Open title still an elusive crown for Malaysian pros

24/02/1998

EUROPE have Lee Westwood, America Tiger Woods but Malaysia still appear to
be lost in the woods.
For 36 years, our band of pros have trudged from green to green,
swinging and putting for that elusive Malaysian Open crown but, just as in
previous years, the record books show yet another blank.
Only three locals made the 147 halfway cutoff mark while 20 others fell
by the wayside this year.
American, European, Japanese and Taiwanese pros, many of them virtual
unknowns, have made the roll of honour and the million dollar question is
when will a Malaysian win?
Not in the next millennium going by what the Malaysian Professional
Golfers Association (MPGA) have in their fold today.
Leading local pro Ali Kadir came, made a few putts but failed to even
make the cut. On his way out he blamed everyone for his third failure,
including the MPGA and the media.
The MPGA for not providing him enough big meets to prepare for the Open
and the media for reporting that he had played a practice round when he
was supposed to be taking part in the Pro-Am.
"What will my sponsors think about me when they read that I skipped the
Pro-Am but played a practice round. The report disturbed me so much that I
hit a 79," said Ali.
This is the same Ali who walked in sweating and puffing after what he
later claimed "practicing my swing and putts" on the second day of the
Pro-Am and held a media briefing on his chances in the Open.
Then there is M. Ramayah, who was propelled to fame when he won the 1981
Marcos International, beating players like Germany's US Masters champion
Bernhard Langer in the title chase.
The 43-year-old veteran, who has been walking the greens for the last 20
years now, declared this year's edition would be his last.
Making the top-20 would have been nice after two decades of of
competition. One would have thought he would mount a strong challenge,
what with last year's champ Lee Westwood in his first round flight.
ARamayah fizzled out with a two-day 152 total, joining the queue of
Malaysians who failed to make the cut.
When posed that age-old question on what went wrong MPGA general manager
Brig Jen (r) Ron S. Mahendran echoed the exact words that soccer World
Youth Cup coach Hatem Soussi had to describe the state of Malaysian
soccer.
"We need to go back to the grassroots and build a strong side."
After 36 years in golf and about 75 years in soccer, if we still need to
go back to the grassroots, something is seriously wrong with our
development plans.
On the technical side of things, why can't we have local tournament
director? We have capable officials like A.S. Khamis, Tan Kok Kee and
Mahendran who have one time or another held the post.
Indeed, it is a surprise as the Malaysian Open have always had a local
as tournament director. The late Edmund Yong was for close to two decades
the tournament director. Yong, who died last year, was MGA secretary for
25 years.
Jeremy Kilby may be qualified and knowledgable but the time has come for
a local to fill the post.
One thing about Malaysians, when against the odds, they rally together.
So it was the case when Subang National Golf Club (KGNS) committee members
showed their support to the organisers despite a change in venue.
KGNS women's captain Rafeah Misron, Kapt William Geyzel, Raymond Teoh,
Krish Ramalingam and their band of workers, slogged tirelessly to see the
tournament through.
The Malaysian Golf Club Managers' Association were in full force and
equally heartening was the offer made by rival APGA Tour to assist them
owing to the 11th-hour change.
However, the success story of the tournament was when R. Nachimuthu made
the Best Amateur cut and finished joint 68th with scores of 77-75-74-77.
Nachimuthu and Taiwan's Hong Chi Yuh emerged joint winners of the
amateur category with 15-over 303 totals.
(END)