Kota Kinabalu [SABAH]: A top draw of regional stars will grace the fairways of Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club next week as the Sabah Masters brings the curtain down on the 2014/2015 ASEAN PGA Tour season.
Thanks to the invaluable support from mainstay sponsors Sabah Tourism Board and Tourism Malaysia, the prestigious tournament, which was revived after a 12-year absence in 2011, will boast an increased prize purse of US$100,000.
The Sabah Masters will also welcome on board new major sponsors in Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd as well as official airline Malindo Airlines – signalling the growing profile of the tournament.
Also supporting the event are Star Cruises (official cruise liner), Panasonic (official audio visual) and Srixon (official golf ball).
Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul has already wrapped up the Merit list title thanks to three victories but competitors will pull out all the stops to win the circuit’s prestigious Tour Championship.
Defending champion Wisut Artjanawat will headline the field and the 31-year-old Thai will fancy lifting the trophy for the third time in four attempts at one of his favourite hunting grounds.
The cast will also feature former champion Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines as well as Singapore’s Mardan Mamat. The pair were notably involved in a memorable duel back in 2013, which extended into a sudden-death shoot-out before the wily Filipino veteran emerged triumphant on the third extra hole.
Also making the trip to Kota Kinabalu is exciting Sri Lankan talent Mithun Perera, who has his sights set on emulating his father Nandasena, who claimed the championship in 1991.
Local galleries will focus their attention on the exploits of local boys Nicholas Fung and Ben Leong, who have not won the Sabah Masters before but surely will one day, if not this edition.
The Malaysian challenge will be further strengthened by the return of Danny Chia, who is back to his fighting best after shrugging off the ill-effects of a major surgery on his neck and shoulder. The 41-year-old displayed his everlasting qualities with a string of solid finishes in 2014, reclaiming his spot as the Malaysian number one on the world rankings.
Having extended their commitment to stage the Sabah Masters through 2017, Sabah Tourism Board launched the Road to Sabah Masters initiative last March to reinforce the tournament’s stature as the ASEAN PGA Tour Championship.
“We are thrilled that many of South East Asia’s best professional golfers have come to play in this event since its revival and we are delighted to secure the continuation of this event through 2017,” said Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
“Sabah is among the best golfing destinations in the region and based on the success of the past three editions, we believe that the Road to Sabah Masters has allowed us to further capitalise on our involvement with this event and inspire a year-long race for players to earn their spot in this prestigious tournament.”
Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Hj. Abu Bakar @ Wahab Bin Hj Abas added: “We have watched the growth of the Sabah Masters with much interest over the past years and can truly see what a great event it is for Kota Kinabalu and Sabah. Our business is focused on developing Sabah and increasing its appeal as a business and investment destination. Partnering with the Sabah Masters is a great fit to promote that agenda.”
“The growing success of the Sabah Masters has send a positive signal across the region and we are confident that the increased prize purse of US$100,000 will further boost the strength of the field and add an extra competitive edge to the tournament,” said ASEAN PGA executive chairman AC Wong.
World Sport Group, the official commercial partner for the ASEAN PGA, will promote the event for the fourth successive time and as part of this relationship will produce a one-hour highlight show that will be broadcast on FOX Sports. ⦿
