Mad rush in Manila

03/11/1998

THE Putra Cup starting in Manila on Thursday will not only be the final
hurdle for the national golfers to make the Asian Games contingent but
also a test of the effectiveness of a four-year development programme.
The team of Rahizam Ramli, Zalizan Mat Har, R. Nachimuthu, A. Dorairaj
and five other golfers have undergone a four-year comprehensive training
programme to prepare them for the Asian Games in Bangkok and the
Eisenhower Cup in Santiago, Chile on Nov 19-22.
However, to make the Asian Games, they must at least return as runnersup
from Manila.
"The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) accept the challenge thrown by the
Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). Our golfers have been training hard for
the past four years and their results this year speak for themselves,"
said programme chairman A.S. Khamis.
"All nine national golfers have won at least one tournament this year
and averaging scores in the 70s. We are confident they will fulfil the
second placing requirement set by the OCM."
The only `problem' is that when the Games' entries close at midnight on
Friday, the golfers would have just ended their second round.
"We have made arrangements with the OCM to use the second round scores
as a guide. By then, we will know where the team stand and can make a fair
judgement on how they will finish," said Khamis.
The four Putra Cup members, along with Airil Rizman, Faisal Bee, M.
Sasidaran, Samsudin Dingkil and Sahal Saedin, have been put through a new
training format for the past year where they attend two weeks of
centralised training per month under head coach Andrew Argus and national
coach Valric Harris Zainal.
MGA have also rented an apartment in Kelana Jaya to house the golfers
and foster camaraderie.
"They train mostly at the Seri Selangor and Kota Permai golf clubs but
we have an understanding with Tropicana and other golf clubs so that they
will have the benefit of playing at a variety of greens."
For the Eisenhower Cup, youngster Airil will replace Dorairaj. Airil, a
student at Mara Institute of Technology (ITM), is ranked fourth and
knocking on the door of the senior team.
(END)