Kuching, SARAWAK: The Asian Tour have announced its first full-field event in Malaysia since 2014 with the inaugural staging of the Sarawak Championship from July 4 to 7.

Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Art, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak, the inaugural tournament will offer a prize purse of US$300,000 and will be staged at the Arnold Palmer-designed Damai Golf and Country Club, outside of the state capital Kuching.

The Sarawak Championship will welcome the region’s leading stars to the Borneo Island where they face stern challenges from the talented Malaysian golfers.

The Sarawak State Government and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak, hopes to leverage on the Tour’s global coverage via its online and television platform to promote tourism in Sarawak.

By hosting this event, the state plans to showcase Sarawak as a destination for golfers in Asia and around the world while promoting the beauty of the state through the Tour’s television highlights.

This is the first time the Asian Tour will host a tournament in Sarawak after staging Asian Development Tour (ADT) events from 2012 to 2017.

Asian Tour chief executive officer Josh Burack welcomed the addition of the new event to the Tour’s robust 2018 schedule.

The Sarawak Championship will be the fourth event sanctioned by the Asian Tour in Malaysia in 2018 along with the EurAsia Cup, Maybank Championship and CIMB Classic.

“This is excellent news for golf in Asia. Malaysia is a very important market for the Asian Tour and we are delighted to add the Sarawak Championship which we expect to be a terrific tournament. A big thank you to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak and all parties which worked together to bring this international tournament to the country” said Burack.

The event will see a total of 150 players, including a minimum of 25 Malaysian golfers, contending for the title.