Following the recent announcement and guidelines issued by the General Administration of Sports of China with regards to the staging of international sporting events in China, the PGA TOUR – on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours and in consultation with the China Golf Association – announced that the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, scheduled for October 29-November 1, has been canceled.

“We have worked extensively with all Tours, international officials, the China Golf Association and other local parties to find a solution to host the WGC-HSBC Champions,” said Ty Votaw, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President, International.

“In line with Chinese government guidelines and being mindful of the logistical implications, we collectively made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 event.”

Votaw added: “The WGC-HSBC Champions has been a catalyst in the growth in interest and participation in our sport throughout China and Asia. While we are disappointed with not being able to bring the world’s best players to Shanghai this year, our thanks goes out to HSBC, the China Golf Association and the fans in China who have helped make this event so successful since it became a World Golf Championships event in 2009.”

Ends.

Angelo Que’s golf game is ready to roll, thanks to his “tennis” injury being fixed – although unfortunately, at the moment, playing time is limited.

Held up at home in Manila since March because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions, he has endured two lengthy stints of lockdown with no golf; three months from March onwards, and then last month as well.

As with all of the Asian Tour’s top golfers it has been a test of character but there has been a silver lining.

“I have actually enjoyed the rest because before the lockdown and before the end of last year, I had tennis elbow,” says Que.

“It sort of affected the way I played, and at that time I was unable to take the time needed to rest, because there were tournaments to be played and during the Christmas break, we only had two weeks off before we started playing again.

“So the rest has been a big help for my elbow but it is also frustrating because now that I don’t feel pain I want to play, but there are no tournaments.”

Angelo Que at the season-opening Hong Kong Open held at the Fanling Golf Club in Hong Kong from January 9-12, 2020. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.

Que’s last tournament was the Bandar Malaysia Open in March, where he tied for 31^st despite the issue with his elbow.

“Pretty much everyday things caused it [the tennis elbow]. Carrying suit cases, playing a lot of golf. When I had it checked, there was no tear or big injury, it was just normal tennis elbow.

“But tennis elbow doesn’t heal as much as other injuries. It takes months and even if you work on it, it still takes months. You have to strengthen it, I have done a lot of research on it. I was surprised, I thought when it heals it’s done but no!  It actually takes months to heal, sometimes years. It doesn’t go away sometimes. So the break was actually a good thing for my elbow.”

He says the local Tour is trying to put together a series of events starting in October. They are aiming to stage six events in a row with players, men and women, being kept in a bubble throughout.

As well as that he is hoping he will be able to play in Japan later in the year if the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) are able to host three or four events in a row, so he could justify the quarantine protocols.

“After the Bandar Malaysia Open in March, the next round that I played was in June. But I am sort of used to not playing that much, especially when I am home for a month, but three months is a bit long. I felt a bit stiff, everything was a bit rusty when I started playing again.

“And then we sort of had another lockdown this month and I have not played since June actually, that’s another two months,” said Que, who has scheduled a practice round this week.

“I am trying to keep busy,” says the 41-year-old.

“Helping the kids with school work, doing groceries and trying to get some rounds in at the same time. The situation back then wasn’t as bad. It was hard to get used to it in the beginning, being in lockdown, not being able to go out, and we couldn’t play golf.

“Right now it’s got better, you can go out and play golf. You can go out and do some groceries and the lines are not so long. Except the new protocol is you have to wear masks, you have to wear face shields.”

His most recent victory was a breakthrough win in Japan two years ago at the TOP Cup Tokai Classic – where Korean Y.E. Yang finished runner-up.

“Winning in Japan, and at my age, is surreal. It is hard to keep up with the young ones right now. You look at the age of the guys dominating on the Tour now, they are in the mid-20s to early 30s, so to keep up with those guys, it is a big deal for me.

“I have been playing in Asia for 18 years, and I have played Japan for six years, so age is a big factor right now. So that win in Japan was very big, especially going against Y.E. Yang. As everybody knows, I love to eat, and the food is great there, and that is why I gained a little bit of weight. I just love the food. If I don’t play well at least I have something to look forward to.”

The Asian Tour, and the JGTO, await to see what a free-swinging and injury-free Que can do when tournaments are up and running once more.

Ends.

August 24: Korea’s Taehee Lee became the first player to successfully defend his title in the 39-year history of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open when he closed with a second straight three-under-par 67 to win by one shot at the Elysian Gangchon Country Club on Sunday.

Lee, who claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough at the Maekyung Open last May, returned to a new venue for his title defence and successfully retained the trophy with a winning total of 11-under-par 199 in the 54-hole event for his fourth title on his domestic Tour.

The 36-year-old got off to a fast start with three straight birdies in his opening four holes but slipped back with four bogeys against two birdies in his next 10 holes. He bounced back with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 and eventually won after leader Minkyu Cho stumbled with a bogey-bogey finish.

Lee, who finished in a commendable third place on the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit, takes home a prize purse of US$134,442 and receives four Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points following his victory to break into the world’s top-500.

Over at the ISPS HANDA Wales Open on the European Tour, Malaysia’s Gavin Green continued his fine form to notch a top-10 finish at The Celtic Manor Resort located in the City of Newport, Wales.

Green, the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, closed with a two-under-par 69 and a three-under-par 281 total to finish five back of winner Romain Langasque of France, marking his second top-10 finish on the European Tour this season.

Ends.

August 13: Panuphol Pittayarat would have been forgiven if he had chosen to celebrate his joint fifth-place finish in the Singha-Sat Prachinburi Championship on the Thailand PGA Tour last Sunday in a slightly exaggerated fashion.

Put mildly, it has been a testing year for the 27-year-old and not for all the obvious reasons relating to the menace that is coronavirus.

“I was playing really well and then I got sick in Hong Kong. I got a fever,” said Panuphol, referring to the Hong Kong Open in January – where he was forced to retire after three rounds.

HONG KONG- The Hong Kong Open at the Fanling Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong, the Asian Tour USD$ 1 million season opener event, January 9-12, 2020. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.

The young man, affectionately known as “Coconut”, is quick to point out it was unrelated to Covid-19.

But the deadly virus, that has sent the world into turmoil, would soon impact him.

“I was home in Bangkok when lockdown first hit,” said Panuphol, speaking from this week’s Singha Pattaya Open.

Like so many of his peers on Tour, he treated the enforced layoff positively.

He adds: “It gave me time to take some time off. I took it in a good way. I spent my time resting basically and doing nothing. I had time to spend with my girlfriend, my family, and with my dog. It gave us some time to rethink, to boost my body.”

To help fill the hours in the day, he rather industriously decided to make and sell ice cream along with his girlfriend and sister.

“It was like a mango yoghurt ice cream. We sold it so that we had something to do, just to friends and family and some of the players tried it. We did pretty well and sold 400 or 500 cups. Any money we made I mostly gave it to my girlfriend and sister. I was really just the wing man,” he says.

It was a period of special downtime time for a golfer who has been a professional since 2009 – he made the transition to the play-for-pay game when he was just 16 years old.

However, when Thailand opened up again after over three months and local tournaments began to reappear on the schedule, Panuphol experienced something unexpected for the first time in his career.

He says: “I basically injured myself by resting and not playing golf during lockdown. My shoulder and back started to hurt badly. I think I did it by doing nothing. I was away from the gym and not doing fitness, not playing golf. I saw a physio, a doctor and chiropractor, I saw everybody, about four people. I tried to get back and recover quickly. I spent a lot of time on recovery. It took me a month to get back on track after lockdown.”

In his first tournament back, the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in July on the All Thailand Golf Tour, he missed the cut.

“I shot five over on the first day and then missed the cut. I told myself to get it together, so I started to go to the gym and practice. My game then started to get better and better. I got back on track, made the cut in the second and third events and finished in a tie for fifth last week.”

It is a bonus for everyone that Panuphol is up and running again.

Over recent seasons he broke through on the Asian Tour with two magnificent and hugely popular victories: first in the 2017 Indonesian Open and then the Thailand Open in 2018 – the latter win coming on his home course at Thai Country Club.

“I have been on Tour for eight or nine years, and it took me six years before I won. It told me I can win. Those wins made me realize I needed to practice even harder, spend more time on the practice area, on the putting green, fixing my faults, and making myself a better person. Those were the key factors. And since those wins I know I have to start working towards what I do best and do what I have to do,” says the Thai star.

He has also tried his hand on the Japan Golf Tour Organization over the past two years and despite struggling there he is determined to return there when conditions permit.

“The problem in Japan was my tee shot. I wasn’t comfortable. Golf courses in Japan are very narrow and tree-lined. I couldn’t adjust to looking at a straight fairway. Most courses in Asia have a dogleg either, left or right. Hitting bad tee shots effected my game and score. I felt like I was hitting out of bounds every day,” he says.

CHACHOENGSAO -THAILAND – Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand, defending champion, pictured on Tuesday November 5, 2019 during the Thailand Open Pro-am event at the Thai Country Club, Chachoengsao, Thailand. The USD$ 300.000 event is an Asian Tour event, November 7-10, 2019. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

For now though, and through to the rest of the year, he is focused on playing tournaments on home soil.

“I turned pro when I was 16, but first started playing in pro events when I was 14. It was definitely difficult as a junior coming out and playing with the best in the country. I think I took the right decision, because I learned so much. I have no regrets,” he says.

“I would like to play better, play on a bigger stage, in Japan, in Europe, if possible the PGA Tour. My goal is playing golf at the top level, my every day goal is to make a living out of it, so if I am not then I am not achieving my main goal.”

Ends.

Greensboro, North Carolina: India’s Anirban Lahiri is feeling like a kid in a candy store and it is for a very good reason.

This week, the 33-year-old will tee up in his first PGA TOUR tournament in five months at the Wyndham Championship due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept him in his home country for an unplanned and extended period of time.

“I’m feeling excited. It’s not something I’ve felt like in a long time,” Lahiri said. “It’s like going back to school after a summer vacation. It’s a good thing.”

In March, he flew home to his native India to feature in his national Open, but the sporting world came to a grinding halt when the COVID-19 pandemic led to countries shutting borders and grounding international travel.

When the PGA TOUR resumed competition in mid-June after a three-month suspension, Lahiri was forced to sit out as he could not return to the United States. The upside though of being home gave him the opportunity to reset and rebuild his game from scratch with long-time coach Vijay Divecha.

“I got to spend six weeks with Vijay which I haven’t done in like five or six years. It’s a big reset and I was able to work continuously with him,” said Lahiri, who has endured a lean spell of form where his last top-10 was at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in November 2018.

“We basically disassembled the engine and put everything back together. In the last few years, I’ve only had the opportunity to see Vijay for short periods of time and those were often fixes.

“This time, we have rebuilt from scratch and started with the assumption you don’t know how to play golf and have never held a club. We started with the grip, posture, the basics and fundamentals, and worked our way up. We deleted the good and the bad stuff, and it’s a clean slate. We’ve actually done this a few times previously to give ourselves a reset.”

This week, he will put his game to a test with a third visit to Sedgefield Country Club, a Donald Ross design which was coincidentally the scene where countryman Arjun Atwal secured an historic victory at the 2010 Wyndham Championship, making him the first Indian winner on TOUR.

“I like it as it’s an old school track, tree-lined and you have to shape shots,” said Lahiri, who played all four rounds in 2017 and 2019. “There’s a good mix of lengthy holes and shortish holes. If you get hot, you can make lots of birdies and do a lot of damage.”

Lahiri remains in search of his maiden PGA TOUR title, having finished inside the top 3 on two occasions at the 2016 CIMB Classic and 2017 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide.

“I feel good about my game in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. I feel good about playing golf again. If you don’t play well for an extended period, it can work against you,” Lahiri said. “If you put in the good work, which I believe I have, you restart by building the confidence up again and I’m excited about competing.

“I haven’t watched much of the golf since the restart which is a good thing as I would have missed it even more. But now that I’m back in America, I’m ready to go. I’m hungry. I love playing golf and I love competing. I’m ready to get out there and pushing myself,” he added.

The Wyndham Championship is the final event of the Regular Season. The top 125 players from the FedExCup points list will qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, comprising of THE NORTHERN TRUST, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship. The FedExCup winner will win US$15 million, the largest winner’s prize in golf.

Ends.

Royal Montreal to become second international venue to host Presidents Cup more than once

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, August 11: PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan announced today that the Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, when the Presidents Cup shifts internationally in 2024. As host of the 2007 Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the Presidents Cup more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

The 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club saw two legendary captains lead their respective teams for the final time, with four-time captain Jack Nicklaus guiding the U.S. Team to victory over three-time captain Gary Player and the International Team by a score of 19 ½ – 14 ½. Despite falling short, the highlight for the week for International Team fans was a Sunday Singles victory by Mike Weir over World No. 1 Tiger Woods, with the Canadian being supported by a massive and supercharged gallery of spectators.

“The people of Canada are some of the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world, and given the overwhelming success of the Presidents Cup in 2007, it was a natural next step for the event to return to The Royal Montreal in 2024,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our thanks go out to our global partners, Citi and Rolex, for making the Presidents Cup possible and to the leadership and membership of The Royal Montreal Golf Club, a venue that has already shown it can challenge and highlight the best players in the world. The Presidents Cup continues to grow and expand along with the global growth of our sport while leaving an indelible legacy of giving back throughout the world. I have no doubt that with the support of our fans, the corporate community and governments of Quebec and Canada and the City of Montreal, the Presidents Cup 2024 will continue to the positive trajectory of this event.”

As part of the news, Monahan announced a partnership between First Tee, Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch First Tee – Canada. With plans to expand across the nation, the partnership will add First Tee’s youth development program to Golf Canada’s already impressive platform that reaches kids in schools and at golf facilities, helping to empower kids through a lifetime of new challenges and personal growth.

Founded in 1873, The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in North America. Its Blue Course was designed by Dick Wilson and updated by Rees Jones in 2004 and 2005. In addition to hosting the Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal has also held the RBC Canadian Open on 10 occasions, most recently in 2014.

“We are excited and more than pleased that we have been selected to host the Presidents Cup again, and we are thrilled that we will be welcoming the world’s best golfers to our club in 2024,” said Michael Richards, Chair of The Royal Montreal Golf Club’s bid committee. “Our club has experienced leadership and great members, and our goal is to make the 2024 Presidents Cup the best ever. With widespread support from leaders of the golf and business communities and from various levels of government and with the help of Tourisme Montreal, we are confident we will succeed.”

Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Mike Weir are the three Canadians who have competed in the Presidents Cup.

Weir, a five-time Presidents Cup participant, amassed a 13-9-2 record before spending the 2017 and 2019 Presidents Cup serving in the role of a captain’s assistant. Weir was famously drawn against Woods in his Sunday Singles match in 2007, which concluded with Weir winning the final two holes to capture the match, 1-up.  

“I was very proud to be part of the Presidents Cup as a player in 2007, and to see it come back after being so well-supported the first time just speaks to how passionate we are in Canada about golf,” Weir said. “The fan turnout was tremendous, and as a Canadian I am very proud to have the Presidents Cup come back.”

Weir, the first Canadian to compete in the Presidents Cup, was later followed by DeLaet, who made his debut for Captain Nick Price in 2013. DeLaet, 31 years old at the time, delivered an inspiring 3-1-1 performance at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which included a Singles match victory over Jordan Spieth.

“I can only imagine the roars that will be heard around Royal Montreal, especially if a few Canadians are on the team,” DeLaet said. “Having the Presidents Cup is such a great way to grow the game in Canada and it’d be nice to see the International Team lift the Presidents Cup on Canadian soil.”

Hadwin became the third Canadian to participate in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for the 2017 International Team at Liberty National Golf Club. He then returned for the 2019 team thanks to one of four captain’s picks from Ernie Els, which he converted into a 1-1-1 record at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

“This is huge for Canadian golf,” Hadwin said. “The state of Canadian golf could not be better and I think it is such an appropriate time to bring it back into Canada. There’s a good chance that a few of us could end up representing the International Team there at Royal Montreal, so that adds to the excitement as well.

“I feel like we have some of the best golf fans in the world in Canada, and to bring a world-class event up to Canada is big for them and I know they’ll be excited to have it back.”

Also announced, Ryan Hart has been named as Executive Director of the 2024 Presidents Cup. Ryan has worked at the TOUR’s Headquarters for over 3 years, most recently as the Tournament Director of THE PLAYERS Championship. Raised in Winnipeg, Canada, Ryan returns home where he previously ran The Players Cup on Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada for seven years while leading a local marketing firm. Ryan will be returning to Canada to lead the TOUR’s efforts over the next four years.

Tournament dates for the 2024 Presidents Cup will be announced at later date.

Ends.

August 11: The sporting fire that lit so brightly when Arjun Atwal turned professional some 25 years ago is showing no signs of flickering as the Indian legend prepares to write a new chapter in his illustrious golf life.

Atwal has deservedly earned legendary stature in India and Asia due to his trailblazing success on golf’s finest fairways, which includes becoming the first Indian to play and subsequently triumph on the game’s biggest stage, the PGA TOUR.

He is also a man of many firsts. Atwal was the first from the sub-continent to win a European Tour event (2002), the foremost golfer to earn over US$1 million in career earnings on the Asian Tour (2003) and the first to taste victory on the Korn Ferry Tour (2008).

For all his easy-going and laidback demeanour, the Indian, now 47 years young, is still as ambitious as he was at 22 when he joined the play-for-pay ranks. While he believes he can still compete at the highest level – he briefly held the co-lead during the third round of the recent Rocket Mortgage Classic – he has set more lofty goals by stating his intention to win on PGA TOUR Champions when he becomes eligible for the over-50 circuit.

“By the time, I’m 50 I’m ready to play (PGA TOUR) Champions. I want to win on this Tour as well. I still have the desire to win as long my body can still perform. If those things are there, then I will play. As of right now, I’m feeling great,” said Atwal, who resides in Windermere, Florida with his family.

The former Asian No. 1 says he has never felt this good in a long time. Throughout a career which saw him garner eight Asian Tour wins including three European Tour co-sanctioned titles and the region’s Order of Merit crown, he endured some difficult times with debilitating back and shoulder injuries. In 231 PGA TOUR events, Atwal enjoyed one win, 11 top-10s and 29 top-25s which his overall report card could have indicated better stats if not for those setbacks.

Hence at the turn of a new decade, Atwal made a pledge to get fitter, trimmer and stronger. When he showed up in Detroit last month, he had shed 15 pounds to bring his weight back to 185 pounds which was the number he tipped on the scales in his PGA TOUR debut in 2004. With his wife Sona’s help, he now consumes only healthy food, stopped the casual alcohol intake, works out at the gym four times a week and diligently practices yoga to ensure he remains supple and agile.

“This year, I made a commitment to get fitter. I wanted to see how fit I could be and also to get rid of the aches and pains. I’ve been working out and I feel good … the legs feel stronger and I’ve added swing speed. I’m hitting the ball longer than in the last five to six years. I don’t remember how long ago I’ve felt like this,” said Atwal, who pounded a drive of 342 yards at the Rocket Mortgage for his longest one to date in 2020.

GREENSBORO, NC – AUGUST 22: Arjun Atwal holds the championship trophy after winning the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 22, 2010 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

This week will mark exactly 10 years when Atwal wrote another slice of Asian golf history by winning the Wyndham Championship. As a Monday qualifier, he led from start to finish to become India’s first winner on the PGA TOUR, fulfilling his American dream which began when he attended high school in New York.

He is once again in this week’s elite field at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, with T53 finishes in his last two starts at the 3M Open and Barracuda Championship. After making the cut in his last start, the Indian star cheekily tweeted: “Three cuts in a row…not bad for a 47 year old…let’s see if the body holds up on the weekend!”

Atwal though is not the sort of guy who would dwell in past successes, preferring to look ahead towards new challenges. “I don’t think about it (the win),” he said. “It’s so long ago. Once it’s over, it’s over. I’m just looking forward to competing, and I got excited to practice again with a purpose when I got into the Rocket Mortgage Classic (where he finished tied 45^th).”

“There’s definitely pride in what I’ve done in my career. Playing on the Asian Tour taught me a lot and it’s a matter of pride to be first Indian to win on the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, European Tour … that’s not bad. I’ve always dreamt about playing here and this is the dream. Hopefully I can become the first Indian to win on Champions as well. There may be generations doing much more after me but they can’t take away being the first. It’s pretty cool coming from a country of 1.3 billion people.”

Atwal’s two sons, 16-year-old Krishen and Shiva, 12, may not quite follow in his golf footsteps despite being introduced to the game when they were young. At 6’5” and 6’1” in height, respectively, and still growing, both seem intent on playing basketball and will have their dad’s full encouragement should they harbour dreams of playing in the NBA.

“The older boy has decided to play only basketball while the younger one is playing both sports but because he’s a big boy, basketball comes easier. I’m not going to push them and my advice is to have discipline and work ethics. They’ve seen their dad work hard and I think they get it. When I’m home, I’ve got the discipline and the ethics. I think they will learn by example,” Atwal said proudly.

“That’s my legacy to my kids.”

Ends.

San Francisco, United States, August 10: American golfing phenomenon Collin Morikawa shook the foundations of the golfing world today by winning the US PGA Championship in only his second start in a Major and barely a year after turning professional.

Helped by a breathtaking eagle on the par-four 16th hole, he shot a bogey-free six-under-par 64 to finish on 13 under and a two stroke victory over Paul Casey from England and American Dustin Johnson.

Casey returned a 66 for his best finish in a Major while Johnson, who started the day with a one shot advantage, returned a 68 – at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 09: Collin Morikawa of the United States celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning during the final round of the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on August 09, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Morikawa started the final round conservatively making the turn in two-under with birdies on three and four. But he stormed into the lead on the back nine with a birdie on 10, a chip in birdie on 14 and an eagle on 16, where he hit his driver to 15 feet – a moment of genius that proved to be the turning point of the Championship.

“I was hoping for a really good bounce and got it,” he said of his tee shot on 16. “I hit a really good putt, and now we’re here.”

The 23-year-old, who is half Japanese, became the third youngest US PGA Championship winner since 1946 – only behind American Jack Nicklaus (1963) and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (2012).

Last year he won the Barracuda Championship in only his eighth start on the PGA Tour and this year, after the Tour resumed following the long lay-off caused by the coronavirus pandemic, he defeated compatriot Justin Thomas from the United States in a playoff to win the Workday Charity Open. Just prior to that he lost to American Daniel Berger in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

China’s Li Haotong, the second round leader, carded a 69 to tie for 17th while American Kurt Kitayama, a winner on the Asian Tour, came in with a 70 to finish equal 58th.

Brooks Koepka from the United States, bidding to win for the third successive year, signed for a disappointing 74 to fall back into a tie for 29th.

American star Tiger Woods, the winner of 15 Majors and four PGA Championships, fired his best round of the week, a 67, to finish joint 37th.

Ends.

The careers of Singapore’s top golfers have one very important component in common.

It is not something that most golfers, aiming to turn professional, would ordinarily factor into their route to the top but it does have some excellent benefits – particularly in areas such as mindset, discipline and physical fitness.

Yes, you have correctly guessed it is National Service (NS) and as Singapore celebrates National Day today – and 55 years of independence – the Tour salutes its members who have served their country so well.

Mardan Mamat, the country’s golfing talisman who inspires all professionals in the Lion City, was in the Civil Defence Force 33 years ago.

Gregory Foo, Choo Tze Huang, Jesse Yap and Marc Ong were all in the Army; while Koh Dengshan and Quincy Quek served in the Air Force.

It is an impressive line-up of Singapore’s elite golfers and perhaps the main question is: how did their two years in the service equip them for life as a Tour professional?

Mardan Mamat of Singapore

“The physical part of the training was very good. And there were a lot of good times,” said Mardan, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“In the first six months [of NS], I couldn’t play any golf. There was very centralized training for six months so they would not let me go anywhere. You really have to put all your effort into what they are going to teach you. But after that I was able to play tournaments.”

Mardan, like all the Singapore players mentioned, was a key part of the Singapore Golf Association’s National Team and was allowed to play in some local events while in the service. After he had completed his two years with the Civil Defence Force he remained an amateur for four years playing in the region’s premier amateur tournaments.

He adds: “My last tournament for the National team was in Hiroshima at the Asian Games in 1994. When I came back to Singapore I decided to turn pro after that. I remember my first event as a pro was the Singapore Open in October, 1994. I remember the date well because I had a hole-in-one on the first day on the Garden Course at Tanah Merah. But I missed the cut though, Kyi Hla Han won the tournament.”

(left) Gregory Foo of Singapore

Perhaps it was Foo who saw the most action as he served as a Commando from 2012 to 2013.

“The physical training not only helped me become fitter and stronger but mentally tougher too,” said Foo.

“Before NS, I would tend to give up easily on the course when things weren’t going my way. So it definitely helped me become better at handling adversity as well pushing myself harder when I needed to. It really had a positive impact on my whole attitude towards my golf game, making me appreciate it more and not take it for granted.”

Like Mardan, he continued to play on the national team for four years after NS.

Foo said that going into NS, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to compete or practice much. He didn’t play a tournament for more than a year due to training. So he decided it was an opportunity to improve other areas of his game, mainly the physical and mental parts. He was able to practice on some weekends and towards the end of his service.

(left) Gregory Foo of Singapore

“A highlight would have to be jumping out of an aeroplane for airborne training,” he adds.

“It was really quite an exhilarating experience but definitely one of the scariest moments for me. Another highlight would be going overseas to countries like Brunei and Australia for training, I definitely had some good memories from those trips.”

Choo went into NS in 2005, and after that attended college at Washington State for four years, before turning professional soon after.

“I think the discipline part was a very important component we learned,” says Choo.

“It is one of the first things we learn in basic training. Being organized, being on time. The army helped with developing all the requirements of an athlete.

“I was lucky enough to play and practice. I played in the Manila SEA Games in 2005 and the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. I was lucky to have base commanders who played golf. I had great support from the Army and Sports Council to train for both events.”

He has some knee and shoulder issues which limited his participation at times but says: “the whole basic training was a money can’t buy experience. The camaraderie in the whole platoon is something I will never forget.”

Jesse Yap of Singapore

Yap was with the army from 2011 to 2012 and was in Logistics. After National Service he attended California Polytechnic State University in the US from 2013 to 2017, before turning professional in 2018.

“NS helped me to be more independent and it gave me responsibilities that I had never really had before. That definitely helped me both when I went overseas to study as well as in my golf career,” says Yap.

“There were also many moments during training when I was asked to push myself to the limit mentally and physically, and that helped me to discover what my boundaries are and learn what I can accomplish when I push myself.”

He didn’t have many opportunities to play tournaments or to practice, so he would just play and practice on weekends since he stayed at camp during the week for most of his service. He only played in some club events on the weekends.

He added: “I didn’t see this as a huge hurdle because I knew I’d have about eight months between finishing my service and enrolling in college to work on my game, and at that point I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue a career as a touring professional yet.”

The highlights of NS for him were the overseas exercises. He had one in Brunei and one in Chinese Taipei.

“Brunei was a navigation and basic survival exercise, and the terrain and landscape was such a big change from Singapore,” he says.

“At times it really did feel like we were in the middle of the jungle, which never happens in Singapore even though you can find some spots surrounded by trees. Chinese Taipei was fun because it was the summary exercise for our training and we got to practice all the skills we had learned over a six-month course but on a much larger scale than we would have been able to if we had stayed in Singapore.”

Marc Ong with his mother

Ong’s two years in the army started in 2015.

“It made me appreciate playing, traveling and competing much more. Time management was important and quality over quantity training sessions,” says Ong, who turned professional in 2018, three months after finishing service.

“I played more during my second year in and qualified for the 2017 SEA Games team while serving and that allowed me to take time off to play some events to prepare.

“Overall I enjoyed NS and it was definitely beneficial to my daily life. I learned a lot about time management, responsibility and personal skills. For golf, I realized how precious a quality training session is when you have limited training hours.”

Koh Deng Shan of Singapore

And so that just leaves the “Airmen”: Koh, in service from 2009 to 2011 and Quek, on duty from 2007 to 2009.

“NS gave me the physical and mental training, especially the basic training which help build up the resilience and discipline in my golf game and life in general,” says Koh.

He turned professional a month after completing NS.

“I was able to play in approved events as I was in the Sportsman Programme. Also, because I was in the Airforce I was able to get up close and watch the fighter jets fly, which was pretty cool. Also I learned a lot about aviation, it is quite different from golf!”

Quek, was allowed to practice and play while serving, and also turned professional immediately after NS.

“Going to a live firing range and learning how to handle a rifle was definitely one of the highlights,” he says.

Singapore, although a small country with few courses, continues to produce professional and amateur golfers capable of winning at all levels thanks in part to a degree of “specialized” training that few countries can rival.

Photo credits: Jesse Yap, Marc Ong, Gregory Foo, Koh Deng Shan

Ends.

San Francisco, United States, August 9: Dustin Johnson excelled on moving day in the US PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park shooting a third-round five-under-par 65 to lead on nine under.

The United States star, runner-up in this event last year, leads by one stroke from two rising youngsters of the American game, Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Champ.

Scheffler also shot a 65 while Champ carded a 67, over the demanding San Francisco course.

China’s Li Haotong, who started the day with a two-shot lead, battled with a wayward driver on the back nine and carded a 73 to fall into a tie for 13th on five under.

Johnson was at his best on the inward half making birdies on 10, 14, 15 and 17 for an inspired back nine of four-under-par 31.

He is chasing his second Major victory to add to his 2016 US Open title. Remarkably, he has 17 top-10 finishes to his name in the Majors.

“I’m going to have to play good golf if I want to win. It’s simple,” said Johnson.

“I’ve got to hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. If I can do that tomorrow, I’m going to have a good chance coming down the stretch. I’m just going to have to do what I did today. Just get it done.”

By contrast Li, like so many others, struggled on the back nine, making a double on 13 followed by drops shots on 14 and 16.

However, lying just five behind Johnson, he stills has an outstanding chance to become only the second Asian winner of a Major after Korean YE Yang’s victory in this event in 2009.

Brooks Koepka from the United States, who is attempting to win the tournament for the third successive year, is in hot pursuit after making birdie on the 18th for a 69 to lie two adrift of the lead.

American Kurt Kitayama, who won on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour in 2018, came in with a 70 and is even par for the first Major of the year.

American star Tiger Woods, the winner of 15 Majors and four PGA Championships, returned a 72 and sits in a tie for 59th on two over.

Ends.