Malcolm, Mirabel win Sarawak Classic as CM pledges govt push
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg would like to see Sarawak produce a professional golfer one day.
Towards that direction, he said the Sarawak government will support the organising of international golf championships in Sarawak.
“The Asian Tour ( Sarawak Championship) golf tournament has just finished at Damai Golf and Country Club yesterday I have given a special fund for that particular tournament.
“The idea is to give exposure to our local golfers so that they can play within the international standard,” he said at the closing of the 31st Sarawak Classic Championship at Kelab Gol f Sarawak ( KGS) in Petra Jaya.
“I hope that through this competition and through the media coverage and also through their journal that the gol fer fraternity throughout the world will see what Sarawak can offer in terms of golfing.
“I have also informed Datuk Abdul Karim ( Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports) that I don’t mind to sponsor this Asian Tour event if they have to come here again,” he added.
Johari said the objective of organising the AT event was to give exposure to local golfers so that they can interact with professional golfers and thereby can definitely upgrade their standard.
“The ultimate aim is that one day we can have professional golfers from Sarawak.
“If a Sarawakian is categorised as one of the top golfers, that particular person will have certain international value, not only of international standard but also monetary value.
“I hope when we have additional revenue from our participation in the oil and gas industry, we can have some money and give back to our sports,” said Johari who is also KGS president.
Meanwhile, junior golfers stole the show at the 31st Sarawak Classic Championship, with the Ting siblings of Malcolm and Mirabel sweeping the Men’s gross and Ladies gross titles in the two- day tournament hosted by KGS.
Sixteen-year old Sukma XIX golfer Malcolm Ting Siong Hung, who represented Kelab Golf Miri, carded a two- day total of 142 (7171) to lift the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Challenge Trophy and carted away a 55” Samsung UHD television.
Fi ni s h i ng f ive s t r oke s behind Malcolm was defending champion and 11- time winner Lee Ka Tung of Sibu Golf Club who beat another Sukma XIX golfer Aziel Teo Ken Yi on count back (OCB) after both registered a similar score of 147.
Ka Tung’s brothers a l so completed a top 10 finish, with Ka Tiong ( KGB) coming in fourth on 154 OCB and Kah Ming ( KGS) in sixth place with a 155.
Mirabel Ting Ern Hui, also from Kelab Golf Miri, successfully retained the Ladies gross crown she won last year when she posted the best score of 144.
The Ladies nett title went to South Korean Ryu Kyong Won of KGS who returned a total score of 154 strokes, beating compatriot and club mate Kim Mi Kyeong by a single stroke.
In second and third spots were KGS golfer Eva Puyang Deng (186) and Alice Repet of KGB (187) respectively.
Other winners inc luded Lincoln Leong ( men’s net t) Then Su Yew ( Invited Guests men’s gross), Francis Vincent Chapman( Invited Guests men’s nett), Susan Toh ( Invited Guests Ladies gross) and Celine Foo ( Invited Guests Ladies nett).
There were no winners for the hole-in- one prizes which are two units of BMX X5 cars sponsored by Sime Darby Industrial.
Three golfers received extra incent ive for post ing one - under 71 scores in the two- day championship, with Macolm Ting receiving RM2,000 ( over two days) while Mirabel Ting and Aziel Teo received RM1,000 each.
Al so present were s tate secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani who is also KGS deputy president, event patron Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam and his wife Datuk Patinggi Puan Sri Lorna Enan Muloon.