THE HISTORY
The Maybank Malaysian Open has a rich legacy that spans five decades and since humble begining, the tournament has set the standards for the professional game on the Asian Tour the 50th edition of the prestigious US$2.5 million Maybank Malaysia Open will be played form 14 - 17 April 2011, at the newly renovated Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, located in the heart of the country’s capital and once again, golfing fans will witness some fabulous and thoroughly professional players at work.
Like the years before, the event, co-sanctioned by the European and the Asian Tours will feature a strong line-up of upcoming talents in the golfing world as well as the game’s stalwarts from both the tours. Aside from the opportunity to grab the first prize US$333,330 purse, players also will have to opportunity to gain vital points from the tournament for The Race to Dubai, giving players the chance to qualify for the US$ 10 million prize fund at the season- ending Dubai World Championship. The winner of the tournament will also receive two-year exemptions to the European and Asian Tours.
THE EARLY YEAR
In the early days, the tournament was known as the Malayan Open. It was part of the Far East Circuit offering a prize purse of RM22, 500. Interestingly, the Malayan Open was the first sports event in the country to offer prize money.
The man instrumental for it was Nobby Clarke, the President of the Federation of Malaya Golf Association, the predecessor to the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA). Clarke who was also the committee member, captain and president of the Selangor Golf Club, formed a committee and approached sponsors within a week and the tournament teed off on 22 February, 1962.
The inaugural Malayan Open Golf Championship attracted a strong field of 76 professionals namely five-time British Open champion Peter Thomson, New Zealand famous left-handed player Bob Charles (British Open champion in 1963), Taiwanese Hsieh Yung Yo and Japan’s renowned golfer, Hideyo Sugimoto.
Frank Phillips of Australia was the first name carved on the silver Seagram Trophy, donated by the House of Seagram. He also took home the winner’s cheque of RM3000.
THE SWINGING SIXTIES
The sixties was an exciting time for the Japanese players who played in the Championship. Tomoo Ishii was the first back-to-back winner capturing titles in 1964 and 1965. Kenji Hosoishi and Takaaki KOno hoisted the shining silver trophy n 1968 and 1969 in the midst of the Japanese invasion; Filipino golfer Ireneo Legaspi breached their ironclad defenses to capture the title in 1967. In 1968, the stakes doubled to Rm50, 000.
This was also a time when locals extended “Home Hospitality” to the players and in the process got to know them better. This prevailed until the seventies when the players could well afford their own accommodations.
The friendly synergy between the players and locals also extended to what would be known as a peripheral event now- the Calcutta Sweep, an event relished by both parties then. Players would be grouped and auctioned off. The winner would be the one who bought the group that contained the champion and the runner- up. The ‘Calcutta Sweep’ was later stopped because it was considered gambling.
THE SCINTILLATING SEVENTIES
Despite several forays by others, the Japanese still held their ground at the Selangor Golf Club, Kono, Takashi Murakami and Hideyo Sugimoto dominated the scene from 1971 until 1973. However, when the venue was moved to the Royal Perak Golf Club in 1974, the Japanese lost their edge and surrendered to Australia, Graham Marsh became the second payer with back to back victories 1974 and 1975.
Hsu Sheng San became the first player form the Republic of China to win the event in 1976, In 1977, the prize money was increased to RM 100,000. In 1979, Lu His Chuen of the Republic of China won the first of the three Malaysian Open titles.
THE ENTERTAINING EIGHTIES
The US Dollar became the common denominator for the Asian Circuit in 1980 and the prize purse for the Malaysian Open was raised to US$60,000. In 1982, It was increased to US$150,000, and Denny Helper became the first American golfer to win the national Open. It was also the year the tournament was reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather.
Kelab Golf Negara Subang hosted the Malaysian Open in 1983 for the first time and in that year; Benson and Hedges became the first title sponsor of the tournament. In 1984, Lu Hsi Chuen became the first player to win the Malaysian Open title three times with his second being in 1981.
The Malaysian Open celebrated its 25th Silver Anniversary in 1986 and in that year, due to the increased popularity of the championship, there were a large number of foreign entrants, which necessitated a Monday qualifying. Australian Stewart Ginn won his second Malaysian Open title in 1983, 1985 and 1987.
In 1988, Tray Tyner’s victory at the Cobra Course signaled the beginning of an American invasion. The Championship moved to the Ayer Keroh Country Club, Melaka in 1989 and prize money reached US$175, 000.
THE CHALLENGING NINETIES
For the first time, the Malaysian Open went to the Bukit Jambal Country Club on the Penang Island in 1992 and golfing fans welcomed home their adopted golfing son Vijay Singh of Fiji, who lived up to their expectation and hoisted the Seagram Trophy.
In 1994, Malaysians almost had their wish for a local champion comes true when P. Gunasegaran fought long and hard in a three-way playoff with New Zealand’s Frank Nobilo and Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman but crumbled at the seventh playoff hole, giving away the title to Haeggman.
1998 saw the demise of the Asian Circuit. In 1999, the Malaysian Open became a joint-sanctioned event on the Asian PGA and European Tours and the prize fund increased to US$750, 000.
THE NEW CENTURY
Taiwanese Yeh Wei Tze won his maiden title in 2000 and earned an exemption to the European Tour.
In 2001, the Malaysia Open acquired a new title sponsor in Carlsberg and the purse increased to US$910,000. Vijay Singh, the reigning U.S. Masters champion won his second title in that year beating Irish Padraig Harrington in a highly charged playoff.
In 2002, the Malaysian Open became Asia’s first million dollar national Open when the prize purse was increased to US$1 million. The event returned to RSGC after a seven- year break and Alastair Forsyth became the first Scot to win the title that year.
In 2003, Arjun Atwal became the first Indian to win a European Tour title when he hoisted the Seagram Trophy at the Mines. In 2004 and 2005, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee achieved back-to-back victories at the Cobra Course.
In 2006, Maybank become the first local sponsor of the tournament and the prize purse received a boost to US$1.25 million. The tournament, played for the first time at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club was reduced to 54 rounds due to bad weather. Korea’s Charlie Wi Captured the title that year, diminishing Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee stranglehold on the title. The Thai stalwart was poised for a hat trick.
In 2007, the prize fund for the Championship was upped to US$1.29 million, and little known Swede, Peter Hedblom captured the title.
In 2008, the national Open Prize money reached a new high of US$2 million and played for the first time at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club. Arjun Atwal won his second Malaysian Open title. In 2009, Anthony Kang, a Korean residing in America, stole the limelight from his much-fancied opponents to pocket the much-fancied opponents to pocket the winner’s US$333,330 prize.
The 2010 Maybank Malaysian Open returns to the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and once again golfing fans are expected to throng the Ted Parslow renovated West Course to watch their favourites in action.
After 48 years, in hopes for a local champion in the 49th edition, the ‘In Search of a Malaysian Champion’ programmed was initiated. Six Malaysian Professionals namely Danny Chai, lain Steel, S, Sivachancdran, Shaaban Hussin |
