KGNS hoping for miracle

14/02/1998

SUBANG National Golf Club (KGNS) president Datuk Sabbaruddin Chik believes
in miracles.
That is the only logical explanation to his request for a 24-hour
extension for grass to grow at the greens of his club, venue of next
week's US$300,000 Benson and Hedges Malaysian Open golf tournament.
Sabbaruddin, the Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister, has managed to
convince the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) top brass to postpone a
decision which they should have taken a month ago.
All 18 holes at the KGNS have turned brown and general manager Gurmit
Singh blamed the bad conditions of the greens on a "fungus attack".
Gurmit had explained on Tuesday: "It is called Pythium Red Blight. It is
a warm-weather patch disease capable of destroying a bentgrass green
within one night."
Of the 18 tournament holes, 15 have large brown patches which are sandy
while the other three are slowly drying up. The most badly affected is
Hole No 14.
Problems at the course started two months ago and the greens have since
turned from bad to worse but the MGA, who have the final say on the venue,
have been sitting pretty, hoping for matters to be resolved on their own.
The minister, who visited all the greens yesterday, was not available
for comment but club captain Dr Sheffie Bakar and greens superintendent
Shane Bisseker were oozing with confidence.
"As far as the club are concerned we rely on the experts when it comes
to course matters and Bisseker has confirmed that the greens will be in
playable conditions when the Malaysian Open begins on Feb 19," said
Sheffie.
MGA vice-president Liew Kai Choon also placed full confidence in
Bisseker, a man who brought new meaning to the sport when he said
yesterday that "golf was just a game to get the ball into a hole".
"Since the pros would only be looking to sink the ball, we will give
them greens which would be capable of doing just that. Let's not get too
technical and talk about how many putts it takes to do so," said Bisseker.
Tournament director Jeremy Kilby, a powerful figure in any tournament,
was evasive when asked if the course would be playable.
"Let's wait another day before we make a stand," said Kilby, who is
responsible for inspecting the course, plots for pin placements and the
make up of rules.
The chairman of the organising committee, who is MGA president Thomas
M.L. Lee in this case, depends on his professional advice on whether the
course is in good condition and playable.
"It would be prudent for the MGA to decide soon," conceded Kilby.
Time is against the Open because tomorrow several foreign professionals
would be flying down to play a few rounds at KGNS and with them would come
a band of foreign journalists eager to report on the condition of golf
courses in Malaysia.
But then again, the Tourism Minister should know best about publicity.
Meanwhile, Yukinori Miyauchi, the assistant general manager of the
Templer Park Golf and Country Club, has clarified that they did not offer
to take over as hosts but were approached to be on standby.
(END)