PETALING JAYA: The country’s top young golfers will compete in the 12th TSM Golf Challenge at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from June 14 to 16. This year’s edition will be played on the challenging West Course.
The Malaysian Golf Association-sanctioned (MGA) tournament is part of the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) where players can earn points for their world ranking. The goal is to identify and promote the country’s talented young golfers under the age of 21 with handicaps of 10 and below.
A total of 88 young golfers have been selected by the MGA to participate in the tournament based on their accumulated points. The tournament, which lauds “the most coveted challenge for junior amateurs,“ hints at a rematch of the last championship in 2019.
The tournament is also a key event in the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Charity Golf (TSMCG) calendar, a talent
identification programme designed to produce professional players who will compete at the international level.
The TSM Golf Challenge’s inclusion in the world rankings is a tremendous achievement that young amateurs from the region can use to enhance their skills in preparation for the Olympic Games.
The event debuted in 2006 and evolved into an annual event when TSM Charity Golf was inspired by tournament partners, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the MGA. Since then, it has received official approval from the MGA and is listed on its calendar of events.
Rising stars, namely; Adam Ariff Madzri, Bryan Tan Wei Han, Malcolm Ting Siong Hung, Eidan Ngah Jamzidi, Marcus Lim, Muhamad Ikhmal Basry, Nateeshvar Anatha Ganesh, Rhaassrikanesh Kanavathi, Angel Hii, Foong Zi Yu, Liyana Azizan Durisic, Mirabel Ting Ern Hui, Winnie Ng, Lekisha Sasitharan and
Zulaikah Nurziana Nasser, are in the field.
Meanwhile young talents like Ezekiel Riz Hafi Suzearitz, Lee Juan Chay, Alya Batrisya Shaari and Nur Batrisya Balkis, all from TSMCG’s prestigious Tunas Bestari Golf Academy, have earned wildcards to participate in this tournament.
TSMCG offers scholarships or golf development grants worth RM 130,000 for the top finishers in the boys’ and girls’ categories to be trained at selected golf training academies. The scholarship covers expenses for a period of six months to one year at Golf Training Programme and participation in
scheduled tournaments in the regions conducted by the MGA.
Grand prizes for the winners will be in the form of sponsorship or a grant for golf training at a TSMCG accredited golf academy.