Ipoh: Royal Perak Golf Club will host the 112th edition of the Malaysian Amateur Open Golf Championship, the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) announced on Thursday.

One of the oldest national amateur championships in the region, the four-day tournament scheduled from May 22 to 25 will attract top players from regional powerhouses such as Australia, India, Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

From humble beginnings as a nine-hole course on a racetrack known as the Ipoh Golf Club, the gentle undulating 6,376-metre, par-72 championship course received a much-needed makeover in 2009 by Nigel Douglas, transforming it into one of the country’s top golfing facilities.

“Royal Perak Golf Club is an ideal venue for the 112th Malaysian Amateur Open due to its challenging and matured course as well as strategic location,” said MGA president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor.

“The Malaysian Golf Association and Royal Perak Golf Club are committed to making this a first class event and the response from the member countries of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) has been fantastic with the respective top amateurs confirmed to compete.”

While RPGC has hosted the Malaysian Open on two occasions in 1974 and 1990, it will be its first hosting of the Malaysian Amateur Open. “We are delighted to host the region’s top amateurs during the 112th Malaysian Amateur Open,” said Royal Perak Golf Club chief executive Low Teck San, who is also the vice-president of MGA.

“Royal Perak Golf Club together with MGA will endeavour to provide a challenging setting for the region’s top amateurs, as many nations are gearing up for the Asian Games and World Amateur Team Championship to be held in September in Korea and Japan respectively,” he noted, adding the club could accommodate up 156 entries.

Low shared that the North Malaysian Amateur Open to be hosted at the same venue from May 8 -11 will provide a good practice ground for amateurs preparing for the prestigious championship.