PETALING JAYA: The first qualifying round for the inaugural Affincards Golf Challenge welcomed its guests at Templer Park Country Club in Rawang on Aug 11.
This three-qualifying round golf challenge will culminate in a Grand Final, after it moves on to Kota Permai Golf & Country Club on July 25 and then to Palm Garden Golf Club, Aug 8. The Grand Final will take place Aug 25 at The Mines Resort & Golf Club.
Affin Bank’s guests were warmly greeted at the venue before being ushered to the locker rooms.
There an array of stylish goodies awaited each participant, with their personalised locker holding a tournament polo shirt, golf cap, arm sleeves and a dozen Bridgestone golf balls.
After a light lunch and group photograph, players took to the beautifully set-up course to vie for one of the 20 places in the Grand Final.
The top 10 finishers in both the A Medal and B Medal in each qualifying round receive exciting prizes and berths in the final.
Literally getting the ball rolling, Consumer Banking director Idris Abdul Hamid teed off amid the clicking of shutters on tee box 1.
When the scores were tallied, Michael Lam, playing off handicap 9 was declared the A Medal Champion on countback from Nor Azhar bin Mohamad Noor (10), after both returned with 38 points.
Third place went to Aminuddin Kassim (16) with 37, points and fourth to Alex Seem Kok Hin (17) on 36.
Thereafter the competition got tighter with the next five places decided on countback after this group returned with 35 points apiece.
Abdul Halim (11) picked up fifth, Wong Mun Wai (16), sixth, Phang Chak Thong (9), seventh, Datuk Md. Pishal bin Ab. Raub (15), eighth and Tan Boon Hock (9), ninth. There was also a countback for 10th, with Tan Boon Hock (9) pipping Datuk Md Nasir Ibrahim (18), after both returned with 34 points.
The contest for B Medal honours was just as fierce, with Wan Mohd Kamarulzaman (23) taking top honours with 35 points. Mohd Radzi Hamid (23) and Abdul Kadir Nanyan (24) duked it out for second, when both returned with 33 points, with Radzi getting the nod for second place.
The only woman in the field, Haluma Hilyatun Halamarata Baharum (28), emerged fourth with 32 points, while Datuk Nik Mohd Fuad Wan Abdullah (24) was just behind on 31 to finish fifth. Chong Kok Choy (12) took sixth with 27, Wan Mohd Nor Ariff (20), seventh, 23, Md. Yazid Ghazali @ Kamaruddin (21), eighth, 22, Haznan Hussein (23), ninth, 21, Rahmat Osman (22), 10th, 20 and Tengku Mhd. Azuan Raja Muhammad (24), 11th, 14.
A special announcement at the prize giving brought loud cheers and much gratitude when Idris Abdul Hamid declared that all 22 players listed would be given places in the Grand Final.
Apart from the main prizes, there were a series of side attractions where participants could add to their prize count.
Each qualifying round has a Nearest-to-Pin, Longest Drive and Nearest-to-Line novelty contest. On top of that, one all-new BMW X1, in partnership with Quill Automobiles, is up for grabs at each leg and will be given to the first person that scores a Hole-in-One.
The tournament is open to all Affin Card holders and a thrilling day of golf, with all the trimmings, awaits every golfer who signs up to participate.
Places are limited and are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
