Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) and Etiqa announced on Monday that the third edition of the Etiqa ASEAN Cup will undergo a major change in format as it looks to establish itself as one of South East Asia’s most competitive amateur golf tournaments.
The championship, which will take place at the Royal Selangor Golf Club from November 26 – 30, will see a 36-hole preliminary stroke-play contest being introduced, with the top 32 players advancing into the title-deciding matchplay rounds. Previously, ASEAN nations sent a team of two players for the championship styled after the Ryder Cup format of fourball and foursome matches.
Defending champions Singapore and surprise package Myanmar, who won the inaugural edition in 2010, have confirmed their participation alongside Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia and host Malaysia. The visiting nations will be allowed a maximum of four players each with locals completing the 64-player roster for the opening rounds.
Etiqa also announced that the Etiqa Malaysia Cup, previously contested to select the local participants for the championship proper, will be done with, allowing the MGA to nominate its top national and back-up (PELAPIS) squad players to shoulder the domestic challenge.
Etiqa Insurance Berhad’s chief executive Kamaludin Ahmad expressed his hope that the change in format will serve as a great platform for the nation’s top amateurs to adapt to the physical and mental test of the matchplay format.
“In just three years, we have witnessed the how the Etiqa ASEAN Cup has grown from just a small event with few teams to become a truly ASEAN event. We expect that with our regional neighbours nominating their top players such as Jerome Ng (Singapore) and Cylde Mondilla (Philippines) as well as our very own Low Khai Jei, Abel Tam and Chan Tuck Soon, we will have a truly exciting and competitive regional showdown in our hands.”
MGA vice-president Datuk Mohamed Zain Yusof, who is also the ASEAN Golf Federation secretary-general, was delighted with Etiqa’s support for the association’s vision to create more international-standard tournaments for the benefit of the regional golfing fraternity.
