SHAH ALAM, March 7 — It’s not easy to keep a cool head when trying to make a long 10-foot putt.
But that’s something 15-year-old golfer Hariz Hezri does on a regular basis, even with homework and the Form Three Assessment (PT3) tests later this year on his mind.
“For me, studying and school is important. Playing golf takes up a lot of my time. But I have to make these sacrifices,” said Hariz in an interview with Malay Mail.
He added that while the principal at his school, SMK Ibrahim, gives him permission to take part in golf tournaments and pursue a career in the sport, he can’t mess about with his education.
“When I play in all these junior tournaments around Malaysia, I miss a lot of days at school,” said Hariz.
“Even though the school allows me to play, they do advise me to try and limit the number of tournaments I take part in so that I won’t miss too many days of school.”
To make up for all the precious studying hours he misses, Tiger Woods-fanatic Hariz explained that he attends numerous tuition classes after school, right before his golf training, to brush up on his studies.
“If I have the time and can go to school, I will always go. Then after school I also have tuition classes until the evening, right before I go to train,” said Hariz.
He expressed that his parents, Hezri Mahmud and Syuhaida Muhamad, also make sure that he spends as much time on his books as he does on the course — making him bring his books and studying materials along with him whenever he’s out of town for a tournament.
Hariz, who lives in Sungai Petani, Kedah, was one of the few local junior golfers selected to walk on the luscious greens of the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club alongside some of the best golfers in the region at the Bandar Malaysia Open 2020 (BMO 2020).
The BMO 2020 is taking place at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam from March 5 to 8, with 156 golfers competing for the US$1 million (RM4.2 million) prize.
Malay Mail is an official media partner for the BMO 2020.
During the first two rounds of play, Hariz was far from his best, especially on the first day, as he struggled to match the feats of the professionals, compatriot Mohammad Wafiyuddin and Japan’s Shunya Takeyasu through the first 36 tees.
Despite an upturn in form on the second day, Hariz failed to make the weekend cut but remained upbeat about the precious experience he gained over the two days.
“The first day was not so good. On the second day I felt like I was improving, tee by tee,” said Hariz.
“But just to be able to play with the pros in such a prestigious tournament was a really good experience for me.
“I learnt a lot from them, in terms of things like their strategy or how they always remain cool and calm.”
Although his parents don’t play the sport, Hariz has played golf ever since he was 10 years old when his late grandfather first introduced him to the sport.
Now, thanks to his grandfather’s nudge into the sport, both Hariz and his older sister Maisarah Hezri have gone on to represent Malaysia at the junior level, most recently at the Asian Junior Golf Team Championship in South Korea last year.
At the BMO 2020, Hariz was also joined by other junior golfing players such as Nateshvar A. Ganesh, Rizq Adam Rohizam, Nor Harith Nor Hadi and Lo Tien Meng — who is the only local amateur to make it to round three.
For more information and updates about the Bandar Malaysia Open 2020, you can visit the Facebook event page or surf over to the Bandar Malaysia Open website.