Leong hopes for victory at inaugural Sarawak Championship

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian golfer Ben Leong tunes his mind with positive vibes, hoping it will guide him to victory at the inaugural US$300,000 (about RM1,200,000) Sarawak Championship from July 4-7.

The 32-year-old Sabahan was anticipated as the next star to emerge from the country, when he won his first Asian Tour title in 2008, before a serious back injury curtailed his career.

Leong started to show signs of a career revival since earning his Asian Tour card by finishing fourth at the 2017 Qualifying School in Thailand before going on to win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in the same year.

After finishing 40th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings last year to retain a full Asian Tour card, Leong now aims to return to the winner's circle at the new Asian Tour event at the Damai Golf and Country Club, Kuching.

After four missed cuts in nine Asian Tour appearances so far this year, Leong believed he needed to find his A-Game in a busy stretch of events coming up.

“I have good memories winning in Malaysia. Every Malaysian golfer will be excited to play in the event. I would give myself a ‘B' on the report card for being patient and positive even though I think I do not have my A Game yet.

“I have really been grinding out in my last few tournaments. I want to try to work towards playing my best golf again,” Leong said in a statement from the Asian Tour.

So far, Leong's best result in Asian Tour for this year was tied 10th place at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan in April, while outside the golf course, he also welcomed his first child.

“It has been great being a new father and seeing my son growing up…I tend to miss him more now when I am travelling so it is nice to have a full field Asian Tour event in Malaysia. It is not far from home and it will be fun,” he said.

Leong will be challenged by fellow Sabahan and Asian Tour winner Nicholas Fung, while Indian stalwarts Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, John Catlin and Paul Peterson of the United States will spearhead the international challenge at the Sarawak Championship, which will have a total of 150 players, including a minimum of 25 Malaysian golfers contending for the title.

The Sarawak Championship is the third new Asian Tour event announced this year following the Asia-Pacific Classic in China and CNS Open Golf Championship which is staged in Pakistan.

The Asian Tour also sanctioned the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open for the first time earlier this year. - Bernama