Good turnout at junior event
Inaugural Challenge tournament at Els Club Desaru Coast proves a huge success
THE inaugural Els Club Malaysia Junior Golf Challenge in Johor proved a huge success with some 85 budding players in the field.
Staged at the Els Club Desaru Coast Ocean Course and Academy Course, the event was aligned to the Troon Player Development month.
With the spirit and culture of the competition mirrored in the Els Performance Golf Academy’s Little Easy Young Athlete programme, it indeed proved a ‘learning and enjoyable’ experience.
The event also provided a competitive platform for the juniors, even if it was in a fun environment,
The competition was spilt into three categories. These were A Division (16-18 yrs), B Division (12-15) and C Division (11-and-under).
At registration all the juniors received engraved bag tags and personalised score cards, lockers and golf carts.
Day one saw many of them utilise the extensive practise facilities, including the driving range, chipping area and putting greens to get their eye in before heading out onto the course. During play, the club employed an on-board live scoring system, which provided updates throughout the round, for both parents and spectators.
Commenting on the competition, Els Club Desaru Coast general manger Stephen Havrilla said: “We are delighted to have welcomed the many juniors taking part in this first Junior Challenge here.
“The courses are in great condition and we witnessed some truly spectacular golf by these budding young golfers. We would like to thank all the spectators and guests who attended, as well as the sponsors who supported the event - Hello Kitty, Kidzania, Legoland, Thomas Town and FootJoy. We look forward to future events of this kind and supporting more juniors with their golf.”
Both the Ocean and Academy courses provided a good test for the field of young golfers. The two loops of nine on the Ocean Course, the Ridge and the Coast, hosted the A and B Divisions with a good standard of golf displayed.
The winning score in A Division girls section was a one-under-par 145 total by Ashley Goh, and Thian How Lo was awarded victory for his four-under-par 142 on countback in the A Division boys section.
Jake Foley shot an eight-over-par 154 to win the B Division, while Alyaana Arman had a 20-over-par 166 to take the girls title.
On the Academy Course, Putera Qiam Qarius Mohammad Yusman carded a sixover-par score to win the boys’ C Division, while Jaymin Ng’s 10-over-par finish secured the girls’ honours.