KUCHING: The 23rd Sarawak Premier’s Cup – International Junior Golf Championship returns to Miri from July 13 to 17, with around 100 young golfers from 10 countries set to compete for valuable world junior ranking points.
The championship trophy was presented to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the Satria Pertiwi Complex on Thursday.
Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Minister Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu and Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) chairman Hoan Kee Hock led the delegation.
Speaking at a press conference afterwards, Rentap said Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club will host the championship, featuring junior golfers aged between eight and 16 from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Brunei and Singapore.
“These are junior golfers, not professionals,” he said.
Beyond the competition, Rentap said the tournament is expected to provide a welcome boost to Miri’s tourism sector as players are typically accompanied by their parents, coaches and officials.
“When the juniors come, usually their parents come too, together with the coaches. During the tournament period, the hotels are usually full. We hope to see the same positive impact in Miri,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hoan said the Sarawak Premier’s Cup has grown into one of the region’s leading junior tournaments over its 23 editions, attracting only the top young golfers from each participating nation.
“We invite only the top junior players from each country to compete in four age categories.
“The tournament offers valuable world junior ranking points because many international tournaments require players to qualify or receive invitations based on their world rankings,” he said.
Hoan added that numerous former participants have gone on to enjoy professional careers, underlining the tournament’s role as a stepping stone for aspiring golfers.
As an amateur championship, prize values are capped at USD750 (about RM3,200) in accordance with amateur golf regulations.
