MGA target a good showing
Focus shifts to Sungai Long where Malaysia hosts Nomura Cup
THE Malaysian Golf Association has announced a strong quartet for this week’s Asia Pacific Amateur Championships – the Nomura Cup – at Sungai Long Golf & Country Club in Kajang.
The team was selected based on the Order of Merit, World Amateur Golf Ranking and performances.
It comprises Mohamad Afif Razif, Chan Tuck Soon, Muhammad Afif Fathi and Rhaasrikanesh Kanavathi. They will do battle with players from Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, are among others from the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation.
“I really like our mix of players and we are looking forward to showing the golfing fraternity how far our players have come in terms of their maturity and skills,” said MGA president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor.
“Our players are young compared to their contemporaries in the Asia Pacific region, the youngest, Raasrikanesh is only 17 and this will be his debut in the Nomura Cup,” said Anwar.
“Going by their performances this year and their desire to bring honour to the country, I believe our players will live up to our association’s and country’s expectations.”
The MGA boss added: “We have also held training camps at Sungai Long to help our players familiarise themselves with the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
“They have also competed in the international tournaments leading up to the Nomura Cup, including the recent Asia Pacific Amateur Championship held in Wellington, New Zealand.”
The Nomura Cup comes on the back of Malaysia also having hosted the South-East Asian (SEA) Games in August. But it has not been since 1993 that the Nomura Cup was held in Kuala Lumpur.
Twenty-five nations in all will be represented at the biennial event that will run from Thursday through Sunday.
Japan are the defending champions, and Australia, South Korea, China and Thailand are also expected to figure in the tussle for the team title.
Indeed, Japan and Australia have been the most successful in the competition with nine wins apiece.
Malaysia have hosted the championship twice – in 1977 and 1993 – with a best finish of third place in 1977.