The country’s top golf professionals are set for another intense competition at the Palm Resort Golf & Country Club tomorrow, with Toyota Tour’s latest champion, Nasrullah Zulkifli, and veteran Danny Chia leading the charge for the Supra Cup title.
Nasrullah, who surprised many with his win at the Hilux Cup in Kota Kinabalu last month, displayed remarkable composure in securing a wire-to-wire victory, edging out seasoned player Ben Leong by a single stroke, with Paul San finishing just a stroke behind.
Despite his recent success, Nasrullah is keeping his expectations in check. “I believe I can play well at Palm Resort. The Allamanda course is quite challenging, so I’ll just enjoy the experience. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the newly turned pros perform. It’ll be interesting to measure my progress in the Supra Cup.”
The 54-hole tournament starts on Tuesday, concluding on Thursday. This is the sixth event on the Toyota Tour, organized by Professional Golf Malaysia and delivered by MST Golf.
Currently leading the Order of Merit is Paul San, who claimed his first Toyota Tour victory at the Vios Cup in Templer Park CC. Other strong contenders include Galven Green, who won the first two tournaments back-to-back at Saujana GCC and Glenmarie GCC, along with Nicholas Fung, Zia Izzuddeen, Syahiran Syakir, and local favorite Daeng Abdul Rahman, who secured his first Toyota Tour win at the Camry Cup in Forest City GC.
The Ladies Championship also promises to be a close contest, with professionals Geraldine Wong, Aretha Pan, Jocelyn Chee, Michelle Koh, and Durriyah Damian leading the field. The dark horse is the in-form Winnie Ng.
Since returning from her studies in the USA two months ago, Ng has been on a winning streak, capturing the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open at Templer Park and the RSGC Amateur Open the following week. The 23-year-old is eyeing a professional career and aims to secure her Toyota Tour card at the Qualifying School in Kota Seriemas GC next month.
Whether she turns professional this year or next depends on the events available to her for the remainder of the year. Ng is also considering participating in the qualifying schools in Taiwan and China.
“I’m driven by being the best I can be in golf,” Ng said at Palm Resort yesterday. “It’s also my dream to one day represent Malaysia in the Olympics. It’s such an honor, but so difficult, and I feel for Ashley (Lau) in Paris at the moment. It’s a tough course with so much pressure... it can get to you.”
The Allamanda Course, one of three championship layouts at Palm Resort, along with the Cempaka and the Melati, was designed by Ronald Fream. Stretching out to 6,866 yards, it features numerous water hazards, sand traps, and rolling fairways, making it a true test for all competitors.
