Golf: Malaysian is youngest player to compete in Asian Tour

By RIZAL ABDULLAH

JOHOR BARU: It's another feather in the cap for Malaysian golfer Gavin Kyle Green (pic) when he becomes the youngest-ever player to compete in the Asian Tour – in the US$300,000 Iskandar Johor Open, to be played at the Royal Johor Country Club (RJCC) from Aug 23-26.

The Open has attracted a strong field and it includes four in the top-10 of the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit.

The 13-year-old Gavin, who finished joint second in the Under-14 division in the World Junior Golf Championships in San Diego last month, will compete as an amateur and he was introduced to the media at a press conference yesterday.

Also competing in the amateur category is 21-year-old Edmund Jonathan Au, who won the Indonesian Amateur Open last week. A week earlier, Edmund won the Pahang Open and it was his first-ever title.

For Gavin, who comes from a golfing family, everything is falling nicely in his career in the sport and he hopes to turn professional in five to six years' time. His younger brother, Galven Kendall, won the boys' Under-8 category in the World Junior Championships in San Diego last year.

“I am honoured to play in the Asian Tour, more so when I am the youngest-ever golfer to play in a tournament on the Tour. I hope to pick up the finer points of the game from the professionals. I will give my best against the professionals and it will be a good experience for me,” said Gavin.

Airil Rizman Zahari, winner of the season-opening Pakistan Open in January, will spearhead the local challenge at the RJCC.

Among the other top names vying for the US$47,550 winner’s purse include former Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, Mardan Mamat of Singapore, former US Tour regular Scott Hend of Australia and talented Thais Chinarat Phadungsil and Prom Meesawat.

The Johor Golf Association (JGA) president, Tunku Abdul Majid Idris Sultan Iskandar, said: “We are delighted that many of the region’s top players and proven winners from the Asian Tour have signed up for the Iskandar Johor Open.”

The four players from the top 10 in the UBS Order of Merit are Liang Wenchong of China, Gaurav Ghei of India, Nirat Chapchai of Thailand and Hend.

Tiger says he will be a more complete golfer in seven years’ time

TULSA (Oklahoma): Tiger Woods sounded a warning to his rivals after enhancing his remarkable resume with a two-shot victory at the US PGA Championship on Sunday.

Shortly after clinching his 13th major title at Southern Hills Country Club, the world number one said he expected to become a more complete golfer over the next seven years.

Woods believes he is already a better player than seven years ago when he produced one of the greatest runs in golfing history, claiming seven majors in just 11 starts beginning at the 1999 PGA.

“It's just experience,” the 31-year-old American told reporters after hoisting the PGA Championship's prized Wanamaker Trophy for the fourth time, and second season in a row.

“Understanding how to handle it and manage my game around the golf course, I have more shots than I did then just because of that many more years to learn them.

Woods: ‘You should always train hard and bust your butt. That's what a sport is, (it) is to do that.’“And how to make adjustments on the fly just comes with experience. I'll say the same thing seven years from now, more experienced then than I am now.

“It certainly helps having that experience and having been in that position and have gotten things done in the past. It makes things a little bit easier coming down the stretch.”

Long driven by the record 18 majors piled up by his childhood idol Jack Nicklaus, Woods is second on the all-time list with third-placed American Walter Hagen two behind.

He is prepared to bide his time, though, as he continues to pick off major titles roughly once each year.
“When you first start your career, 18 is just a long way away,” he said. “And even though I'm at 13, it's still a long way away. You can't get it done in one year.

“It's going to take time. It took Jack 20-plus years to get it done. And hopefully, health permitting and everything goes right and I keep improving, I'll one day surpass that.”

Woods, who won his first major title by a record 12 shots at the 1997 Masters, says he has already surpassed his early goals.

“If you would ask me that 12 years into my career would I have had this many wins and this many majors, there's no way,” he added.

“I've exceeded my own expectations and I'm certainly not against that.”

The championship at Southern Hills featured some of the hottest conditions in major history, with temperatures reaching 102 degrees (39 Celsius) during the final round.

The ability to maintain focus for all four days was paramount and Woods believes his renowned fitness has always given him an edge in golf's biggest events.

“Physical fitness is always a huge advantage, especially when you play any sport and you have heat and anything that wears you down mentally and physically,” he said.

“When I walked up 18, I felt the same way as I did going off the first tee.

“I felt great. Other guys may have gotten tired and you see their shoulders slumping and dragging a little bit.
“You should always train hard and bust your butt. That's what a sport is, (it) is to do that. And not everyone considers golf a sport and they don't treat it as such.”

Woods already has 10 more major titles than any of his contemporaries.
The prospect of an improved, fitter Woods over the next seven years can only enhance his aura of dominance. – Reuters

Wicked Teebox Hall Of Fame

Wicked Teebox proudly presents our two new entries to WT Hall of Fame, dedicated to acknowledge WT past champions....

WT-HOF #01





AMIR HAMZAH, UEM GROUP

WT-HOF #02

YUHAIMI YAHAYA - UEM LAND

CONGRATULATIONS TO 2nd WT Winners

Wicked Teebox congratulates all the winners if the recent 2nd Wicked Teebox Golf Challenge held at Bukit Unggul Country Club on the 5th August 2007.

GOLD MEDALISTS - True Champions

NEWLY CROWNED CHAMPION - Mr Yuhaimi Yahaya, UEM Land

2nd Place - Mr Yap Beng Soei

3rd Place - Mr Rosli Hassan, PERKESO

SILVER MEDALISTS - Future Title Contenders

BRONZE MEDALIST

Mainly rookies...but with high potentials....

2nd Wicked Teebox Challenge - What a cracker!

Bukit Unggul Country Club, 5th August 2007 - The much awaited 2nd Wicked Teebox Golf Challenge was successfully held in Bukit Unggul CC with a fresh golfers list of 16 pax. Majority was playing in the WT Tour for the 1st time.



Under the kind weather (we expected worst - either hot blazzin sun or thunderstorm), all 4 flights battled it out through the hilly terrain for the prizes.


































"The course is beatiful especially when you are standing at the 10th tee where you have to tee off down the hill with a driver. The feeling of looking at your ball going straight down onto the fairway was priceless," commented Fila, one of the seasoned player on the day.



At about 6pm, the game finished and players went to refresh themselves. What followed was the closing ceremony where hi tea buffet was served to a much delighted players.



The 2nd Wicked Teebox Challenge witnessed the crowning of a new champion, Mr Yuhaimi who scored a soaring 38 points, beating 15 other golfers. Amir Hamzah, the 1st WT Champion when interviewed later that night said, "Oh..dah ada new champ...nak kena rampas balik nih..".


























"Wicked Teebox would like to take this opportunity to thank all who had participated in the 2nd WT Tournament and hope to see bigger crowd in our upcoming 8th September Bukit Unggul-Wicked Teebox Merdeka Challenge." said Danial, the event manager.

The Challenge is ON!!!

2nd Wicked Teebox Golf Challenge

(HELP - need another 12 players)

Date : 5th May 2007 (Sunday)

Venue : Bukit Unggul Country Club

Dear WT Golfers,

Thank you for your interest to play in our 2nd WT Golf Challenge. We have so far received confirmation of 20 players. We need another 12 players to hit our quota this time. Please recommend any friends to join us :)

Tentative Program: -

12 noon : Registration, goodie bag collection and buffet lunch

1.00 pm : Tee-off

6.00 pm : Prize giving ceremony & Buffet Hi-Tea

6.30 pm : End

For those who have not registered, please either post your interest in our chatzone or call/sms Danial at 012-6077280 asap

See you there golfers!