File photo of Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain (second left) presenting the champion’s trophy to state’s junior golfer 16-year-old Malcolm Siong Hung, who was the youngest winner of the recent Damai Masters Amateur Open Golf Championship 2018 held at DGCC.
KUCHING: Plans are in the pipeline for the launching of Damai Junior Golf Programme which will be centred at Damai Golf and Country Club (DGCC).
This was revealed by DGCC general manager Roslan Mohd Salleh who said the junior development programme is to be implemented under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
“Based on the feedbacks that we received from our members and the local golf fraternity, having the junior development programme at our club will augur well in the promotion of the game among the younger generation,” he said.
According to him, the programme is expected to be supported by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) as well as Sarawak Golf Association (SGA), Malaysia Golf Association (MGA)and also Professional Golf Malaysia (PGM).
“We will also be writing officially to Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC), Sarawak State Sports Council (MSSM) and State Education Department in order to get their assistance as well as support towards the programme which is the first to be undertaken by our club,” he added.
DGCC is no stranger to international golf events and was the hosting venue for the prestigious Asian Tour Sarawak Golf Championship 2018 which was held in early July and the Asian Development Tour PGM-MNRB Sarawak Championship 2018 in September.
“This year alone, almost 300 professional golfers from throughout the world and Malaysia had competed at DGCC. The total prize money for the Asian Tour event itself was RM1.2 million and it was the biggest prize money that we ever had in any of the events that were held at DGCC,” he said.
For the PGM-MNRB Sarawak Championship, DGCC had played host for the tournament since 2017 and next year’s event is the third edition with a total prize money of RM225,000 with competitors coming from the USA, Australia, France, Japan, Finland, Fiji, Sweden, South Korea.
“Our junior golf development is also aimed to encourage parents to promote their young children to take up golf which can inculcate good character building and social skills that are needed when they enter adulthood,” Roslan enthused.
According to him, young golfers should be given early exposure in competing at international golf course such as the one available at DGCC with the aim to build their self-confidence and to motivate them to become better players.
The club has so far hosted two international junior golf championships namely the Sarawak Junior Open Masters Championship 2018 on March 22-23 and the ongoing 20th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup International Golf Championship 2018 which ends on Nov 29.
Over 110 golfers from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia are competing for the first time at DGCC and spearheading Sarawak’s challenge in the three-day event are 13-year-old Mirabel Ting Ern Hui and her 16-year-old brother, Malcolm Ting Siong Hung.
Both are from Miri and had been winning a string of golf tournaments this year which include a commendable performance in the recent 19th Malaysia Games (Sukma) which was held in Perak.
“We want more junior golfers to play at our golf course because many professionals who played here have given their thumbs up because of its quality and standard. At the same time we want them to enjoy the experience of playing at DGCC which is one of the most challenging in Sarawak and perhaps in Borneo,” said Roslan.