The stage is set for an exciting SapuraKencana National Qualifier as Malaysia’s top golfers challenge each other for the highly-coveted opportunity to go up against world-class competition. The winner of the Qualifier will earn a place at the CIMB Classic, the region’s only official PGA TOUR FedExCup tournament, this October.
The SapuraKencana National Qualifier, returning for its third consecutive year, is hosted by the world’s leading integrated oil and gas services and solutions provider, SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad (“SapuraKencana”), which is also a sponsor and lead partner in the CIMB Classic 2014, an event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGA TOUR. The Qualifier will be taking place from 25-27 August 2014 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).
“The SapuraKencana National Qualifier has gone from strength to strength over the years, establishing itself as one of the most important national golf tournaments and we are pleased to be sponsoring the tournament again for the third consecutive year. We believe in cultivating and promoting professional golf in Malaysia. With a place at the CIMB Classic at stake, it provides unprecedented opportunities for the best home-grown talent seeking to elevate their standing and benchmark themselves against golfers from the rest of the world,” said SapuraKencana’s President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Shahril Shamsuddin.
Sanctioned by the Professional Golf Association of Malaysia (PGAM), the SapuraKencana National Qualifier will be held with a 100-player field and offers a total prize purse of RM150,000 with the first prize winner taking home RM22,000, plus a spot at the CIMB Classic 2014.
Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Ghani bin Othman, President of the Professional Golf Association of Malaysia said, “The SapuraKencana National Qualifier has been instrumental in driving the development of golf as a sport in Malaysia. Together with the CIMB Classic, the high level of competition and increased exposure these events afford local players will prove beneficial for them in the long run. We are confident our Malaysian talent will rise to the occasion and provide plenty of exciting performances ahead for golf fans in the country. “
In 2013, the SapuraKencana National Qualifier saw Rashid Ismail battle through injury before emerging as champion. He then made his maiden appearance at the CIMB Classic later that year where he was able to test himself against an array of world-class golfing stars.
The CIMB Classic will return to Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club from 30 October to 2 November 2014 as the fourth event of the 2014/15 FedExCup Season on the PGA TOUR. Offering full FedExCup points, the CIMB Classic will feature 78 players – 60 coming from the PGA TOUR, 10 from Asian Tour and eight sponsor’s exemptions, and will carry a total purse of USD7 million.
Out of the eight sponsor’s exemptions, CIMB Classic accords two spots for Malaysians. The second spot will be accorded to the highest ranked Malaysian golfer on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as at 20 October. If the winner of the SapuraKencana National Qualifier is also the leading Malaysian in the OGWR, the second spot for the CIMB Classic will automatically go to the next best-ranked Malaysian on the OGWR.
