PETALING JAYA: Yayasan Kecemerlangan Sukan Malaysia (SportExcel) has successfully completed the 3rd and 4th one-day tournaments of the inaugural 2023 US Kids Golf Malaysia Local Tour presented by Mazda that was played at the Penang Golf Resort, in Bertam, on Sunday and Monday (Nov 19 and 20). A total of 90 juniors between 5 and 18 years-old teed off in the 3rd tournament, while 77 players played in the 4th.
The tournament on Sunday (Nov 19) was very competitive, resulting in three sudden death playoffs at Hole 18, Par 4. In the Boys 10 age group, Aoran Zhang (China) and Arrihan Rudra Anilarasu (Malaysia) both tied first at a score of 74; as Aoran Zhang won with a Birdie.
The Boys 9 had three tied first at a score of 86, namely Che Faidh Amsyar Faizul (Malaysia), Mandos Ng Min Cu (Malaysia) and Adam Ilman Mohd Syazwani (Malaysia), as Che Faidh won with a Par. In the Girls 8 and Under category, Glory-Lily Hong (Germany) and Milly Sunouchi (Japan) both played 37 (+1), with Glory-Lily Hong winning with a Birdie.
The youngest player, in both tournaments was Eiman Luth Asytar bin Mohd Ridwan, who is six years-old and hails from Alor Setar, Kedah. There were Malaysian players who came from all across the country from as far as Kuching, Sarawak, and from Johor Baru, Johor to play in Penang,
And there was also Rio Tokitomo, 9, who flew in all the way from Seoul, South Korea, to participate in all six tournaments.Such is the passion that these junior golfers have, travelling from afar to compete and aspiring to reach the World Championships in Pinehurst, North Carolina, US.
In fact, there are two players who have achieved Priority Status Level 14, which guarantees an invitation to Pinehurst, while the rest at the lower levels of 13 to 11 are invited subject to the availability for each age group.
1. Logan He (Texas, USA) Boys 13-14 @ Priority Status Level 14
2. Glory-Lily Hong (Germany) Girls 8 & Under @ Priority Status Level 14
3. M Dzun Nun Noor Azmi (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) Boys 10 @ Priority Status Level 12
4. Sebastian Zane Fong (Kuching, Malaysia) Boys 11 @ Priority Status Level 11
5. Vikasni Laakshithaa (Selangor, Malaysia) Girls 13-14 @ Priority Status Level 11
This Local Tour has been made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship from Bermaz Motor Trading Sdn Bhd., the distributor and retailer of new and pre-owned Mazda vehicles and provider of after-sales services and spare parts in Malaysia. As the presenter of this Local Tour, Mazda has contributed RM100,000 cash to the tournament, thus enabling SportExcel to incorporate a cash rebates programme for Malaysians to help reduce the cost of participation.
The final two one-day tournaments will be at A'famosa Resort, Melaka, on Dec 2 and 3.
Registration for Dec 2 has already reached full capacity, as 112 players have registered, while for Dec 3, it is almost at full capacity with 106 players.
Players who register online in the US Kids Golf website, will be put on the waiting list.