KUALA LUMPUR: The inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia next February has secured the all-important approval of the Malaysian Sports Commission, event organisers announced on Thursday.

“The Maybank Championship Malaysia marks a new milestone for Maybank’s involvement in golf. We are grateful for the approval by the Sports Commissioner and it reaffirms our belief that Maybank’s past ten-years efforts in advancing Malaysian golf to attain it’s highest levels of professionalism has left a legacy of excellence.

“Golf will be in the Olympics in Rio next year in August, and our support of some of the PGM and PGAM tournaments coupled with having the Maybank Championship Malaysia next February should give our professionals more chances to gain the world ranking points essential for gaining qualification into the Olympics,” said Maybank chairman Tan Sri Dato Megat Zaharuddin Megat Nor.

The Sports Development Act 1997 requires that any company hosting an international sports competition or event in Malaysia to apply for a licence from the Malaysian Sports Commission, which comes under the auspices of the Youth and Sports Ministry.

In another development, event organisers also announced that the Professional Golf Association of Malaysia (PGA of Malaysia) and the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour will join the European and Asian Tours as sanctioning partners for the newly-minted championship.

The involvement of the two leading professional golfing bodies in Malaysia will be key to ensuring the quality of the talent at the Championship.

As part of their co-operation with the PGM Tour, the winner of the season-ending Players’ Championship will receive a start in the US$3 million tournament proper, which will be played at the Royal Selangor Golf Club from February 18-21.