PGABS tourney at KGS acts as preSukma warm-up for junior golfers

The PGABS Interstate Junior Golf Tournament, to be taking place at Kelab Golf Sarawak (KGS) here this March 4 to 7, would serve as an opportunity for the teams bound for the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) to gauge the capabilities of their players.

Organised by Persatuan Golf Amatur Bumiputera Sarawak (PGABS) in collaboration with Sarawak Sports State Council (MSNS), this tournament will host 84 golfers, including 28 women, from 10 teams.

“This is a pre-Sukma competition and it is also part of our preparation to host the competition in Sukma 2024 at KGS this August.

“I believe most of the teams will be fielding their Sukma players in this tournament, as their players would want to test the playing conditions here,” Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development (MySed), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah told reporters in a press conference at his office in Bangunan Baitul Makmur II, Petra Jaya here yesterday.

The participating teams are Perlis, Federal Territories, Sabah, Perak, Kedah, Pahang, Melaka, Brunei, Sarawak and PGABS.

The events are Boys Individual and Team, as well as Girls Individual and Team.

The Top 3 of the Boys Team shall receive RM8,000, RM5,000 and RM3,000; the Girls Team’s Top 3 will walk away with RM6,00, RM4,000 and RM2,000.

In Boys Individual category, the Top 3 finishers will bag RM3,000, RM2,000 and RM1,500, while the prizes from the fourth to eighth placings will be RM800, RM700, RM600 and RM500, respectively.

In Girls Individual, the Top 5 players will pocket RM3,000, RM2,000, RM1,500, RM1,000 and RM800.

“As more than 100 people including the players, team officials, parents and supporters are coming to Kuching next week, this will also help to boost the tourism industry,” said Abdul Karim, also the state Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts.

“PGABS have also invited dancers from the Academy of Arts, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to perform Sarawak cultural dances for the audience at the welcoming dinner,” he added.

Chimon Upon — Photo by Abdul Karim (centre) highlights some points during the press conference. With the minister are (from right) the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Desmond Douglas Jerukan, MSNS director Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan, PGABS president Irwan Zulkarnain Muhd Hasbie and the tournament chairman Sukiman Aini.