Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Local Pros Arie, Chia Have Good Chance To Qualify For Rio


GOLF SPONSORSHIP...Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid (second, right) witnessing the presentation of a RM200,000 cheque from Managing Director of Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad, Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar (left) to PGM General Manager, Mior Abdul Rahman (right) in Kuala Lumpur today.
 
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Two local professional golfers, Arie Ahmad Irawan and Danny Chia have a good chance to qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in Brazil next year.

Professional Golf of Malaysia chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said both of them were in the best position to be in the group of 300 of the world's best players eligible to play in the Olympic Games.

Currently in the official world golf rankings, Arie is n 343rd place and Chia 399th.

"Besides them, we've several local professional golfers who have now secured places in the world ranking. Now, Arie and Chia are having good points.

"There are 16 more Asian Development Tour (ADT) events until July 14 next year for them to improve on their world ranking points before the Olympics. They have to work hard to win at these tournaments, I believe if they have good points they stand a chance to be in the top 300," he said at Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad's (CCM) Rahman Putra Championship cheque presentation ceremony here today. Golfers must be in the top 300 in the official world golf ranking in order to be eligible for the Olympics.

Out of these, 60 will qualify for the Olympics with a maximum of two golfers from each country.

Among the local professional golfers listed in the world golf ranking are Nicholas Fung 527, Gavin Green (688), Shabaan Hussin (700), Airil Rizman Zahari (718), Wilson Choo and Rizal Amin (736).

Meanwhile, CCM fulfilled its RM1 million pledge towards the development of local golf talents in the country with a final installment of RM200,000 as the title sponsor of the PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship.

The championship scheduled from March 18-21 at Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia in Sungai Buloh, is the 10th leg of the PGM Tour and the fourth co-sanctioned event with the Asian Development Tour this year.

-- BERNAMA

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