KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly two years after the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) announced its three-year sponsorship with IRS Prima, the national body remains out of pocket – and with little to show for its patience.
The 2024 Malaysian Open prize money was ultimately covered by the Asian Tour, and there was no event this year.
Yet despite repeated delays, unfulfilled assurances, and a sponsorship deal that now appears dead, the MGA has not said much about its next course of action.
Twentytwo13 reached out to a representative from IRS Prima and was informed: “We are still waiting for the funds.” This publication has also contacted MGA and is awaiting its reply.
An insider said several executive committee members are pushing for MGA to take legal action, but have been asked to show more patience.
“It is embarrassing that until now, MGA has yet to get the sponsorship money. To make matters worse, there was no tournament this year,” said the insider.
“How can we approach other sponsors when we can’t even settle last year’s debts. I know of several vendors who have yet to be paid. It is not fair for them.”
IRS Prima had signed a three-year deal to revive the Malaysian Open. But very little has materialised since.
Prize money was pushed from March to April 2024, then to “after Hari Raya”, then to “mid-April”, and later to “soon”.
In the end, golfers, including Malaysian professional Ervin Chang, received their winnings from the Asian Tour, which co-sanctioned the event.
The Malaysian Open, once among Asia’s most prestigious national Opens, is now absent from the Asian Tour’s schedule. Its future hangs by a thread.
Fan turnout in 2024 was poor, and marquee tents were left incomplete. For a tournament fighting irrelevance long before IRS Prima entered the picture, this sponsorship fiasco has only accelerated the decline.
Within MGA, frustration is simmering. Publicly, no one wants to admit the deal is dead.
“The absence of decisive action – from payment collection to legal recourse – has raised uncomfortable questions about governance, accountability, and leadership within the sport,” said the insider.
“If the MGA continues to delay litigation, it risks sending a message that sponsors can default without consequence.”
