The Malaysian golf fraternity lost one of its icons when legendary golfer Zainal Abidin Mohamed Yusof passed away on July 7 at age 78 due to a kidney infection.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah extended his condolences to Zainal’s family on the Istana Negara official Facebook page: “Allayarham’s services and dedication to the country are very much appreciated and his passing is a great loss to golf in the country.”
Zainal was a mainstay of Malaysian golf from the 1960s to the 1980s, winning numerous titles including the prestigious Malaysian Amateur Open in 1967. The previous year, he teamed up with Darwis Deran, Sulaiman Bluah and L. Ayaroo to win the Southeast Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship (Putra Cup) in Bangkok by 12 shots over hosts Thailand.
Turning professional in 1969, Zainal represented the nation in the World Cup of Golf five times as well as the Dunhill Cup at St Andrew’s in Scotland. He was also one of the founders of the Malaysian PGA and served as the association’s president for two years.
Born in Ipoh, Perak, Zainal was part of the famous Yusof golfing clan with siblings Khairudin, Sahabuddin and Nazamuddin.
