Malaysia’s fledgling professional Casper Loh left Macao a wiser player following his maiden Asian Tour appearance at the US$1 million SJM Macao Open.
Playing on a tournament invitation, Loh did not perform as well as he would have liked to, missing the halfway cut after rounds of 74 and 77 at Macau Golf and Country Club. However, the 23-year-old noted that he benefitted a lot from observing the stars of the Asian Tour in action.
“It was a great experience playing in the SJM Macao Open. I don’t think I’m that far back in terms of skill. It’s more about playing strategy, so I need to work on that aspect of my game to be able to compete against the leading Asian players,” said Loh, who turned professional in May this year.
“I was observing my flightmate, Hung Chien-yao, and the way he manages his game. He doesn’t go for tight pins or try to get as close as he can to the greens. Instead, he places his ball in the right spots to give himself good approach lines,” added the golfer from Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.
Loh did not have much time to prepare for the event as he only got to Macao on Wednesday evening and had to forgo a practice round.
“I got a call on Monday asking if I wanted to play, so I flew to Hong Kong on Wednesday, took a bus to Macao and arrived at the club at about 4pm. It was a full day of travelling,” he said.
Loh was extremely impressed with the organisation of the tournament and the hospitality accorded to the players.
“It’s been great here! You get treated really well and everyone is very helpful … you can ask anything and they will help you. Because I’m a first-timer, they really took care of me,” shared Loh.
“This is my first time in Macao and I like it here. It’s a nice place and, given the opportunity, I would love to come back.”
Loh will play in the Toyota Tour’s Alphard Cup this week before taking time off to prepare for the All-Thailand Golf Tour Qualifying School in November. The SJM Macao Open was his third tournament in a row, following the Asian Development Tour’s OB Golf Championship in Indonesia and the Toyota Tour’s Camry Cup in Malaysia.
“I was supposed to go for an event in Taiwan, but I don’t think I will because that will be four tournaments in a row. I want to be fresh and ready for the All-Thailand Golf Tour Q-School in November,” said Loh.
Loh picked up golf at age 10 from his father and brother at Sabah Golf & Country Club, where Asian Tour winners Ben Leong and Nicholas Fung also learnt the game.
“I still have a lot to learn, so I want to focus on playing golf now and see where it goes. I look up to Ben and Nicholas and admire what they have achieved in their careers,” shared Loh, who holds a degree in banking and finance from Taylor’s University.
Making a much-anticipated return after six years, the SJM Macao Open forms part of the closing stretch of the Asian Tour’s 2023 season and will thus play a pivotal role in determining the Order of Merit champion.
