Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Some of the region’s brightest young talents and established stars will light up the US$1 million IRS Prima Malaysian Open, which tees off at The Mines Resort & Golf Club from February 15-18.
Among the 150-player field for the opening event of the 2024 Asian Tour season is Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, who won the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. The 25-year-old turned professional in 2020 and has won five titles on the Japan Golf Tour, including two victories last year when he finished second on the money list behind 2021 AAC winner Keita Nakajima.
Kanaya also boasts one Asian Tour title to his name, having triumphed at the International Series Oman last February. He will be joined at The Mines by an impressive cast of AAC alumni, including recent standouts such as reigning Asian Games individual gold medallist Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, China, who lost a play-off to Nakajima in 2021, and Korean Cho Woo-young who was tied third in the same edition at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
Cho was a member of the triumphant Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that retained the Bonallack Trophy in Spain last year, as well as the South Korean team that won the Asian Games men's team gold medal at West Lake International Golf Club in China last October.
Also in the mix at The Mines will be Thai amateur sensation Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, who finished 13th in the AAC at Amata Spring Country Club on home soil two years ago.
The IRS Prima Malaysian Open 2024 will mark the 55th staging of Malaysia’s national Open since it was first played at The Royal Selangor Golf Club in 1962. In a historic first, this year’s edition will form part of the Open Qualifying Series, where the top three players not otherwise qualified will earn coveted starts in The 152nd Open at Royal Troon this July.
Prominent Asian Tour players in the field include 2022 Order of Merit winner Sihwan Kim and defending Malaysian Open champion Trevor Simsby, who won the last edition at Kota Permai in 2020, both of the United States, along with Thai stars Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the 2013 Malaysian Open champion, and Jazz Janewattananond.
They will be joined by Asian legends Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who has won a record 18 Asian Tour titles, and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh who amassed 20 titles worldwide and was the first golfer from his country to play in the Masters Tournament when he teed up at Augusta National in 2008.
Other notable past AAC participants include New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, Australians Travis Smyth and Lachlan Barker, Thailand’s Poom Saksansin and Sadom Kaewkanjana, China’s Chen Guxin and Ye Wocheng, Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei and Korean Bae Yong-jun.
The 30-strong local challenge will be led by Malaysian number one Gavin Green, who played in the inaugural AAC at China’s Mission Hills Country Club in 2009, veteran Danny Chia, who has won twice on the Asian Tour, and fellow Asian Tour winners Ben Leong, Nicholas Fung and Airil Rizman.
Also flying the Malaysian flag are rising talents such as Green’s younger brother, Galven Green, 2023 Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award winner Ervin Chang, Amir Nazrin, Paul San and Malcolm Ting, who have all also featured in the AAC. Along with Cho, Ting, who only recently turned professional, was part of the APGC Bonallack Trophy team which triumphed against a strong European side at Spain's La Manga Club last year.
The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) has provided starts in the event for four Malaysian national team players, namely Anson Yeo, Zia Iqmal, Nateeshvar Ganesh and Haris Hezri who are all recent AAC participants. They will be joined by fellow amateurs Ajmal Fajri and Adif Haikal Md. Hazan, two juniors who were selected by the MGA following a two-day trial.
“The organising committee is grateful that some of the top Asian Tour players have confirmed their entries, and this certainly gives golf fans much to cheer about come tournament week,” said MGA President, Admiral Tan Sri Dato Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor (R).
“While it will be exciting to watch the professionals battle it out for the Seagram Trophy, who knows what surprise our talented amateurs can spring in the championship. Anyone deserves to win it in the traditional spirit of the hallowed game.”
