach and recovery shots.

COURSE FEATURE

The clubhouse during construction

Do not be surprised to find yourself putting from off the short stuff as “bump and run” shots will be common practice around Amverton Cove.

The azure turquoise lakes connected by an artery of waterways come into view or play on 17 of the 18 holes, providing a visually refreshing vista while providing a stern challenge for errant drivers of the ball, placing a premium on landing safely on the target area. While a healthy mix of negotiable deep pot bunkers and shallow sand traps stay true to Amverton Cove’s purpose as a resort tract, the penal mangrove trees that border or cross six holes are a different story altogether. Be prepared to take a drop as golfers are not encouraged to stray into the wetlands to look for their balls.

Nature lovers will enjoy the rich flora and fauna that has been painstakingly preserved and even if you’re not playing off the black, it is worth your time to take a short trot on the wonderful 70-m boardwalk constructed through a tidal forest to the back tees of the fourth, while enjoying the sight of birds, crabs and mudskippers.

Similar to Bukit Kemuning, the clubhouse is straight-forward and functional with a flowing terrace ready to welcome you after a round of golf . With resort accommodations and wellness facilities nearing completion, it goes without saying that this new golfing and leisure destination at the heart of Carey Island is set for rave reviews from those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for this nature’s playground.

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MALAYSIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION

WAFIYUDDIN, ARETHA STORM BACK FOR SABAH AMATEUR WINS

ohd Wafiyuddin Abdul Manaf underlined his growing stature on the domestic amateur scene, claiming the men’s crown at the 25th Sabah Amateur Open in dramatic fashion on April 7.

The highly-rated Universiti Utara Malaysia undergraduate overcame a four-shot deficit on the final day, mixing four birdies with five bogeys for a one-over 73 to force a suddendeath playoff with national Muhammad Afif

Razif (75) after both had finished level on 226 at Sabah Golf & Country Club. The 21-year-old Kedahan then parred the par-four ninth to seal the victory, joining local favourite Aretha Pan Herng, who dished out a comeback of her own to emerge triumphant in the ladies’ division by a single stroke. The 19-year-old Aretha, who is eyeing a move into the paid ranks next month, usurped 36-

hole leader Michelle Koh (76) with a strong front nine display of three birdies against a bogey to come home with a round of twounder 70. Aretha totalled five-over 221 to claim her second home victory in 2013, having lifted the 25th SGCC Amateur Open a fortnight ago. Chan Tuck Soon and Nur Durriyah Damian settled for third in the men’s and ladies’ division respectively.

adjacent to Telok Cempedak in Kuantan will host the revered national amateur championship, which turns 111 this year. “We are honored and pleased that Royal Pahang Golf Club has been given the honour to host this prestigious championship for the first time,” said the club’s deputy president Dato’ Shaharuddin Samsudin. “It certainly reflects the Malaysian Golf Association’s (MGA) confidence in Pahang to host a international-class event such as the Malaysian Amateur Open. Having hosted the Malaysian Games (SUKMA) last year, we are hoping for another stellar performance from the top regional amateurs who will congregate here.” MGA president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor noted that the association appreciates the value of rotating the event throughout the country annually. “It is our wish that this event will be able to bring the much-needed mileage to the host venue, considering its standing as one of the most established and prestigious amateur sporting events in the region,” said Mohd Anwar. Reigning champion Gavin Kyle Green is not expected to defend his title as his University of New Mexico team are poised to contest for the national collegiate title at the 2013 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.

NATIONAL AMATEUR MEET HEADS TO ROYAL PAHANG

“Last year, our young talented amateur Gavin Kyle Green ended Malaysia’s 15year wait for a local champion but we understand his collegiate commitments this year. In his absence, we hope that our senior national amateurs led by Abel Tam, Muhammad Afif Mohd Razif, Chan Tuck Soon and Low Khai Jei will carry the nation’s hope for a repeat performance.

he panoramic Royal Pahang Golf Club will provide the perfect setting for the 2013 edition of the Malaysian MGA also confirmed that the ladies’ division will be contested at the Malaysian Amateur Open from May 23 -26. Ladies Amateur Open organised by the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (MALGA) from May 21-23 at the East Course of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country It will mark the first time that the recently renovated layout Club.

MALAYSIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION

MICHELLE TRIUMPHS IN GLENMARIE

ormer Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open champion Michelle Koh cruised to overall title at the Malaysian Ladies Amateur and Junior Girls’ Closed golf championship, which concluded on April 11. The 22-year-old Michelle carded a threeunder 69 in the final round to follow-up on her opening 70 at the Glenmarie Golf

and Country Club for a two-day total of fiveunder 139. Eleven strokes adrift in second was another national player, Nur Durriyah Damian, with a two-day total of six-over 150. “I played well throughout the tournament and never really felt under pressure. It was great to have a competitive tournament before I head off to Taiwan for the 2013 Queen Sirikit Cup in

Taiwan, “ said Michelle. The 2013 Queen Sirikit Cup was held at Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taiwan from April 17 to 19. In the junior girls division, Nur Syazani Amalia Mohd Shahzan carded matching 76s to emerge as the champion with an eight-overpar 152 overall, beating Sabah’s Tham Soot Yuet (72-80) on countback. He added that the victory was important for him as he tries to break into the world’s top-400 and brighten his chances of earning a slot at the United States Junior Amateur Championship this July. “I will be contesting in all the amateur meets up to the Malaysian Amateur Open as I need to improve my World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) rankings to confirm my start at the prestigious junior meet,” said Khai Jei, who finished tied fourth in the British Junior Open last year.

KHAI JEI TOPS THE FIELD AT KUALA LUMPUR AM

op national junior Low Khai Jei added another state amateur title to his belt after holding off fellow national Chan Tuck Soon to clinch the KL Amateur Open title on April 18. The 16-year-old from Taiping chalked up rounds of 69, 71 and 74 for a two-under 214 winning total at the Royal Selangor Golf Club to finish two strokes clear of Tuck Soon (70-

71-75). Indonesia’s Bramantio Adi (76-72-69) was tied for third alongside Sabah’s Albright Chong (74-68-75) on 217. Khai Jei had a relatively quiet final round with only a double bogey against 17 pars. “I was just able to pace myself out there. The birdies did not drop but I’m happy with the score except for the double bogey.”

In the girls’ division, Indonesia’s Gavrilla Christina Arya registered her first amateur title with a four-stroke victory over national junior Loy Hee Ying (77-69-71). Despite a final round four-over 76, the 15-year-old Gavrilla held on for victory with a 213 total. Genevieve Ling I-Rynn (71-76-74) came in third with a three-day haul of 221. “It has been, a week to remember as I shot my lowest-ever competitive round during the second round (67) and then, to win my maiden amateur title, it feels really great,” said the Jakarta native.

INSIDE THE ROPES

CARLSBERG BOOST FOR CHIA CLEARWATER BREAKTHROUGH FOR ANIS 16

nis Helmi Hassan held his nerves to lift his maiden professional title at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Clearwater Classic on March 17.

Trailing by one at the start of the final round, the 28-year-old displayed great confidence with three birdies early on to close with a flawless three-under 69 and clinch a one-shot victory over defending champion R. Nachimuthu (69) and a marauding Haziq Hamizan (65) at the Clearwater Sanctuary Resort. A further two strokes adrift in fourth was Mohd Rizal Amin (69) while reigning PGM Tour champion Nicholas Fung and third round leader Iain Steel settled for a share of sixth on 273 with rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Anis could not hold back his tears after tapping in a par on the last for a 14-under 274 total “It is a great culmination to a fantastic week of golf. Hopefully, this is the first of a few more,” exclaimed the 28-year-old, who had four rounds in the 60s. “I was a bit worried after I topped my second on the first but birdies on the second, fourth and sixth settled my nerves. I knew I was in the lead at that point and just kept my game in check. I had a small wager with Nicholas and that really helped me stay on my toes. I scrambled where necessary to come back without a bogey on the card,” he added. The former national contemplated a career in coaching as he missed much of the 2012 season due to recurring health issues. “I am really grateful to be just back on Tour and playing some good golf. It is one of the best feeling in the world to be able to turnaround my career after all that problems that I had. Even a month back, I was thinking if I should concentrate on teaching but this victory is definitely the new leash of confidence I was hoping for and I am going to soldier on,” shared Anis, who dedicated the victory as “the perfect first wedding anniversary gift to his wife”. Leading final round scores 274 – Anis Helmi Hassan 68-69-68-69 275 – R.Nachimuthu 67-70-69-69, Haziq Hamizan 75-68-67-68 276 – Mohd Rizal Amin 69-70-68-69 277 – Nicholas Fung 71-65-69-72, Iain Steel 73-64 -67-73 280 – Shaifubari Muda 71-72-69, Nicholas Pua 73-69-70-68 283 – Mohd Azman Basharuddin 69-71-77-66, Hanafiah Jamil 70-72-73-68

rewery giants reiterated their commitment to the sport of golf by announcing Malaysian top professional Danny Chia as their golfing ambassador on March 26. The current Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour Order of Merit leader will carry the Carlsberg logo on his left collar, make appearances at select Carlsberg Golf Classic events around Malaysia and will be featured in Carlsberg’s golf-related advertising materials. “It is wonderful to receive this kind of support from Carlsberg,” said Chia. “Carlsberg are one of the biggest supporters of golf in Malaysia and I will work hard to represent the brand to the best of my abilities.” Carlsberg Malaysia managing director Soren Ravn said: “Danny is a true professional. A winner on the golf course and with his friendly and approachable demeanour off the course he is the perfect sporting hero for Carlsberg to be associated with.

MASTERS SLOT FOR CIMB CLASSIC CHAMPION

eginning this year, the winner of the CIMB Classic will earn a tournament winner’s exemption to the seasonopening Major, The Masters Tournament on top of the twoyear exemption on the PGA Tour. In addition to the US$7,000,000 tournament being an Official FedExCup Points event, it will offer all-important qualification points for the United States Ryder Cup team in 2014. “This is great news and cements the world class status of the CIMB Classic,” said CIMB Group chief executive Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak. “With a tournament that awards FedExCup points, exempt status on the PGA TOUR and The Masters, as well as Ryder Cup points – the CIMB Classic and Malaysia now occupy a marquee position on the global golf calendar,” added Nazir. The 2013 event is expected to replicate the successful World Golf Championship (WGC) format with a minimum of 78 players.

INSIDE THE ROPES

PRACTICE PAYS FOR JACKSON IN JOHOR

nglishman Grant Jackson built on his three-shot overnight lead to cruise to victory at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Maybank Johor Masters on April 13. The 31-year-old West Yorkshire native drained three birdies through 11 holes before dropping two late bogeys for a round of one-under 71, finishing four shots clear of R. Nachimuthu (68) and halfway leader Wolmer Murillo (72) in the RM200,000 (US$65,000) Asian Development Tour cosanctioned event. Reigning PGM Tour Merit champion Nicholas Fung settled for a 71 to lie a further stroke adrift on 276. With a hat-trick of top-ten finishes on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) already this year, Jackson signed off on a marvellous performance at Johor Country Club where he set a new course of eight-under 64 during the third round. “It is always nice to have a lead but I just focused on my game because I knew if I played well like I did all week, I would be clear. My driver was misbehaving a little but my short game came around really well today,” said Jackson, who totalled 17-under 271. The Bangkok-based player practiced on some cowgrass layouts ahead of the tournament and came into the week feeling positive about his overall game. “I played here last year and finished third, so I was really looking forward to returning. I came in early to have two full practice rounds here and the familiarity really paid off. I knew it would boil down to how I putted and I’m really pleased with the good scores I posted throughout the four days.” “I’ve had at least a dozen or so second places in the past but this win definitely gives me a lot of confidence to finish the year in the top three of the Order of Merit, which would guarantee me an Asian Tour card next year.” A double bogey on the ninth was Nachimuthu’s only undoing as he notched four birdies and an eagle for his second runner-up finish of the year. “I was not raising my hopes too much because I was seven strokes off the lead but nonetheless, the eagle on the second ensured I had a strong start. The dropped shot on the nine proved costly but overall, I’m happy with my consistency.” Venezuelan Wolmer, who is playing his rookie year in Asia, was delighted with his best finish so far in the region. “Today was one of those particular day. I was playing so well for the first three days but I started the round today feeling a bit anxious as I really wanted to make up that deficit to Jackson,” said the 32-year-old. “I struggled a bit with my driving and my iron shots and that saw me drop a few shots and from there on, the birdies dried up. But this as been my best week in Asia in four months, so I’m really happy.” Leading final round scores 271 – Grant Jackson (ENG) 68-68-64-71 275 – R. Nachimuthu 70-69-68-68, Wolmer Murillo (VEN) 66-68-69-72 276 – Nicholas Fung 66-69-70-71 279 – Airil Rizman Zahari 71-68-69-71 280 – Ratchapol Jantavara (THA) 73-66-72-69 281 – Mitsuhiko Hashizume (JPN) 69-71-71-70, Md Rizal Amin 70-72-69-70 282 – Blake McGrogy (AUS) 72-73-68-69, Daniel Bringolf (AUS) 70-69-73-70, Chang Tse-peng (TPE) 71-70-71-70

Presented by

Boys’ Under -18 Division Solomon Emilio Rosidin ........................... 40.00 Fazley Ahmad Chua.................................. 24.00 Mohd Zariq Encho Suhaini........................ 20.00 Muhd Naqiuddin Muhd Fuad..................... 16.00 Muhd Izzat Safuan Amirrudin...................... 8.00 Boy’s Under -16 Albright Chong Ming Soon ....................... 32.00 Muhd Zul Helmi Ramle.............................. 30.00 Amir Nazrin Jailani.................................... 28.00 Muhd Syakir Adli Azmi............................... 22.00 Putera Azim Shah Mazran........................... 8.00 Boy’s Under -14 Bryan Teoh Wiyang .................................. 40.00 Muhammad Azren Noor Azam.................. 30.00 Lucas Yee Jung Jin .................................. 22.00 Daeng Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz ............. 16.00 Irfan Syahmi Norshaharudin...................... 12.00 Boy’s Under -12 Adam Arif Madzri....................................... 40.00 Rhaasrikanesh Kanapathi......................... 32.00 Victor Ng Yu Kai........................................ 28.00 Imran Muqri Iwan Harman......................... 24.00 Christopher James.................................... 20.00 Girl’s Under -18 Nur Eliana Ariffin........................................ 40.00 Sarfina Vinota Seretharan ........................ 32.00 Nyca Khaw Wen Huei ............................... 20.00 Evelyn Wong Yee Xuan ............................ 16.00 Nursyarrafatun Nissa Shahirul Anuar........ 12.00 Girl’s Under -16 Jaclyn Chen Jin Yi .................................... 40.00 Kelly Kan Kah Yan .................................... 32.00 Loy Hee Ying............................................. 28.00 Ong Shi Qing ............................................ 24.00 Raeysha Surendran.................................. 20.00 Girl’s Under -14 Samantha Chong Hui Wen........................ 28.00 Qistina Balqis Azhar.................................. 24.00 Ashley Lau Jen Wen ................................. 10.00 Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari................................. 4.00 Girl’s Under -12 Natasha Andrea Oon................................. 40.00 Winnie Ng Yu Xuan................................... 32.00 Ally Yee Jung Ya ....................................... 28.00 Ashley Goh................................................ 24.00 Eliza Mae Kho........................................... 20.00 * as of March 30,2013

MY JUNIORS

Overall champions Selangor

SELANGOR TOP NATIONAL SCHOOLS MEET S

uperior all-round depth in age-group contested saw Selangor Darul Ehsan emerge as the overall champions at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) golf championship in Sabah recently. A total of 15 state contingents congregated in Kota Kinabalu for the championship, which took place simultaneously at Nexus Resort Karambunai (boys) and Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club (girls) from March 26-28 with 12 gold medals on offer.

Individual winners (L to R): Nur Eliana Ariffin (girls’ under-18), Jaclyn Chen (girls’ under-15), Adam Arif Madzri (boys’ under-12) and Solomon Emilio Rosidin (boys’ under-18)

Selangor grabbed four golds two silvers and three bronzes to edge host Sabah, which were powered by their Malaysian Games (SUKMA) gold medal-winning combination of Solomon Emilio Rosidin, Albright Chong Ming Soon and Fazley Ahmad Chua. The locals garnered two gold medals thanks to trio led by boys’ under-18 winner Solomon as well as three other silver medals. Defending champions Kuala Lumpur had to settle for one gold medal, two silvers and one bronze - the sole gold courtesy of girls’ under-12 champion Natasha Andrea Oon, who had a successful title defence. Sarawak, Malacca and Penang picked up a gold each with their leading stars Jaclyn Chen, Nur Eliana Ariffin and Bryan Teoh Wiyang emerging as the winners in the girls’ under-15, girls’ under-18 and boys’ under-15 categories respectively.

Natasha Andrea Oon (girls’ under-12 winner)

Bryan Teoh Wiyang (boys’ under-15 winner)

MY JUNIORS LEADING FINAL SCORES Boys’ Under-18 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Solomon Emilio Rosidin (SBH) Albright Chong Ming Soon (SBH) Amir Nazrin Jailani (SEL) Fazley Ahmad Chua (SBH) Mohd Zariq Encho Suhaini (LBN) Muhd Naqiuddin Muhd Fuad (PRK)

215 (73-72-70) 219 (72-74-73) 225 (76-71-78) 229 (72-74-83) 230 (78-74-78) 233 (81-75-77)

Boys’ Under-15 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Bryan Teoh Wiyang (PEN) Muhammad Azren (KED) Muhd Zul Helmi Ramle (MEL) Lucas Yee Jung Jin (PRK) Muhd Syakir Adli Azmi (MEL) Daeng Abd Rahman Abd Aziz (JOH)

226 (75-76-75) 233 (75-79-79) 233 (75-79-79) 234 (82-77-75) 234 (79-79-76) 235 (83-78-74)

Boys’ Under-12 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Adam Arif Madzri (SEL) K. Rhaasrikanesh (SEL) Victor Ng Yu Kai (WPKL) Imran Muqri Iwan Harman (SEL) Christopher James (SWK) Ahmad Hafiz SELamat (JOH)

226 (75-76-75) 234 (77-81-76) 236 (76-80-80) 238 (87-77-83) 245 (90-79-76) 252 (80-86-86)

Girls’ Under-18 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Nur Eliana Ariffin (MEL) Sarfina Vinota Seretharan (WPKL) Loy Hee Ying (JOH) Ong Shi Qing (SEL) Nyca Khaw Wen Huei (SEL) Evelyn Wong Yee Xuan (SBH)

229 (77-76-76) 229 (76-75-78) 233 (77-79-77) 243 (79-79-85) 246 (82-80-84) 248 82-85-81)

Girls’ Under-15 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Jaclyn Chen Jin Yi (SWK) Kellie Kan Kah Yan (NSE) Samantha Chong Hui Wen (NSE) Qistina Balqis Azhar (JOH) Raeysha Surendran (SEL) Chong Yong (NSE)

235 (72-79-84) 237 (78-82-77) 240 (80-80-80) 241 (78-81-82) 242 (83-86-73) 245 (86-80-79)

Girls’ Under-12 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Natasha Andrea Oon (WPKL) Winnie Ng Yu Xuan (NSE) Ally Yee Jung-Ya (PRK) Ashley Goh (JOH) Eliza Mae Kho (SWK) Zulaikah Nurziana Nasser (SEL)

238 (77-78-83) 242 (82-84-76) 261 (88-90-83) 274 (88-96-90) 274 (97-92-90) 281 (98-91-92)

BOYS UNDER-18 (TEAM) Gold Sabah Silver Kuala Lumpur Bronze Sarawak

GIRLS’ UNDER-18 (TEAM) Gold Selangor Silver Melaka Bronze Kedah

BOYS UNDER-15 (TEAM) Gold Johor Silver Malacca Bronze Selangor

GIRLS’ UNDER-15 (TEAM) Gold Negeri Sembilan Silver Sarawak Bronze Selangor

BOYS UNDER-12 (TEAM) Gold Selangor Silver Sabah Bronze Johor

GIRLS’ UNDER-12 (TEAM) Gold Sabah Silver Selangor Bronze Perak

OVERALL POINTS STANDINGS Boys Girls Total Selangor 40 33 73 Sabah 31 10 41 Negeri Sembilan 2 33 35 Melaka 14 17 31 Johor 17 14 31 Sarawak 5 24 29 Kuala Lumpur 16 9 25 Kedah 15 5 20 Perak 6 12 18 Penang 10 - 10 WP Labuan 2 - 2 Pahang 1 - 1

MY JUNIORS

Leaner SportExcel meets in the MAKING

he Foundation for Malaysian Sporting Excellence (SportExcel) is seriously considering to organise leaner tournaments in the near future - a move aimed at improving the quality of the playing field.

“We hope to cap off the entries at only a 100 120 participants at each leg with entries limited to the more competitive players on our circuit, taking into consideration issues such as pace of play and high scores,” said Sivanandan.

Its executive director Sivanandan Chinnadurai alluded during the recent Clearwater Junior Amateur Open that the foundation’s board of governors had requested that a handicapping requirement be instated to ensure that only competitive juniors will be allowed to participate in the circuit.

“The board felt that our objectives of raising the standard of excellence and producing young champions will not be best served if the current format continues,” he added, noting that the participants will contest all three days as opposed to being subject to a cut after two rounds.

Pulai Springs Resort winners

On another note, Sivanandan reminded the juniors as well as their parents to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship and adhere to golf etiquette and local rules set by the host clubs. The three-day contest saw home favourite Lucas Yee, 14, emerge as the overall champion, beating his older competitor Vermn Chan from Cinta Sayang Golf & Country Resort in a sudden-death play-off after both had finished with 223 overall.

Clearwater Sanctuary Resort winners

Sportexcel National Junior Golf Circuit - 1St Leg (Pulai Springs Resort) Boys’ Under-18 1. Paul San Weng Yau 2. Reza Iskandar Juaraindra 3. Park Jong Min 4. Aliff Ritzmann Merican 5. Mohd Dazrul Khalid Boys’ Under-16 1. Aaron Cheong 2. Adam Tee Jia Lih 3. Alvien Hiew 4. Tan Yih Wei 5. Kiishaan Tharmalingam

213 (72-70-71) 233 (80-75-78) 247 (83-83-81) 273 (82-96-95) 317 (117-101-99)

228 (74-79-75) 229 (80-76-73) 231 (77-77-77) 241 (81-82-78) 242 (79-82-81)

Boys’ Under-14 1. Low Jun Wei 2. Lee Chong Li 3. Umar Khushairi M Kamal 4. Muhammad Muhazim Bakhtiar 5. Elijah Jethro Chitty

250 (87-86-77) 258 (87-86-85) 261 (80-90-91) 262 (87-87-88) 262 (90-83-89)

Boys’ Under-12 1. Muhd Naufal Jan Al-Jefri 2. Marcus Tan Zhi Wei 3. Izzat Syazmin Amirul 4. Dylan Nicholas Tan 5. Mohd Daniel Ibrahim

265 (87-86-92) 270 (93-86-91) 281 (97-98-86) 285 (99-93-93) 287 (100-92-95)

Boys’ Under-10 1. Isaac To Chern Yi 2. Feirish Nor Feizal Nor 3. Nor Harith Nor Hadi 4. Kunakorn Tang Kai Wen 5. Cheok Wen Han

240 (81-77-82) 241 (82-80-79) 259 Ocb (88-86-85) 259 (84-88-87) 266 (87-88-91)

Girls’ Under-18 1. Ho Cai Yan 2. Siti Khadijah Amir 3. Eerrisha A/P Baloo

250 (83-83-84) 270 (87-89-94) 310 (99-118-93)

Girls’ Under-16 1. Warda Amira Rawof 2. Chong Yee Mun 3. Ginnie Ho 4. Norshahira Alisa Che Omar

240 (80-81-79) 247 (80-80-87) 250 (86-80-84) 340 (119-111-110)

Girls’ Under-14 1. Syasya Tihani Ahmad Suhaimi 2. Siti Sarah Feizal Nor 3. Masturah Mustapha Tan 4. Bibian William Hung 5. Siti Farahin Sedek

265 (86-86-93) 278 (91-94-93) 291 (95-98-98) 297 (94-108-95) 305 (99-107-99)

Girls’ Under-12 1. Krishah A/P Elayappen 2. Tengku Uzma Batrisyia 3. Norezrina Alisa Che Omar

300 (97-98-105) 336 (108-114-114) 373 (132-124-117)

Girls’ Under-10 1. Kokoro Ouchi 2. Hailey Loh 3. Sarah Mazri 4. Victoria Tan Xin Yi 5. Lana Ardini Batrisyia Aswadi

245 (79-85-81) 258 (85-88-85) 365 (88-90-87) 317 (106-104-107) 453 (163-139-151)

Sportexcel National Junior Golf Circuit - 2Nd Leg (Clearwater Sanctuary Resort) Boys’ Under-18 1. Vermn Chan 2. Amzar Shahzan 3. Mohamad Azmeer Azmi 4. Zarul Luqman Hakeem Badrul 5. Izzat Mirza Iwan Harman

223 (73-79-71) 232 (78-82-72) 244 (82-87-75) 244 (81-84-79) 246 (79-82-85)

Boys’ Under-16 1. Danial Durasic 2. Danial Mohd Sidek 3. Muhammad Daniel Faidz Jazmi 4. Sazanur Iman Salenin 5. Amir Nazrin Jailani

226 (75-75-76) 231 (80-73-78) 233 (78-75-80) 234 (86-71-77) 238 (83-78-77)

Boys’ Under-14 1. Lucas Yee Jung Jin 2. Muhammad Azren 3. Yong Fatt Hoe 4. Muhammad Afif Mohd Fathi 5. Tee Jia Jin

223 (78-74-71) 240 (81-79-80) 241 (85-81-75) 247 (88-77-82) 249 (89-80-80)

Boys’ Under-12 1. Adam Arif Mazri 2. Aqil Afiq Rosli 3. Nodoka Kudo 4. Naufal Jeeri 5. Victor Ng Yu Kai

228 (78-72-78) 250 (79-89-82) 250 (82-84-84) 255 (87-83-85) 256 (82-85-89)

Boys’ Under-10 1. Feirish Nor Feizal Nor 2. Nor Harith Nor Hadi 3. Muhammad Aqeel Aqram 4. Teoh Ze Jun 5. Izzat Aiman Ahmad Zainal

211 (70-69-72) 237 (81-79-77) 241 (80-78-83) 247 (84-84-79) 247 (85-79-83)

Girls’ Under-18 1. Jolene Kam Jo Ling 2. Siti Khadijah Amir Mohmood 3. Mirza Batrisya 4. Nurul Fahira 5. Ananstasia Van Dort

266 (89-91-86) 277 (93-94-90) 321 (118-103-100) 334 (107-114-113) 332 (116-114-102)

Girls’ Under-16 1. Warda Amira 2. Chong Yee Mun 3. Najihah 4. Nasrin Nazifa Haris Bashah 5. Kristin Lau May Hui

241 (84-81-76) 252 (84-89-79) 263 (81-94-88) 275 (95-91-89) 277 (94-91-92)

Girls’ Under-14 1. Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari 2. Kim Joo Yeon 3. Amalia Shahzan 4. Geraldine Wong Xiao Xuan 5. Farhatul Munrah

238 (78-77-83) 240 (81-82-77) 243 (80-82-81) 250 (81-83-86) 269 (89-89-91)

Girls’ Under-12 1. Natasha Andrea Oon 2. Winnie Ng Yu Xuan, 3. Megan Lee Ze Hui 4. Liyana Durasic 5. Ally Yee Jung Ya

247 (83-80-84) 251 (86-86-79) 271 (88-94-89) 275 (91-93-91) 278 (92-89-97)

Girls’ Under-10 1. Kokoru Ouchi 2. Jeneath Wong 3. Sarah Mazri 4. Ashley Chin Yen Ling

221 (76-75-70) 237 (78-81-78) 245 (78-83-84) 272 (87-93-92)

COMEBACK KING HEND RULES IN CHIANGMAI

Australian Scott Hend rallies from six strokes back to win the inaugural Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT by three shots.

The growing emergence of China’s Hu Mu continued as he took fourth place following a 68 as he posted his first top-five finish on the region’s premier Tour which is celebrating its milestone 10th season in 2013.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I had a chance to win,” said the 40-year-old Hend. “I played with Prayad the first two rounds and he was hitting the ball great and putting great. And obviously he played great yesterday again and I thought he would continue with the way he was playing. “I was just looking for a solid top-five finish. Obviously it all fell together and I played quite well. Unfortunately for the other guys, they didn’t quite keep the pace going which was good for me.” Despite a bogey on the third, Hend sparked his round at the next hole with a 30-foot eagle conversion, which led to four more birdies over his next five holes. “From there, I just played pretty solid golf and holed the putts that I missed in the first three days. That was the difference. This win is fantastic. To shoot 20 under helps you believe in yourself that you’ve got the game.”

stunning eight-under-par 64 final round saw Scott Hend complete a spectacular comeback, usurping local favourite Prayad Marksaeng to triumph at the Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT on March 30. Big-hitting Hend earned his third Asian Tour title in front of large crowds at the Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai, taking home the winner’s cheque of US$135,000 with his four-day total of 20-under-par 268.

“I never had the chance to lead from the front. I would love to lead into the last round by three and see if I can hold the guys off. But you’ll take anything you can get. To shoot eight under on the Sunday, I’m pretty proud of it,” said Hend, who credited his caddie and former Tour regular Tony Carolan for his triumph. The 25-year-old Easton, who missed his Asian Tour card by one shot at Qualifying School

South African newcomer Bryce Easton, playing in his first Asian Tour event, also shot a 64 to take second place while a faltering Marksaeng, who led by five overnight, settled for third on 272 after a carding a poor closing two-over 74 in the US$750,000 full-field Asian Tour tournament.

His two previous wins on the Asian Tour also were come-from-behind victories. He stormed from five back to win the 2008 Indonesian Presidents Invitational and was four behind when he won the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic last season.

Bryce Easton

Prayad Marksaeng

in January, was nine under for the round through 14 holes but double bogeyed the par-three 15th when his tee shot found the lake. He missed a birdie chance at the closing par-five 18th and was eventually passed by a fast-charging Hend. “I played great. The goal was to sneak into the top-five to get into next week (Panasonic Open India). I got going nicely and got into a position to win. I hit a few shots close early on and made a couple of putts and kept building on that. I just kept heading in the right direction but made some mistakes in the end,” said Easton, whose runner-up cheque of US$82,500 is expected to be enough for him to get a full Tour card for 2014. After three days of imperious golf, Prayad lamented a poor start where bogeyed the third and then found water en route to a double bogey on the par five seventh. A missed putt for from close range on nine for an outward 39 left him with an uphill task. “My irons were no good. The second shots were always reaching the fringe on almost every hole. My feeling was okay when I started the final round. I’m not angry now although I had a chance to win,” said the 47-year-old veteran. © Khalid Redza / Asian Tour

Scott Hend

Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, who needed a victory to have a chance of qualifying for the Masters Tournament in a fortnight, settled tied 10th position after a 72 while South Africa’s Ernie Els, using the belly putter after three days with the short stick, finished tied 14th in the Chiangmai Golf Classic which was offering the highest world ranking points in Asia this week.

Hu Mu

AROUND THE GLOBE ONEASIA

Prayad claims national Open at last

rayad Marksaeng became only the third local after Suthep Meesawat and Boonchu Ruangkit to win the US$1 million Thailand Open at Thana City Golf & Sports Club on March 17.

Two shots off the pace and starting in the second last group of the day, 47-year-old Prayad started with a hat-trick of birdies although a bogey on the easy par-five fifth briefly halted his progression.

Prayad had rounds of 68, 67, 65 and 64 for a 24under-par 264 to lift the coveted King’s Trophy, donated by the country’s revered monarch.

Four birdies in-a-row straddling the turn put him back in the driver’s seat and an audacious chip-in birdie from the fringe on the 16th meant the chasing pack had it all to do.

Australian Scott Strange (67) pushed Prayad all the way, but a bogey on the last left him two strokes adrift. Countryman Nick Cullen (65) was a shot further behind while six players shared fourth place - including defending champion Chris Wood (70).

“This means so much to me,” an emotional Prayad. “I have waited so long for this. It is something that I have dreamed about, but I have tried so many times and failed.”

AVANTHA MASTERS

outh Africa’s Thomas Aiken shrugged off any final day pressure to close with a fiveunder-par 67 and win the €1.8 million Avantha Masters on March 17. Aiken’s winning total of 23-under-par 265 was enough to make him the second successive South African to win the Avantha Masters title after Jbe Kruger in 2012. Four-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar of India surmounted a late charge with a 64 but was not enough to pip Aiken for the title and had to settle for second place at the Jaypee Greens Golf Course.

China’s Liang Wen-chong closed with a 69 to take third place while Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat also signed off with the same score a 69 to take fourth place on 271 at the Asian Tour, European Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) tri-sanctioned event.

Aiken masters Jaypee Greens for win

Aiken, who started the day with a three-shot advantage thanks to a spectacular 62 on Saturday, continued his charge by making birdies on holes two and five before turning in 34. He had to fend off the combined challenges of Bhullar and Liang by making further birdies on the 12th and 15th before securing the win with another gain on the last.

LPGA

Lewis up to number one with Founders win

tacy Lewis fired a superb final-round eight-under par 64 to beat Japan’s Ai Miyazato by three strokes and lift the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup on March 17 in Arizona. Lewis, who won in Singapore the fortnight before, dethroned Yani Tseng’s 109-week tenure as the world No. 1 with her seventh LPGA title.

The American claimed victory after a dramatic swing over the final few holes. She birdied three of the last four as Miyazato dropped a double bogey at the 16th after looking the most likely winner for most of the day. “It’s unbelievable,” Lewis said. “We were battling back and forth, and I didn’t expect her to do that there. I was just trying to make birdies there at the end.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

Maiden pro title for Ariya

hailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn secured her first professional title at the Lalla Meryem Cup after a battle of the teenagers in Agadir. The 17-year-old rookie from Bangkok, who won the LET’s Lalla Aicha Tour School in Marrakech in December, again displayed her remarkable talent when she came from a stroke behind overnight leader Charley

Hull to earn a three stroke victory with a 14-under-par total at the par-71 Golf de l’Ocean. The tournament was held concurrently with the European Tour’s Trophee du Hassan II, which saw Germany’s Marcel Siem overcome a slow start and the threat of Finland’s Mikko Ilonen to register his third European Tour at the neighbouring Golf du Palais Royal.

AROUND THE GLOBE

LPGA

eatriz Recari held off IK Kim over a two-hole playoff to claim her second LPGA Tour career victory at the Kia Classic on March 24.

Playoff win for Recari

The Spanish belle delivered a gutsy final round performance to edge out South Korea’s Kim after three-putting the 18th in regulation. Recari and Kim both bogeyed the first playoff hole, but the 25-year-old from Pamplona didn’t let nerves get the better of her again, rolling in an 18-footer for victory on the second extra hole.

“I don’t think I’m any close to calm right now,” said Recari. “It’s the opposite. Every victory is different and this is just amazing and I can’t believe it. It’s been really hard work and it’s definitely paid off and I’m really happy.” Cristie Kerr, Pornanong Phatlum and Mo Martin were tied for third - a stroke out of the playoff.

PGA TOUR

Laird turns around season with Texas win

first six holes and fended off a hard charging Rory McIlroy with a flawless closing effort. “I play my best golf when I play aggressive, and I just tried to play that way all the way through the 18th hole today and not change my game plan. It paid off,” said the Glasgow native.

The Scot sat five shots behind overnight leader Billy Horschel at the start of the day but was quickly on the move with four birdies in the

Indian relief for A PANASONIC OPEN INDIA

ustralian Wade Ormsby claimed a nervejangling maiden Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India, denying Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit a historic victory at the Delhi Golf Club.

Ormsby

Ormsby overcame a disastrous triple bogey on the third hole to shoot a final round oneunder-par 71 on April 7 to win the US$300,000 tournament by one stroke from the 56-yearold Boonchu, who was bidding to become the oldest winner on the region’s premier Tour. Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing, who led briefly during the final round, settled for third place after carding a level par 72 while Shiv Kapur’s search for a first win on his home course was extended after he bogeyed two of his last three

holes to finish three shots behind Ormsby in fourth position. Ormsby, who held at least a share of the lead from the opening day, birdied the second hole but stumbled badly with a seven at the next hole. However, the Aussie showed great character by shooting birdies on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes to stay in the title hunt. He bogeyed the 12th and needed an 18foot birdie conversion on 17th which proved decisive as Boonchu’s title challenge faded with a bogey on 16th. “It means so much. I’ve played tournaments worldwide but to finally get a win in Asia is fantastic. I felt pretty good on the fourth tee but I just put my head down and tried to get down into it and birdied the fifth,” said Ormsby.

LPGA

Inbee cruises to second Major crown

outh Korea’s Inbee Park won the Kraft Nabisco Championship by four strokes on April 7 after shooting a final round 69 to secure her second major title. The 54-hole leader birdied her first two holes and was never threatened at California’s Mission Hills Country Club where she finished the tournament with a 15-under total of 273, well clear of secondplaced compatriot Ryu So-yeon.

Ryu surged up the leaderboard with a 65 to finish outright second on 11 under par, while Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and Swede Caroline Hedwall tied for third two strokes further back. “Well, that made my day much easier, that’s for sure,” said Park. “I holed a long one on the first hole, and a birdie start is always a good thing so that gave me a lot of confidence.”

artin Laird booked a berth at The Masters Tournament with a sensational final round of 63 to win the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio on April 7.

AROUND THE GLOBE

GOLF BUSINESS

ONEASIA

Choi reigns in Jakarta

orean Choi Ho-sung survived a dramatic three-hour storm delay on the final hole and drained an eight-foot birdie putt for a fourth-round 67 and a two-stroke victory in the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship on March 31. Choi finished the US$1 million tournament at 19-under, holding off a late challenge by Filipino Juvic Pagunsan (66), overnight leader Kaname Yokoo (70) of Japan and Korean youngster Song Young-han (68). A shot behind the lead overnight and playing in the final group, Choi made his intentions clear from the start with a slick eagle on the first that took him to the top of the leaderboard.

Pagunsan was making his charge for the title, turning at four under and then finishing birdiebirdie to give the 40-year-old Choi something to think about. A poor read by Choi led to that bogey, but he steadied the ship with a clutch par putt on 16th and then a birdie on 17th before the storm broke. “I can’t believe it,” a beaming Choi said after sinking his final putt and as lightning jagged through the gloom around the Emeralda Golf Club. “I thought we would might not be able to finish. I really didn’t want to have to do it all over again tomorrow.”

Omega deal for McIlroy Two-time Major winner Rory McIlroy has entered into an agreement with OMEGA that will make him part of a roster of ambassadors featuring many current golf stars - including legend Greg Norman, Stacy Lewis and Sergio Garcia as well as leading figures from the world of entertainment such as Nicole Kidman, George Clooney and Daniel Craig. New ball plant on the way for TMAG Aiming to improve its global production, TaylorMade is building a 120,000-squarefoot golf ball manufacturing plant in South Carolina. Due to open open in January 2014, the new plant will replace the company’s existing 51-year-old plant that produces 72,000 balls a day and more than 24 millions ball each year. The new facility will be more energy efficient, reduce maintenance costs and lower unit production costs.

SOLAIRE OPEN

Lin-sanity prevails in Philippines

in Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei produced a heroic performance to win his long-awaited sixth Asian Tour title at the Solaire Open on April 14. Lin hit two remarkable shots on 17th and 18th from the woods for a one-over-par 73 to defeat Asian Tour rookie Richard T. Lee of Canada and Thammanoon Sriroj of Thailand by one stroke at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Manila. Lee battled to a 69 for his best Asian Tour result while Thammanoon’s title hopes faded when he bogeyed 16 and 18 for a 73 at the inaugural US$300,000 full field Asian Tour event.

Faldo unveils Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Club Incorporating rice paddy, woodland, water, beach, sand and what he terms as ‘blowout’ areas, Sir Nick Faldo officiated the opening of the Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Club in midMarch.

“Thammanoon was in a tough position on 18 so I thought to myself if I bogeyed, I can at least still get into a playoff. I’m really very lucky to have made that winning putt. To me second or third place are the same. The only difference if you are the champion,” he smiled.

Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun (69) finished a further shot back while Elmer Salvador (74) settled as the best placed Filipino in fifth position on the region’s premier Tour which is celebrating its 10th season. “I think lady luck is really on my side to let me win this tournament. I told myself to stay focus and not think about anything else,” said Lin, who totalled three-under-par 285 to win US$54,000.

Situated midway between Vietnam’s former imperial capital of Hue and its third largest city of Danang, Laguna Lăng Cô is nestled between mountains and sea on a sandy strip of dune land that is perfect for golf. It is the 26th course designed by the six-times Major winner and is arguably his boldest and best creation. The complex includes Banyan Tree and Angsana branded hotels and spas, villas as well as residences available for sale.

MAJOR MOMENTS

SCOTT A MAJOR WINNER AT LAST

Adam Scott expunged the bitter memories of Royal Lytham last summer to become Australia’s first Green Jacket winner at Augusta National

wo hundred sixty six days since he fell apart down the stretch at the Open Championship, blowing a four-stroke lead in as many holes to hand the Claret Jug to South African Ernie Els, Adam Scott stood tall with his arms outstretched and head tilted to the skies - a personal mission of redemption ending in success and more importantly, ending half-century of Australian misery at the hallowed grounds of Augusta National Golf Club

rightly dedicated his Major victory to his childhood idol Greg Norman, who had four good chances to win the Green Jacket himself, none better than when he blew a six-shot lead on the last day to Nick Faldo in 1996.

After both had chipped close for par on the first playoff hole, Cabrera’s 15-foot birdie putt on the 10th grazed the right side of the cup, handing the initiative to Scott.

Coming into the week with three wins in five starts on the PGA Tour in 2013, Tiger Woods closed with a 70 and finished in a tie for fourth alongside another Down Under representative Marc Leishman, four strokes behind Cabrera and Scott.

Knowing that he need a birdie of his own to further the issue, Cabrera hit a deft approach inside three feet and converted the putt to put Australia’s celebration on ice.

Another Aussie to feature prominently on the leaderboard was Jason Day whose two dropped shots on 16th and 17th saw him come close for the second time in three years.

C’mon, Aussie! Playing in the second last group, Scott makes a clutch birdie putt from 25 feet on the last to set the clubhouse mark at nine-under 279.

After knocking in a pure 12-footer on the second extra hole to bring an end to a riveting duel with former champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina, the 32-year-old Queenslander quite

At 14 years old, China’s Guan Tianlang became the youngest participant ever at The Masters and his swift rise was the talk of the tournament. Despite being assessed a penalty for slow play, he was the only amateur to make the halfway cut and deservedly took home the Silver Medal for his 58th-place finish.

EVERY SHOT. EARNING AN INVITATION. A SUNDAY CHARGE. CONFIDENCE.

“

4/19/13 6:49 PM

It’s amazing that it came down to me today. But there’s one guy who inspired a nation of golfers, and that’s Greg Norman. He’s been incredible to me and all the great golfers. Part of this belongs to him.

”

Scott’s Arsenal Driver: Titleist 913D3 9.5° Fairway: Titleist 910Fd 15° Hybrid: Titleist 712U Irons (3-9): Titleist MB Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM4 48°, Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 54° Titleist Vokey Design SM4 TVD 60° Putter: Scotty Cameron by Titleist Futura X prototype Ball: 2013 Titleist Pro V1 Footwear: FootJoy Sport Glove: FootJoy StaSof

clubhouse_Titleist strip __may12.indd 1

EQUIPMENT FEATURE

GET A WHOLE LOT LONGER WITH Ultra Thin Wall Casting creates a lighter club configuration with an optimised CG designed to help you rip if off the tee.

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SpeedFrame Face creates incredibly fast ball speeds all across the face for longer, more consistent distance, optimising the CG for more forgiveness and consistent sidespin.

Lightweight titanium drivers with OptiFit technology which allows the face angle to be set in an Open, Square or Closed position to fine tune the trajectory and appearance youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for at address.

EQUIPMENT FEATURE

Focusing on the face itself rather than looking towards the surrounding areas of the clubhead to influence the way the face flexes at impact, Callaway have developed a hallmark new cupface design that makes their latest X Hot family of metalwoods the longest yet.

Unique design feature lowers the CG by pushing the weight as close as possible to the Forged SpeedFrame face cup, borrowed from the drivers, for increased distance and ball speeds from across the face of the fairway wood.

Modern Warbird sole delivers increased versatility from everywhere with an updated design for versatility.

Drivers: Available in 9.5째 & 10.5째 at RM1390 (US) & RM1490 (Asian) Fairways: Available in 3W and 5W at RM990 (US) & RM1090 (Asian)

EQUIPMENT FEATURE

THE NEW LOOK OF ALIGNMENT THE NEW VERSA BY ODYSSEY Visionary High Contrast Alignment

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Odysseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest innovation applies across the family, from traditional blade styles, mallets as well as more progressive style putters.

The black and white contrast accentuates the face angle at address, through the stroke and at impact, improving concentration and allowing you to align your putter more accurately to the target.

Retails at RM790. See the new Versa at odysseygolf.com/versa or visit a good golf store near you!

EQUIPMENT FEATURE

THE NEW CHOICE OF TOUR PROS

Versa #1 White Putter

Versa #1 Wide Black Putter

Versa #2 Black Putter

Versa #2 White Putter

Versa #7 Black Putter

Versa 90 #7 White Putter

Versa #9 Black Putter

Versa 90 2-Ball Putter

IN THE BAG

REMIX DRIVER

www.mstgolf.com Yamaha debuts its premium adjustable driver, promoting greater workability and easier set-up for more forgiving hits l Features a classic pear-shaped 460cc head with a deep face design preferred by golfers seeking for added control and more forgiveness. l A 6-4 titanium forged face utilises a web-designed Variable Face Thickness technology that generates softer feel and consistent distance across the face. l Two adjustable weight inserts placed in the sole -near the toe and heel - lowers the center of gravity to promote easier, mid to mid/high trajectory with very low spin. l A specially designed pattern dubbed the Sound Channel incorporated within the head produces consistent sound at impact. l Available in standard lofts of 9° and 10° with a choice of two 13-gm weights or a 4-gm and 22-gm weight combination.

RRP: RM2,950 (available at selected MST Golf stores)

DADDY LONG LEGS PUTTER www.taylormadegolf.com

Super-high MOI in a performance mallet for remarkable forgiveness and stability. l Sixteen-piece head incorporates eight different materials - stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, polycarbonate, Surlyn and TPU - exceptionally twist-resistant putterhead that helps you roll the ball your desired distance on your desired line, even on mis-hits. l The 130-gm grip - double the weight of a typical grip - acts as a counterbalance to the 395-gm clubhead, increasing the MOI of the entire club, to help you swing the head smoothly and on path. l PureRoll Surlyn® insert promotes soft-yet-solid feel and smooth roll straight of the face. l Features a white steel frame that encases a black chassis with a single black alignment line extending from the topline to the back for easier aiming. l Comes standard in two lengths - 35 inches or 38 inches.

RRP: RM1,050

BLACK DRIVER

www.transview.com.sg Promotes extra stability and forgiveness with a flatter, more penetrating trajectory l Weighing at only 207gm, the 460cc head featuring a 6-4 titanium construction promotes excellent jump across the face. l Unique interior construction with a U-shaped channel towards the back equally distributes the weighting around the head, centre of gravity to stay very low for an easy launch off the tee. l Four tungsten weight inserts placed on the back of the head promote great stability, ensuring the head stays centred and reduces any twisting movement during impact. l Comes with a slightly closed face angle to help square the clubface at impact with a slight draw bias. l Features a luxurious black finish that is glare free and easy on the eyes and comes standard with Tour AD GT shaft that is designed for a very low spin and a strong mid launch.

RRP: RM4,000

GEAR UP

ADIFIT 360 BOA

www.adidasgolf.com Utilises forefoot flexibility and zonal traction elements combined with Boa to provide a micro-adjustable, customised fit and secure feel. l Microfiber leather upper offers durability and lightweight comfort while 360WRAP technology locks in and supports the foot for enhanced stability and a secure fit. l FitFOAM insole provides everlasting cushioning, support and comfort while Boa® technology promotes a micro-adjustable customised fit and secure feel. l Ten-spike configuration with THINTECH low profile technology for imptoved traction and stability. l Ground adapting outsole provides all-terrain versaility.

RRP: RM699

R1 CART BAG

www.taylormadegolf.com l Weighing at a little over 4kg, this lightweight cart bag has a sixway velour top (8.5” x 11”) with eight pockets, including a velour-lined valuables pocket and dual accessory pockets. l Features an integrated umbrella sleeve and a black gunmetal hardware and towel clip l Crafted from anodized and micro perforated synthetic leather in R1’s signature white, grey and orange styling.

RRP: RM1,090

WHEELED DUFFEL www.titleist.com.my

Expands to meet your needs - whether on business or pleasure

BOOST WRISTBAND Combines Colantotte’s successful formula of magnetic therapy and negative ions with a new, eye-catching style.

l 100% woven polyester constuction is extremely durable with hidden zippered gussets that make the bag expandable. l Includes an internal zippered pocket in a platform base for heavier items, skid plates for durability, a zippered central compartment, a pair of internal and external zippered pockets, a hidden wet pocket as well as removable shoulder strap with CoolMax mesh underside. l Telescoping handle for easy pull.

l Made with water and sweat-proof silicone, the Boost combines the stylish look of the best-selling Dual Loop, the material of the practical Active and the negative ion power of their Flex Loop. l Two powerful 1,000 Gauss magnets with Colantotte’s patented ANSPO (Alternating North South Polarity Orientation) magnetic therapy technology that release 1,200 negative ions every second, making it one of Colantotte’s most powerful products yet.

RRP: RM520

RRP: RM99

COVERING CARLSBAD BY SCOTT KRAMER

Scott Kramer is a veteran golf writer based in the golf

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.

Ian Poulter plays a Cobra Amp Cell driver

obra PUMA Golf is on the comeback trail, with its new intelligent and colourful AMP Cell club line, amazingly lightweight and comfortable shoes, wonderful apparel, and a slew of top-notch Tour pro staffers, including Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter, Jesper Parnevik and Lexi Thompson, to name a few. While the company has a young angle to both its look and audience, there is some very mature and wellthought-out technology behind the clubs. Industry veteran Tom Preece, the company’s vice president of research and development, recently answered some of my questions about his latest products. First of all, the clever new 460cc AMP Cell driver allows golfers to adjust loft six ways between 8.5° and 11.5°, with a couple of draw-biased lofts among them, via “SmartPad Technology” that squares the face at address regardless of the loft. I wondered how this all works and came about. “When we looked at the relationship between face angle and loft, we found that face angle when the club is sitting in a player’s hands is largely affected by where the sole of the club contacts the ground,” says Preece. “If you think about increasing the loft, the back of the club starts to hit the ground and shuts the clubface. If you decrease the loft, the back of the club starts to lift off the ground, the contact point moves forward and tends to open the clubface.”

TECHNOLOGY HELPS COBRA’S FAST RISE

“We found out that most golfers just want to look at a square clubface. So we figured out a way to minimise the contact point between the sole plate and the ground, and that contact area is about 1.5 cm wide. As you adjust loft up or down, the contact point on the club doesn’t shift as much as it does on most golf clubs. We just wanted to keep it simple.” By all accounts I hear, when golfers find the right settings on their adjustable drivers, they tend to keep them there. After all, who wants to mess with success? But Preece believes golfers miss out on the fact that there’s still room for improvement. “Many golfers don’t take advantage of their adjustable drivers (or only adjust them once), because many of these adjustments are confusing,” he says. “With Cobra’s MyFly technology, we’ve developed

equipment capital of Carlsbad,

an adjustable loft system that’s very easy to use and understand. The loft is clearly displayed through a hosel window, and with our Smart Pad, the face angle stays ‘square’, (i.e. pointing down range), without having to make additional adjustments to the sole. We actually discovered that golfers adjust our MyFly system more often (for the course they’re playing on any given day, or even based on how their swing feels on that day).” Even PGA Tour pros see the advantages of tweaking the adjustments. “Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter and Jesper Parnevik have all changed MyFly settings on their own, to optimise their AMP Cell clubs for the type of course they were playing on a given day -- most notably in Arizona recently, when it was so cold,” says Preece. “They went down in loft to get more roll.” Even though Cobra offers directly adjustable loft, face angle and weighting, Preece says that golfers can also adjust lie angle indirectly. For example, the Amp Cell driver has six MyFly settings, two of which are “draw” settings that are two degrees more upright than standard, which causes approximately eight yards more right to left draw spin on a robot. “Our Amp Cell Pro driver has two ‘fade’ settings, which have flatter lie angles versus standard,” he says. “I’m sure we’ll see other adjustable features in the future, including in irons. But we’ll only come out with an adjustable feature if it really helps the golfer.” The company also enhanced its incredibly popular Baffler line this year, with the introduction of Baffler T-Rail+ clubs, which Preece says have several improvements over previous Bafflers. “We’ve gone to a heavier tungsten in the rails on the sole (15 percent heavier than the previous version), which helps us lower the centre of gravity and move it back a bit further for a higher, longer ball flight,” he says. “We also have a new, high-performance Graphite Design G-series shaft that’s very stable through impact and has an exceptional feel. Lastly, the hybrids have a new ‘universal hosel bore’, which accepts any type of shaft tip diameter. This enables us to build Bafflers in our custom department with any type of high performance hybrid or fairway shaft a golfer may need for his or her individual game.”

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 own communications company a year later, Justine expanded the

t’s not easy starting out on the pro circuit for many reasons, and these include the pressure of playing in tournaments and earning a decent living from doing something you love. Unless you are a child prodigy or have reasonable success early on, it can be challenging to obtain sponsorship, big or small in the form of equipment or funds. For one young Singaporean pro, who has been grinding out her career on the US-based Symetra Tour (a developmental tour in the US — secondary to the LPGA Tour) for a couple of years, it has been a tough ride with only one sponsor (Oakley). That changed recently however for 24-year-old Christabel Goh who, with the help of Singapore-based golf writer Natasha Wong, recently secured a one-year sponsorship deal with The Pump Room Microbrewery Bistro & Club. “This Pump Room sponsorship wouldn’t have been possible without Natasha’s help,” says Christabel. She adds, “I spent some time with her after our game at Sentosa [prior to the 2013 HSBC Women’s Champions] and when she found out I didn’t really have any sponsors, she tried to help. In the short period of time between that event and the actual tournament, the Pump Room sponsorship came about.” The sponsorship comes in the form of money, which will be used for her tournament entry fees, travel expenses and coaching fees — expenses which her father has been helping fund for a number of years. “This sponsorship means a great deal to me. It’s the first time I have financial support from any company at all, and it will make a huge difference. It has eased the financial burden tremendously. That is just one aspect too; their support is just something money can’t buy. It’s always good to feel the love and support from back home.” Prior to turning professional back in 2010, Christabel was ranked among Singapore’s best female amateurs.

writing side of her business and She was a member of the Singapore National Team from 2003 to 2009 and represented Singapore in the South-East Asian Games (SEA) Games and the Queen Sirikit Cup. She qualified for both the 2011 and 2013 HSBC Women’s Champions by winning the Host Country Qualifying event. However, even though Christabel is one of the first female Singaporean golfers to attempt to take her professional golf career further, it hasn’t been easy to obtain sponsorship. “I think as long as you aren’t in the spotlight enough, companies don’t feel like it makes sense to back you since they won’t get as much coverage as with somebody who is in the spotlight more.” She adds, “I just wish it was easier. For all of us athletes, any form of support is appreciated.” The Pump Room’s support and a chance to tee off with the top women golfers in the world at the HSBC WC in February provides a rosy start to 2013 for Christabel. She does however have plenty more goals for this year. “I need to start making cuts to begin with and I’m working with my coach to make sure I’m better equipped to deal with the rigours of playing tournaments every week. Basically, just to keep improving. I’ll be playing on the Symetra Tour again this year, and I also hope to be able to play some events on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour.” She continues, “I love this game. Some days are a little hard and getting out of bed to go to golf gets difficult, but I still do it and I enjoy it. For example, if I’m working on changing my swing a little and I have to grind it out on the range, it can get very frustrating, but at the end I know it is for the better and it’s the end product that makes it all worthwhile. I want to be amazing at this so I have to put in the work. I do this for myself and for my family. The feeling I get when I know I’ve made them proud is all the extra motivation I need.”

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

Lifeline For Aspiring Lady Professional

RARE BIRDIE

ince those first great champions, Old and Young Tom Morris in the mid-19th century, the history of golf is replete with the names of famous men and women whose exploits are rightly celebrated. They are the golfers, inventors and innovators who have had a dramatic impact on shaping the game we know and love today.

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.

36 Quote of the Month

A good round of golf is if you hit about three shots that turn out exactly as you planned them. ~ Ben Hogan

Unsung heroes

But there are other, lesser-known heroes whose efforts are not as well recognised. Nevertheless their names should not be forgotten because they either had a profound influence on the development of golf, or their lives contained lessons from which we can all learn. Stanley Mosk (1912-2001) It is not recorded whether or not Mr Mosk, who was the attorney general of California, its most senior law officer, played golf; but he certainly paved the way for African American professionals to compete on a level playing field. Uniquely, the US PGA Tour had a despicable ‘Caucasian Clause’ in its constitution, meaning that black golfers could not compete against their white counterparts. Mosk discovered that the 1962 US PGA Championship was to be played in Los Angeles and said in that case it had to allow Charlie Sifford, a black Californian resident to compete, or it would be denying him his civil rights. Proving itself to be harder than Times crossword, the PGA moved the Championship to another state, but such was the public disgust that the following year the US Tour finally, if belatedly, removed the Caucasian clause. Stanley Mosk was a jurist responsible for many landmark and enlightened legal decisions, but for this one he deserves the thanks of all golfers.

evergreen trees, including the sapodilla). He boiled the shavings and moulded them into thin strips that he used to resole his family’s shoes. His son, however, saw another potential use and after reheating the material, rolled it into a sphere, painted it white and took it onto the golf course. After a bit of experimentation (the originals he made had an unfortunate tendency to explode into fragments after a few shots), he developed the gutta percha ball, or gutty. It was the golf ball that would revolutionise the game and make it affordable to tens of thousands who otherwise would have found it prohibitively expensive. Dr George Franklin Grant (1846-1910) You have probably never heard of this prominent African American dentist from Boston who, in 1899 patented the first golf tee we would recognise today — his classic design was inspired by the shape of an extracted tooth. He didn’t make any money out of it and simply gave away hand-made examples to his friends; nevertheless we all owe him a tiny debt of gratitude. Another dental surgeon, William Lowell, later had the same idea and in 1920 patented his device, which he called the Reddy Tee. It wasn’t received with wild enthusiasm, until Lowell paid Walter Hagen and fellow pro Joe Kirkwood to use it for practice rounds. They liked it so much they started using it in every tournament they played and it was quickly noticed, thanks to Hagen’s habit of tucking a tee behind his ear as he walked the hole. Dr Lowell consequently made a lot of money but then a number of copycat versions appeared, resulting in most of his fortune spent fighting lawsuits against people who had infringed his copyright and patent. When he died in 1954 aged 91, he was almost penniless. His predecessor Dr Grant, however, enjoyed a long a successful career, having been the first African American faculty member at Harvard University. His golf tee was not the first to be invented, and he never patented his idea, but it has such classic simplicity and effectiveness that it is still the most popular design. Craig Wood (1901-1968) I have always had a fondness for people who refuse to be battered by the vicissitudes of fate and one such plucky survivor was Craig Wood. Until Greg Norman duplicated his efforts, he was the only man to lose all four Majors in a playoff. His most famous loss came in the 1935 Masters, when Gene Saracen played the ‘shot heard around the world’ by firing a 4-wood straight into the hole for an albatross two on the 15th hole. Wood was the man sitting in the clubhouse until that moment with a comfortable lead, but he lost the next day’s 36-hole playoff.

Reverend Robert Adams Paterson (1829-1904) Like most of the people in this tribute, he was a fanatical golfer. His father, Dr Robert Paterson was a professor of Two years earlier he had lost another 36-hole playoff, divinity at St Andrews University and in 1843 he received this time in the Open Championship, the following year he was beaten at the 38th hole of the US PGA a statue of the god Vishnu, sent by a colleague. and four years after his Masters disappointment was To protect the effigy on its journey from the Orient, it beaten in another 36-hole decider, this time by Byron was wrapped in black shavings, which Dr Paterson Nelson at the US Open. You won’t be surprised to hear recognised as coming from the palaquium percha tree that he disappeared from the golfing scene for a while that was indigenous to that found in Malaysia (similar but in 1941 he took the first two majors of the year — material can be obtained from several Malaysian the Masters and US Open. Persistence pays off.

TOUR WATCH WITH ASIAN TOUR

Calvin Koh and Doyle De

Hu Mu

Which is your most exciting Asian Tour event so far? Calvin Koh (CK): There are a few to choose from but I’ll rate the Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT and Panasonic Open India as the best so far. Scott Hend of Australia came from six shots down to win the inaugural Chiangmai Golf Classic, and he established his reputation as the ‘comeback King’ as he also came from behind to win his two previous titles. Ormsby then completed back-to-back victories for the Australians, fending off the strong challenge from Lam Chih Bing, who is keen to revive his career after losing his Asian Tour card last year. Stunningly, Ormsby has never won a professional title despite playing in over 200 tournaments! Doyle De Costa (DDC): I was on the edge of my seat watching Kiradech Aphibarnrat hold off the challenges from a host of stars at the Maybank Malaysian Open. The big-hitting Thai was due a long awaited second Asian Tour title, and it came at the right time against the likes of Major champions Charl Schwartzel and Padraig Harrington. Similar to Noh Seung-yul, who won the Maybank Malaysian Open two years ago, the only direction Kiradech’s career is heading is upwards. Does Lam have what it takes to win again? CK: Definitely! If he plays like how he did at the Panasonic Open India, you can expect him to win a few more Asian Tour titles. He has always shown potential on the Asian Tour but can never string four

good rounds together. It was unfortunate when he dropped four shots in the last five holes in the third round, but he showed a great battling performance on the last day. DDC: I would certainly like to see him win again. His last Asian Tour victory was in 2008 and his countryman Choo Tze Huang says that Lam is playing some of his best golf. “I think he will be back to his best this year,” said the young bespectacled Singaporean.

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.

CK: Asian Tour Qualifying School winner Chan Kim showed huge potential when he was in contention at the SAIL-SBI Open in India before finishing tied eighth. It is still early in the season, but he has the game to win an Asian Tour event. Matthew Stieger of Australia has also enjoyed superb starts on the Asian Tour and has two tied fifth results. He is slowly finding his feet and can potentially win an event. CK: We have seen many successful Asian Tour rookies in the past including David Lipsky and Arnond Vongvanij, who both won last year. Many talented players graduated from Qualifying School this season but I’m going to stick my neck out and tip Carlos Pigem of Spain and Choo Tze Huang to win a title this year. Pigem has yet to miss a single cut in four Asian Tour starts and has featured in the leaderboard on a couple of occasions. On the flipside of the spectrum, Choo made only one cut, but he shows great character and fighting spirit.

CK: He is a great talent and prospect for Chinese golf. He has done well since taking up membership with the Asian Tour this year. He has yet to miss the cut in two starts and is making huge strides on the Asian Tour with limited playing opportunities after missing out on an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School. © Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour

and globe-trotting media team

After the first few Asian Tour events, which rookie do you think has the potential to win?

What do you think of China’s Hu Mu?

Lam Chih Bing

Costa form part of the dynamic

DDC: He finished fourth at the Chiangmai Golf Classic and moved up 200 spots on the Official World Golf Rankings. We all know how important the world ranking points are as it determines the field for the 2016 Olympics. I expect him to feature more in the leaderboard this season.

ENTHRALLING EARLY SEASON

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

Still working up a sweat after 20years

f I were a famous singer, I should be having a concert right now. Of course, if I were a singer, I’d be charging expensive ticket prices too. Why? Well, April 2013 marks the 20th year of my involvement in the golf industry. It feels like it has been only a few years. Well, for what it was worth, what you are about to read here is about me blowing my own horn. Not physically of course, but metaphorically - so stop looking ‘there’; it can’t be done. I started out as an Assistant Superintendent in April 1993, at the age of 27, after spending almost five years in the plantation industry. As with many people that age, I had the confidence of someone who felt like he could live forever. Add to the age factor the fact that I survived life in the plantation in the East Coast of Sabah (at that point of time, war was going on in the neighbouring country) for more than two years and another two years in the east coast of Terengganu (there were still tigers in the plantation in those days) and you could say I felt invincible. I still remember in the cover letter of my resume, I wrote “As a planter, I am expected to know everything from Accounting to Zoology, which makes me a Jack-of-all-trades and master-of-some”. I got the job. I realised then that other than hard work and good look; bulls**ting was also my forte.

20 Years and Counting

For all my bluster and super self-confidence, after two months working with an Australian Superintendent, I realized that I didn’t know much at all. It was a confidence-buster. However, it wasn’t so bad because the bloke was willing to teach and I was willing to learn. The phrase; “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” comes to mind. Three years later, I was a full-fledged superintendent; fast-forward another four years, I moved on to a Perak golf course with a small budget but was willing to pay good money for a superintendent. I actually had two job offers in a year, I was counteroffered the first time but I decided to go for the second offer after the club was voted the “Bestmaintained Course in Malaysia”. Three years at the club in Perak and I’d like to think after making changes to the course (major) and

mind-set (not so much) it was time to move on. Coincidentally, the club was voted the number 1 club in the country when I left. It made me feel good. I left for another club in the Klang Valley for less pay but a higher post; I was Club Manager who was also the de facto Course Superintendent. But the club was less than 10 minutes from my house and my kids were still young; it was a job I couldn’t refuse. Plus I felt it was time to make some changes because I wasn’t getting any younger. I dislike the Club Manager part though; I much, much prefer to be outdoors. Talk about coincidence, this club was voted the number 1 club in Malaysia too. It still is. I learnt a lot at this company; they sent me to their various clubs to oversee or advice in the construction or maintenance. They made me work hard, but their reward system was also very satisfying. After four years, as fate would have it, I was headhunted to come back to my first club; this time as the man in the driving seat. It does feel good to be wanted. I didn’t stay long in this club because though I was in the driver’s seat, there were just too many back-seat drivers and with my ego and inflexibility, it was just too stressful. I left after only about 22 months. But I still felt good because I managed to make major renovations in the course and clubhouse. Ironically those came about because of my ego and inflexibility. I left the club jobless but within four months, the owner of the most expensive membership club in Malaysia asked me to join his club. God be praised, who else would have known? After a year, I left the club and the owner asked me to stay on as consultant. He had another club he just took over and he wanted me to help him out. That was the start of my consulting career. I admit it does feel good to be traveling and sharing my knowledge and experience, making changes and I chose to pick this new path. I have the experience, the track record, the knowledge and also the training to make changes in how Malaysian golf courses are maintained: I’ll do consulting, training and coaching in golf club/course maintenance business. This would be my legacy. That and the book I’m going to write. Soon. In the meantime, follow me in this magazine.

FIT FOR GOLF WITH SAMANTHA CEBRERO he chicken wing makes it difficult to develop speed or power and tends to put excessive force on the outside of the elbow joint.

If the downswing is out of sequence and the club is travelling on an over-the-top path, the lead arm is almost always forced to be like a chicken wing due to the direction of the forces that are applied upon it. Here are some exercises that can help you keep the chicken wing on your plate and off your swing.

Samantha Cebrero fell in love with golf when she first held a club at the age of 11. Her love for the sport evolved through the years until a childhood hobby turned into a professional career.

certified

Titleist

Performance Institute (TPI) Exercise 1: In a prayer position with both arms on the Swiss ball, push the ball forward (away from your body). Using your right arm, roll your palm (facing the sky) and try to lift the arm off the ball. Then repeat the exercise on the other side. Do 5 sets on each side.

instructor, she travels around the region to provide golf clinics to various level of players. With her education and continuous learning of everything golf, her goal is to help and share as much as she can and rock Asia in the

Exercise 2: Start with both arms stretched out to the side. In these 3 positions (thumbs up, palms down, thumbs down), make 3 small, 3 medium, and 3 large circles; do them in reverse too for each position.

process.

Exercise 3: Stand on one leg and cross arms over the chest, clipping a stick or club. Hook one leg around the back of the knee of the standing leg for support. Try to rotate your pelvis and hips back and forth without moving the upper body for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise on the other side. Do 3 sets on each side.

Oh My Chicken Wing!

Contest

Here’s one to keep your occupied. Guess where Callaway ambassador Prayad Marksaeng’s ball is and stand a chance to add a new Callaway X-Hot metalwood to your bag!

ONE Grand prize

One (1) Callaway X-Hot driver + one (1) Callaway cap

ONE Main prize

One (1) Callaway X-Hot fairway wood + one (1) Callaway cap

FIVE Consolation prize

One (1) dozen Callaway HEX CHROME golf balls + one (1) Callaway cap

A B C

Contest Entry Form 1

Indicate the correct the position of Prayad Marksaeng’s ball (Only one answer will be accepted)

Complete this slogan in not more than 20 words:

Callaway’s new X-Hot metalwoods are a great addition to my bag because ....

Mail your entries to

CONTEST

c/o Inpress Media Sdn Bhd A-3-1 Jalan PJS5/30 Pusat Perdagangan Petaling Jaya Selatan 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Name: ........................................................................................... Address: ....................................................................................... ...................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................... Email: ........................................................................................... Telephone: ................................................................................... Handphone: ................................................................................. Current driver brand & loft: ......................................................................................................

TERMS & CONDITIONS l Contest is open to permanent residents of Malaysia ONLY. l No purchases required. Making a purchase will not increase your chance of winning a prize. l Employees of Callaway Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Inpress Media Sdn Bhd and their immediate families, as well as employees of advertising agencies and suppliers of good and services to Callaway Malaysia Sdn Bhd are not eligible to participate in this contest. l To qualify for participation in this contest, complete this form and mail it to the address above. No other method of submission will be accepted. l Incomplete entries and entries with illegible handwriting will be disqualified. l Each person is only entitled to win one prize in this contest. l The closing date date for entries is Friday (May 31, 2013). l Prize won is strictly non-transferable and non-exchangeable. l Winners release Callaway Malaysia Sdn Bhd from any and all liability, loss or damage incurred with respect to the possession, use or misuse of any prizes. l In the event of any dispute, Callaway Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s decision is final and no correspondence whatsoever will be entertained. l Callaway Malaysia Sdn Bhd reserves the right to amend any part of the terms and conditions without prior notice. l The contest and terms and conditions shall be governed by the laws of Malaysia.

SUMMER TRAINING CAMPS AT LEE WESTWOOD GOLF SCHOOL

“It gives our coaches the flexibility to train and prepare each student to win, it’s a world class facility and one-of-a-kind. It excites me to know that our students have their very own private training facility,” ~ Lee Westwood

ee Westwood Golf School is widely regarded as the leading private golf academy within the provision of golf and education. Students above 18 years of age attending our golfing college on a full-time basis, work within a structured, continually assessed golf and education programme utilising the latest training methods and techniques while our golf academies are available to students from 14 years of age and above. With guidance and assistance from our qualified PGA coaches and educational tutors, the students are able to obtain a high quality education whilst developing their golfing skills and abilities. The main ethos behind the golf school is to deliver a highly robust educational programme set within a golfing environment. The programme can mean different things to different people. The golf school has a clear and defined growth pathway and will continue to deliver exceptional results. Nestled in a charming facility in the Apopka Hills, just outside of Orlando, Florida, the LWGS campus at Errol Estate is an extension to LWGS’s three facilities in the United Kingdom. Boasting an exclusive purpose built practice facility, with an 18-hole golf course, a fourhole par three set-up, short game practice areas as well as a fitness suite, gymnasium and swimming pool. Accommodation can also be arranged in comfortable villas on-site.

CAMP PACKAGE INCLUDES: l Full assessment of all areas - long, short, golf course & mental game l Golf fitness training plan utilising Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) technology l Nutrition and hydration plan l Mental strategies by retired five-time LPGA Tour winner Wendy Doolan l Practice rounds at Errol Estate Golf & Country Club Participants will also be provided with LWGS t-shirts, towel, water bottles and hat.

Dates: (Check in: Sunday & Check out: Friday) l June 30 - July 5 l July 21 - 26 l July 7 - 12 l July 28 - Aug 2 l July 14 - 19 Rates: US$1,250 (with boarding) US$850 (non-boarding) For further information, visit www.leewestwoodgolfschool.com

Problem greens? Hollow tine planning? Expensive maintenance? Maintenance vs Management clash? Soggy fairways? Too much chemicals? Untrained staff? Contractor and Owner dispute? Weeds all over the place? Renovate or reconstruct? Now or later? One by one or all at once?

Need an expert? Contact Normas at 03-5131 0066 or email mynormas@consultant.com for your consulting needs. Or surf www.mynormas.com/questions/

KGPA quarter.pdf

4/19/12

6:33 PM

103mm width

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Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA) is situated within Bukit Kiara, about 18km from Kuala Lumpur City Centre. A 27-hole layout designed by renowned American course architect Ronald Fream. The championship course (Hills and Lakes) is a classic par 72 golf course measuring 5,989 metres with landscaped lush fairways culminating in manicured verdant greens. The third nine (Forest), measuring 2,711 metres is equally scenic and challenging, playing around the natural jungle environment.

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CARLSBERG GOLF CLASSIC

Anniversary excitement for Classic regulars

he countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest-running amateur golf tournament, the Carlsberg Golf Classic (CGC), will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year with an exciting new edition.

The gross and nett champions at each leg will advance to the National Finals, where the overall gross and nett champions will be crowned.

The tournament, which expects up to 5,000 amateur golfers participating in its 40-leg KRPM ad Halfpage.pdf 1 4/20/13 11:09 AM across Malaysia will tee-off at Staffield Country Resort on May 26.

In addition to playing at the 2014 Maybank Malaysian Open pro-am tournament, the winners will also earn the opportunity to train at Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Island Golf Academy.

The Hole-in-One prize during the preliminary legs is a Titoni watch courtesy of ATG Watch as well as golf package to Siam Reap, Cambodia courtesy of Liberty Golf Services. A brand new Mercedes Benz C200CGi, a Titoni watch, Ogawa massage chair and a golf package for 2 persons to watch The US Masters 2014 are among the hole-in-one prizes on offer at the Finals.

PRIVATE TOURNAMENT GOLF PACKAGE Weekdays golf tournament Package. Minimum 80 pax ( Course Closure ) Package Rate RM 125.00 + 6% govt tax per pax

Sunday Afternoon. Minimum 80 pax (Course Closure) Price : RM 170.00 nett per pax

(Inclusive of Green Fee, Buggy twin sharing & 2 meals)

Sunday Afternoon. Minimum 40 pax Price : RM 200.00 nett per pax

Weekdays golf tournament Package. Minimum 40 pax Package Rate RM 150.00 + 6% govt tax per pax

(Inclusive of Green fee, Buggy twin sharing, Insurance & 2 meals)

(Inclusive of Green Fee, Buggy twin sharing & 2 meals)

KELAB RAHMAN PUTRA MALAYSIA

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NADI SWING FOR DIABETES 2013

Maiden event raises fund for fight against diabetes

BECAUSE YOU DESERVE MORE!

The #1 Golf Card Just Got Better T

he National Diabetes Institute (NADI) held its inaugural Swing for Diabetes 2013 charity golf tournament on March 24, in an effort to create awareness of the dangers of diabetes and to raise fund for the Institute’s activities. A total of 100 golfers took part in the wholesome event which was graced by the institute’s patron Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Eleven-handicapper Hisham Endut emerged as the overall winner with 40 Stableford points. A sum of RM250,000 was raised from the entry fees as well as contributions from event sponsors.

KPGCC APRIL MEDAL Tan & Bong pairing claim victor

aurice Tan (13) and Bong Boon Chuen (18) claimed a memorable victory in Kota Permai Golf & Country Club’s April monthly medal on April 7. Attracting a good turnout, the two-ball better ball competition saw the winning pair combine for 48 points to finish one point clear of Pua Yii Shiuan (5) and Ser Kong Lam (20).

LIBERTY CUP

Yap reaps Cambodian win

With the AGSSG Golf card, the doors swing open for you at more than 70 golf clubs throughout Malaysia. Enjoy preferential golfing rates, be it on a weekday or a weekend. THE #1 GOLF CARD is now MORE than just a golf card! • MORE than just a plastic card – it’s a bio-energy health card! • MORE than just golfing in Malaysia. Now you can golf in Indonesia too! • MORE tournaments in 2012; the first ever to have its own premium series of golf tournaments exclusively for cardholders. • ALL-IN PRICE which includes Golfer's Insurance and 1-touch S.O.S Auto Assist Service 24/7 ... NOTHING more to pay!

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olf tour operator Liberty Golf Services recently hosted the opening leg of its Liberty Cup series in Siem Reap, Cambodia from March 28-31. The event which saw 40 participants from Malaysia, Cambodia, France and Australia took place over two rounds at the prestigious Angkor Golf Resort. Six-handicapper Alex Yap Chung Chai was crowned the champion after notching 78 Stableford points over 36-holes.

AGSSG LINKS SDN BHD

HQ: No. I-2-5 Block I, Jalan PJU 1A/1, Taipan Damansara 2, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: 603-7842 6911 Fax: 603-7842 6858 www.agssglinks.com.my Operations Office: 1st Floor, A01-1, Block A, Garden City Business Centre, Jalan Dagang Besar, Taman Dagang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: 603-4270 2926/3198/7670 Fax: 603-4270 2925

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uantan businessman Mohamad Shokri Saad became the first person to qualify for the grand final of the Prudential Astro Masters when he shot an excellent one-over 73 in the opening leg at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club on March 14. Maurice Tan (15) took advantage of local knowledge when he won the nett category with a four-under 68.

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n the second preliminary round at Kelab Golf Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah on March 20, club champion Lim Bu Keong carded a fiveover 77 to card two-stroke victory. He will be joined in Siem Reap by 12-handicapper Mohamad Alias Abdullah, who edged three others on countback after finishing with matching 68s.

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int-sized Budaya Budi Abdullah stole the show with a scintillating P two-over 74 to win the gross category at the fourth leg of the Prudential Astro Masters at Resorts World Kijal in Terengganu on April

6. Pakhruddin Abdul Majid also qualified for the grand final when he won the nett title on countback over 14 others who also finished with four-under 68s.

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ormer caddy Rajasegaran Shanmugam capitalised on his intimate F knowledge of the course when he carded a three-over 75 to win the overall gross title in the fifth round of the Prudential Astro Masters at Meru Valley GCC on April 13. Also advancing to the grand final is Abdussamad Hj Abdul Razak, who beat a group of players bunched at four-under 68 by countback in the nett category.

GOLF DIARY

Apr 24 - 27 Luang Prabang Laos Open Apr 22 - 24 President’s Challenge Trophy Sibu GC, Sibu, Sarawak

Apr 28 - 28 Sarawak Amateur Open Sibu GC, Sibu, Sarawak

Luang Prabang GC, Laos

US$100,000

May 8 - 11 PGM ASEAN A’Famosa Masters

May 9 - 12 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open National GC, Antalya, Turkey

€250,00

A’Famosa GR, Alor Gajah, Melaka

US$60,000

Apr 26 - 28 65th North Malaysian Amateur Open Royal Perak GC, Ipoh, Perak

May 10 - 12 Negeri Sembilan Amateur Open

Seremban International GC, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

May 15 - 17 Malaysian Amateur Closed TBA May 23 - 26 Malaysian Amateur Open

Royal Pahang GC, Kuantan, Pahang

Apr 25 - 28 PGM LADA Langkawi Masters (ADT) Gunung Raya GR, Langkawi, Kedah

US$65,000

Apr 25 - 28 Ballentine’s Championship

Blackstone Resort, Seoul, South Korea

€2,200,000

May 2 - 5 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters

Royale Jakarta GC, Jakarta, Indonesia

US$750,000

Apr 25 - 28 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana

US$6,600,000

May 2 - 5 Wells Fargo Championship

Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina

US$6,700,000

May 9 - 12 The PLAYERS Championship

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

US$9,500,000

May 16 - 19 HP Bryon Nelson Championship

TPC Four Season Resort, Irving, Texas

May 21 - 23 Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open

US$6,700,000

Kuala Lumpur GCC, Kuala Lumpur

May 2 - 5 Volvo China Open

Binhai Lake GC, Tianjin, China

US$3,200,000

May 9 - 12 GS Caltex Maekyung Open Championship Apr 25 - 28 PGM LADA Langkawi Masters

Gunung Raya GR, Langkawi, Kedah

RM200,000

May 8 - 11 PGM ASEAN A’Famosa Masters

Namseoul CC, Seongnam, South Korea

KRW1,000,000,000 May 16 - 19 SK Telecom Open

Pinx GC, Jeju, South Korea

KRW1,000,000,000

Apr 25 - 28 North Texas LPGA Shootout Las Colinas CC, Irving, Texas

US$1,300,000

May 2 - 5 Kingsmill Championship

Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia

A’Famosa GR, Alor Gajah, Melaka

US$1,300,000

RM180,000

May 16 - 19 Mobile Bay LPGA Classic

RTJ Golf Trail, Mobile, Alabama

May 16 - 19 Volvo World Match Play Championship Thracian Cliffs GR, Kavarna, Bulgaria

€3,000,000

May 16 - 19 Madeira Islandas Open - Portugal - BPI Santo de Serra GC, Madeira, Portugal

€600,000

US$1,200,000

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

BUKIT JAMBUL COUNTRY 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 (18 holes) Tel: (603) 6028 1841 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

RESORTS WORLD KIJAL

(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

SSG 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 HARBOUR 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

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