Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh congratulated the Malaysian team on their victory at the 2023 World Amateur Golfers Championship finals in Phuket recently. It was Malaysia’s third consecutive win in the annual tournament.
Speaking at a ceremony here to celebrate the achievement of the five Malaysians, Yeoh said that the victory in Phuket was a fine example of dedication and determination in becoming world champions.
“My Ministry believes in the holistic approach of training sportsmen and sportswomen to achieve excellence in their respective fields. We will continue to support national sports bodies to groom up-and-coming athletes and assist them in their development to compete on the global stage,” said Yeoh.
The Minister said it was commendable that Malaysian corporates like Perodua had come forward to support golf in a big way, and she hoped that more corporates would take up the challenge of sponsoring events and athletes in their quest for excellence.
“Sponsoring events should not be looked at as a mere Corporate Social Responsibility exercise. We have athletes challenging at international level. Your sponsorship will make a difference as to winning or just participating. It should be looked at as a partnership for excellence,” said Yeoh.
Present at the ceremony was Chief Operating Officer Tuan Haji JH Rozman Jaafar of Perodua Malaysia, who expressed immense pride that the local car manufacturer played a big part in determining Malaysia’s chances in Phuket.
The 2023 Perodua National Amateur Series was organised in all 14 states and ended with a grand final at the Els Club Datai in Langkawi. That formed the basis of selection for the Malaysian team to Phuket.
“Winning the WAGC final is something to shout about,” said Tuan Haji JH Rozman Jaafar. “A total of 33 countries organised their own selection series to select their teams and qualify for the WAGC final. It is and has been, the biggest amateur golf championship in the world. We at Perodua are very enthusiastic and proud of our national series and we will continue to support this unique and well-established competition.”
The five team members who were victorious in Phuket included Mohd Rizal Mohmad Sahibek, Muhamad Azwan Md Azmi, Mohammed Faisal Hussain, Mohd Aizuddin Khalid, Muntahar Asmarah and team captain Khairul Nizam Ayob
Recalling their participation in the Phuket finals, team captain Khairul Nizam Ayob said they didn’t expect to win by such a big margin, although they were confident of making the top three. “We were determined to do well and took the competition seriously. We would like to thank Perodua for their overwhelming support of the Malaysian team.”
President of World Golfers Amateur Championship and Delta World Sdn Bhd Managing Director, Mr. Isac Saminathan said Perodua National Amateur Golf Series, the only national amateur golf series in Malaysia has produced many great talents especially young golfers throughout the years and is hopeful that this achievement will encourage more juniors to take up the sport.
