Malaysia triumphant in CM’s Cup

KUCHING: Although Thailand failed to defend their boys and girls overall champion titles, they still managed to grab a lion’s share of spoils as 13th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup International Junior Golf Championship ended at Sarawak Golf Club (KGS) yesterday.
The golfers representing International Sports Federation of Thailand (ISF) walked away with ten top prizes, winning the Boys Special, Boys B, C and D as well as Girls C titles.
Malaysian Golf Association’s (MGA) Paul San Weng Yau and Aretha Pan Herng of Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (Malga) ensured the overall champions stayed in Malaysia, breaking the dominance of the Thais who have won in previous years.
Paul San won the Boys A category with a three-day total of 221 while Aretha Pan was the winner of Girls A with a three-day total of 237.
The Thailand team, which fielded new faces this year, won the Boys Special through Chakraghorn Jullamon who scored 251, finishing 17 shots ahead of Yoo Dae Hee from Sarawak Junior Golf First Association.
Thanakorn Torsee Frank took the Boys B title with his three-day total score of 238, followed by local challenger from Kelab Golf Miri Jordan Jude Tay (242) and another Thai golfer Aran Sinawiat (252) on count back with Kim Bunjin of KGS and Aaron Lau Zhun Min of KGS with a 258 score.
The Boys C title went to ISF’s Kittaporn who scored a line of 78, 83 and 85 for a total of 246 to win by four strokes.
Second was team mate Psitchai Thippong while KGS’ Immanuel David was third with 263 and fourth to fifth finishers were Aziel Teo of KGS (275) and Nicholas Chong of KGM (277).
The most outstanding Thai performer was 10-year-old Thongpipat Rattanayanon who clinched the Boys D crown in style as he carded a three-day total of 208 to win by 38 strokes.
KGM’s Malcolm Ting improved his score yesterday with a 74 for a total of 238 to pip Andre Chong of Keppel Club from Singapore (239) to second place while fourth and fifth were Victor Ng Yu Kai of KLGA (248) and Ryan Chee Hong Zu of KGM (268) respectively.
Pajaree Anannarukarn of ISF led from start to finish the champion in Girls C with her total score of 241 (78, 82, 81), with Ashley Lau Wen Jen of Kelab Golf Bintulu (252) in second place and Aishley Loh Leanne (Seletar Country Club) was third with a 266.
The fourth and fifth finishers were Nur Aini Azman from Malga (276) and Aletha Cordlia Alphonsus (KGM) with a score of 284.
Malga collected two more titles through Diana Tham Shen Yen in Girls Special and Winnie Ng Yu Xuan in Girls Group D while MGA’s Loy Hee Ying won the Girls B title.
In the team contest, Aretha Pan, Diana Tham and Tham Soot Yuet (Malga 1) emerged the girls champions with gross total of 761 while Paul San, Afif Razif and Malcolm Adam Tay (MGA) won the boys team event with their combined score of 668 over the three days of competition.
The championship also witnessed two eagles being scored by Thanakorn Torsee Frank of ISF at Santubong Hole 12 and Victor Ng Yu Kai of KLGA at Santubong Hole 10.
A total of 82 golfers from various golf clubs and associations in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand took part in the championship organised by KGS and sponsored by the Sarawak government.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11/25/malaysia-triumphant-in-cm%e2%80%99s-cup/#ixzz1f9VMzAzM

Sarfina to train at PGA Tour Academy in Florida

YOUNG S. Sarfina Vinota has reason to be excited. The Sweden-born Malaysian has been given the privilege to attend a training stint at the PGA Tour Academy in TPC Sawgrass, Florida, United States.

The 15-year-old Sarfina, who will be leaving for the United States on Dec 8, said she was looking forward to the two-week stint.

“It is an opportunity for me to learn more about golf. I will be able to meet some of the star golfers and watch their practice sessions.

“I am looking forward to return with some valuable knowledge which will help me in improving my golf,’’ said Sarfina after a training session at the Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Club recently.

Sarfina earned the trip after going through a four-level CIMB Junior Golf Development programme. The programme was an initiative by the CIMB Foundation in conjunction with the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia played at the Mines Golf Resorts in Seri Kembangan recently.

Participants had to go through several tests including an 18-hole competition. And Sarfina, a five handicapper, was second in the competition.

“The camp was very informative and I had the chance to meet some of the top juniors from the Asean region,’’ added Sarfina, who has been involved in golf since she was nine years old.

Then she was based in Stockholm. She had the opportunity to watch some golfers hitting the ball at the driving range.

“I was quite curious and went to the driving range. It was quite interesting,’’ added Sarfina.

However, in Sweden, Sarfina had to go through a systematic one-year training programme, which included theory and practical sessions, before earning her handicap.

But in 2007, Sarfina’s father, K. Seretharan, who was running a restaurant in Stockholm, decided to return to Malaysia.

In Malaysia, Sarfina continued her training under Aaron Cole, a coach from New Zealand. Sarfina took part in her first competition in Malaysia in 2008.

And she made her presence felt when she was runner-up in the Under-12 age group of the SportExcel junior circuit at the Bukit Beruntong Golf and Country Club.

Sarfina said she did not expect to be on podium as she was playing against the boys.

“I was happy with my result. I was also motivated to train more diligently,’’ said Sarfina.

However, she was without a coach after Cole decided to take a coaching opportunity in Indonesia. For the next months, Sarfina was training under different coaches.

But Seretharan was not happy with the coaching programmes and decided to take charge of his daughter’s training programme.

“I am not a qualifed coach but I have done a lot of research on golf. Every day I go through the ‘net to look for information on the tactics and techniques involved in golf.

“My daughter was also receptive of my coaching programme,’’ said Seretharan.

Under the guidance of Seretharan, Sarfina has progressed a lot. Following her impressive results in local competitions, the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) selected Sarfina for the Back-up squad.

This year, she was on podium in the girls Under-15 category in all the legs of the SportExcel Junior cicuit. She was the nett champion in the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open and third in the girls’ Under-16 age group in the Faldo Series.

Although she aspires to be a professional golfer, Sarfina, a Form Three student at the SMK Taman Yarl, Kuala Lumpur, wants to excel in her studies also.

“I want to do well in my studies. I don’t think being involved in golf will disrupts my plans to get a degree,’’ said Sarfina,

FACT FILE

Name: S. Sarfina Vinota

Date of Birth: Aug 5, 1996

School: SMK Taman Yarl

Handicap: Five

Home club: Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Club

Hobbies: Reading and playing the violin

Ambition: Professional golfer

Favourite Sports Personality: Annika Sorenstam

Coach: K. Seretharan

Most memorable moment: Being selected for a training stint in the US.





LINK : http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/11/29/central/9978583&sec=central

Marcus slogs for victory (4th Leg Open Sportexcel 2011)

Top finishers: (From left) Muhammad Afzal Mohd Zubir, Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari, Jolene Kam Jo Ling, Paul San, Marcus Lim Pang Chuen and Aaerishna Shahshty emerging as winners in their respective categories at the fourth leg of the SportExcel open junior circuit.


PROMISING junior golfer Marcus Lim Pang Chuen of Tentera Udara overcame a real test in extending his domination in the combined Under-Nine section of the fourth leg of the SportExcel open junior circuit at the Monterez Golf and Country Club recently.

Having emerged as the winner in the earlier three legs at the A’Famosa Golf Resort in Malacca, Monterez and Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort, Marcus did not have it easy in chalking up his fourth triumph in the series.

The nine-year-old SJKC Puay Chai pupil needed two holes of sudden-death playoff before prevailing over visitor Rachel Maswi from Singapore at the par-four 18th hole.

In the playoff, both registered a par each in the first attempt. Marcus repeated a similar par effort while Rachel blew her chance and settled for second with a double-bogey.

Marcus praised his opponent for piling up the pressure with a respectable start in the first hole playoff.

“She started off well. I was just playing the catch-up game. I was very lucky to save the situation and stayed in contention. Although it was a tight contest, I tried to focus on getting it right in the next attempt for another win,” he said.

Rachel stretched the tussle for the top spot in the age-group down to the wire returning with identical score of 13-over 85 over two-round of nine holes to share the lead and force the decider.

Marcus admitted he had a poor opening round of nine-over 45 before carding an improved four-over 40 on the following day.

“I struggled with my chipping and putting on the first day,” said Marcus.

Although Marcus led the charge with a narrow one stroke advantage over Rachel on the first day, Rachel levelled the score with a better second day outing of three-over 39.

Marcus is looking forward to continuing his good run featuring in the SportExcel junior golf series over the year-end school holiday.

Besides six remaining legs including the grand finals in the junior open series, there is one leg of Premier-Elite before the circuit’s grand finals on the competition calendar.

Meanwhile, Aaerishna Shahshty of Royal Johor displayed his consistency to emerge as the boys’ Under-12 champion with a one-under 141 (70-71) to finish ahead of Monterez’s Galven Kendall Green (70-73) by two strokes while Lucas Yee of Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort came in third (70-75).

In contrast, it was smooth sailing for Saujana Golf and Country Club’s Paul San in bagging the boys’ Under-15 title.

En route to the untroubled victory, the more experienced Paul carded three-over 145 and won with a healthy 13 strokes advantage over his closest challenger and runner-up Muhammad Asyraf Azman (80-78) from Port Klang.

More than 100 junior competitors featured in six categories at the recent two-day meet.

RESULTS

COMBINED

- Under-Nine: 85 (sudden-death): Marcus Lim Pang Chuen (Tentera Udara) 45-40; 85: Rachel Maswi (MGK Singapore) 46-39; 86: Darren Tiu (Kota Permai) 41-45

BOYS’

- Under-12: 141: Aaerishna Shahshty (Royal Johor) 70-71; 143: Galven Kendall Green (Monterez) 70-73; 145: Lucas Yee (Clearwater) 70-75

- Under-15: 145: Paul San (Saujana) 74-71; 158: Muhammad Asyraf Azman (Port Klang) 80-78; 160: Danial Mohd Sidek (MSN Terengganu) 77-83

- Under-20: 154: Muhammad Afzal Mohd Zubir (Tentera Udara) 79-75; 155: Yong Fatt Hon (Saujana) 74-81; 160: Luvesh Surendran (Kota Permai) 79-81

GIRLS’

- Under-12: 163: Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari (Tentera Udara) 80-83; 172: Qistina Balqis Azhar (Johor Junior) 86-86; 177: Junie Khaw Wen Jun (Tentera Udara) 90-87

- Under-15: 157: Jolene Kam Jo Ling (Kota Permai) 75-82; 166: Chong Yong (Kluang) 84-82; 167: Ong Shi Qing (Rahman Putra) 81-86




LINK :http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/11/19/central/9890450&sec=central

TSM Golf Challenge to offer WAGR points ( Junior Tournament 2011 )

Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas (centre) stressing a point during the TSM Golf Challenge 2011 press conference



Kuala Lumpur: Eighty of Malaysia’s top junior golfers will earn invites to the sixth edition of the TSM Golf Challenge, which will tee-off on December 2 at the Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam.

Awarding World Amateur Golf Ranking points for the first time this year, the three-day tournament, dubbed ‘In Search of the Malaysian Tiger’ will also introduce a new category for boys’ under-15 to compliment the existing boys’ and girls’ under-21 categories contested.

Prizes worth RM150,000 are up for grabs, with the champion in the boys and girls under-21 categories receiving golf scholarships worth RM40,000 and RM30,000 respectively with the under-15 champion receiving a scholarship worth RM3,000 and a new golf set. The golf scholarships will be channelled through the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) to cover overseas training expenses for the winners.

Previous winners of the tournament, which was started in 2006 under the patronage of the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin include professionals Lim Eng Seng, Akhmal Tarmizee Mohd Nazari, Mohd Iszaimi Ismail and lady professional Ainil Johani Abu Bakar as well as two of the country’s current top amateur Gavin Kyle Green and Kelly Tan (pix).

In a short note to the media, Muhyiddin expressed his joy that the creme de la creme of the local junior golf scene will go head-to-head against each other at Glenmarie. ”It’s very exciting to see the top junior players in the country coming face to face, determined to prove themselves. Each year the competition bring a whole new standard amongst the youngsters and in effect, raises the bar for newcomers and they have always rose to the occasion.”

President of the TSM Charity Golf, Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas shared that while the organisers were pleased that the five previous editions have met the objective of unearthing and further nurturing young local talents, there remains room for improvement.

“While we’re delighted how the tournament has taken place since its inception, I believe we can only say we have met our objectives when our quest of seeing one of our budding golfers in the top-ten of the world is achieved. We are witness to the tremendous growth of golf in Asia and we feel that the Malaysian juniors should not be left behind. It’s it our hope that by giving these children an opportunity to partake in a big tournament of this status, that it will give them the impetus and determination to excel,” he said.

On the postponement of the tournament from its usual July-August date to December this year, Megat Najmuddin elaborated that it was due to a few factors. “Obviously, the Deputy Prime Minister’s schedule is very tight due his various official and ministerial commitments, hence we postponed to the first week of December because he very much wanted to be present during the tournament week. And by having it in December, we’re also able to attract a stronger field of players as most of them will be done with school and major examinations for the year.

Tournament director Datuk AS Khamis stressed that the selection of players were done via merit. “We took account of the players performance and score averages from the various MGA-sanctioned events including the Faldo Series Malaysian Championship and100Plus Malaysian Junior Open. Hence, there’s no question that the juniors shortlisted deserve to be in this prestigious event.”

For details and enquiry on the event, please contact Azura Khamis at 03-7803 4423 or email tsmgc@yahoo.com.



LINK :http://www.theclubhouse.com.my/2011/11/1924/

KIDZ@GOLF SNAG GOLF AT PORT DICKSON (GOLF COMPETITION 16-18 DECEMBER 2011)

UPCOMING 5th LEG OPEN JUNIOR GOLF SPORTEXCEL NOVEMBER 2011

5TH LEG OPEN JUNIOR GOLF SPORTEXCEL TO BE HELD AT BUKIT JAWI GOLF RESORT ( http://www.bjgr.com.my )

DATE : 20-22 NOVEMBER 2011

FOR DETAIL CONTACT SPORTEXCEL www.sportexcel.org

Junior masters golf meet in November

KELAB Rahman Putra Malaysia (KRPM) have joined forces with Transview and SportExcel for a junior golf championships.

The KRPM-Transview- SportExcel Junior Masters golf championships will be played on Nov 29 and 30.

KRPM club captain M.K. Chua said they were honoured to be the joint sponsors for the championships.

KRPM has been organising numerous junior golf events in partnership with SportsExcel. We want to play a role in the development of golf at grassroots,’’ said Chua.

Transview operation manager Frankie Choo said they were pleased to do their part for junior development.

“We want this to be an annual event. We want to support KRPM and SportExcel in their commitment to junior golf,’’ added Frankie.

SportExcel executive director C. Sivanandan said they appreciated KRPM and Transview’s support to the championships.

LINK : http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/10/28/central/9762939&sec=central

4th Leg Open Sportexcel MILO – MALGA JUNIOR OPEN 2011

Get your own LED Scroller!

UNDER 9 YEARS OLD CATEGORIES

Singapore Player

MILO – MALGA JUNIOR OPEN 2011 (4th. Leg SportExcel)

SCHEDULE SPORTEXCEL NATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF CIRCUIT 2011 (JUNIOR OPEN / PREMIER–ELITE / MATCHPLAY) (UPDATE FROM SPORTEXCEL 25TH OCTOBER 2011)

UPDATE 25TH OCTOBER 2011