SHAH ALAM [Selangor]: Youngster Daeng Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz is ready to take his game to the next level after earning  a sponsor’s invite to the Maybank Championship next February.

A splendid run of results which included a hat-trick of wins at the Melaka Amateur, Penang Amateur and Nilai Springs Amateur Opens in November and an impressive fourth placing at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Maybank Players’ Championship last week all but secured Daeng a spot at the US$3 million showdown, which will be staged at Saujana Golf & Country Club from February 9-12.

Ranked 414 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Daeng will make his debut at the Maybank Championship but has played with some big names on home soil and is raring at the opportunity to showcase his talent in the European and Asian Tours co-sanctioned tournament.

“I am not too nervous about playing in the Maybank Championship as I’ve played with some top players before, but it depends who I get to play with. I am excited about meeting Danny Willett though,” said the country’s top-ranked amateur.

Having claimed his first senior amateur title at the MPI Saujana Amateur Championship in 2015, Daeng is understandably excited about returning to the infamous tract.

“I haven’t played Saujana since the renovation so I am looking forward to that and my caddie is from there so that will hopefully be an advantage,” said the 17-year-old Johorean, who holds the record as the youngest winner on the domestic PGM Tour.

Tournament organisers also announced on Thursday that former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa and popular Indian star Anirban Lahiri will join top draw Danny Willett in the championship’s field.