KLIA2 Control Tower Is Tallest In The World

www.klia.com.my

SEPANG, April 24 (Bernama) -- The KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2) air traffic control tower has been recognised as the tallest in the world by the Guinness World Record.

Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the 141.3 metres tower is higher than the control tower of Suvarnabhune International Airport in Thailand (132.2 metres).

"Built on May 1, 2012, the tower was completed in 10 months, on March 1, 2013 and was first used on April 4, one month earlier to enable air traffic controllers to familiarise with the operation of KLIA2."

He said this at the handing over of the control tower from Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to the DCA by the Acting Minister Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in the main control room on level 33 of the tower, here today.

Hishammuddin also received a certificate of recognition from a representative of Guinness World Record and the Malaysia Book of Record and also witness the first touchdown to KLIA2 by Malaysia Airlines flight MH604 and flight MH402.

Azharuddin said the training of air traffic controllers for KLIA2 started as early as January, including theory and simulator training and 120 controllers were ready to operate at KLIA2 and KLIA.

"The 24-hour operation involves eight air traffic controllers on duty at any one time in the main control room. "A total of 58 new posts have also been created to accommodate the additional work in the control tower," he added.
-bernama.

AirAsia & AirAsia X To Begin Operations At KLIA2 On May 9

KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 (Bernama) -- The AirAsia Group will move all of its operations to the highly-anticipated KLIA2 on Friday, May 9.

All scheduled departures from the LCC Terminal (LCCT) on May 8 will operate as normal, AirAsia said in a statement. Guests with bookings departing Kuala Lumpur on that day are advised to still go to the LCCT to board their flights.

All AirAsia X (D7) flights will still be departing from and arriving at LCCT on May 8, including flights departing on May 9 to Perth, Osaka, Busan and Jeddah at 12.05 am, 1.00 am, 1.15 am and 2.35 am respectively.

However, a number of AirAsia (AK) flights will be arriving at the new klia2 directly on May 8, instead of the LCCT. Domestic flights arriving at klia2 on May 8 include those departing from Kuala Terengganu, Kota Baharu, Tawau, Bintulu, Alor Setar, Johor Baharu, Sibu, Miri, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang.

International flights arriving at klia2 on May 8 include those departing from Macau, Nanning, Kunming, Lombok, Ho Chi Minh City, Phuket, Bali, Shenzhen, Yangon, Guangzhou, Medan, Trichy, Kochi, Kolkata and Chennai.

With a larger built-up area and a brand new experience, AirAsia baggage-drop counters will be open three hours before scheduled departure time, and will close an hour before scheduled departure time for both international and domestic flights to ensure that all guests have ample time to familiarise themselves with the new environment and get to their departure gates on time.

AirAsia strongly encourages all guests to conduct self check-in via web or mobile before arriving at the airport. As all immigration and security counters will still be operational at the current LCCT on May 2-8, travellers need not worry about any inconvenience while going through the LCCT during the transition period.
-bernama.

A Reshuffle In Tourism Malaysia Top Management

PUTRAJAYA, 24 APRIL 2014 –Tourism Malaysia is pleased to announce a change in the top management involving the positions of Deputy Director General (Planning) and Deputy Director General (Promotion) that took effect on 1 April.

Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin, who has served as Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General (Planning) for the past six years now heads the divisions under the ‘Promotion’ portfolio consisting of Advertising; South East Asia; North and East Asia; America/ Europe/ Oceania; South Asia/West Africa/Africa; and Communication and Publicity.

Meanwhile, Madam Chong Yoke Har who was previously the Deputy Director General (Promotion) since 2012 now handles the ‘Planning’ portfolio whose purview include Domestic Promotions, Research, Information Technology, Finance, Industry Development, and Promotion Support divisions.

Both Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin and Madam Chong Yoke Har are no strangers to the tourism industry as they joined the Tourist Development Corporation Malaysia (TDC) in 1978 and 1983 respectively.

Before being appointed as the Deputy Director General (Planning) of Tourism Malaysia in October 2008, Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin served in various positions. He was the Director for Advertising and Publicity Division from 2006 to 2007 and South Asia/West Africa/Africa and Oceania Division in 2008.
 
While attached to Tourism Malaysia’s International Marketing Division from 1996 to 2003, Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin successfully completed two overseas assignments. He headed Tourism Malaysia’s office in Seoul from 1991 to 1996 and the office in Jeddah from 2001 to 2003.

Madam Chong Yoke Har was the Director of Research Division from 2006 to 2008 and Director of International Marketing (North and East Asia) from 2008 to 2011 before serving as the Deputy Director General (Promotion) of Tourism Malaysia since April 2012.

With their vast experiences in the tourism industry, they are now in the best positions to steer the tourism industry effectively and efficiently towards the realisation of the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan’s goals.
-Tourism Malaysia.

Melaka River International Marathon 2014 ( 8 June 2014 )

The “Malacca River International Marathon 2014” is 1 out of the 80 events held throughout the month in conjunction with the “Melaka International River Fest 2014” state event held from the 24th May 2014 till 22nd June 2014. The “Malacca River International Marathon 2014” is organised by Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah & newly appointed event company Heritage In Run [UT0002687-M].

This marathon run will cover a distance from 5 km up to 42km with 13th category listed for marathon runners to participate from. The route encompasses heritage and historical places known in Malacca and the start & finish line will be at Dataran Pahlawan. We hope that this event will further lift the image of Malacca as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and continue to bring a big impact in efforts to restore Malacca River image once known to all in history as "Venice Of The East".
Total Prize Winnings: RM 120,000 cash to be won.

More details log on to http://www.evetickets.com/heritageinrun
-AirAsia RedTix.

Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week - Ready To Wear ( 18~22 June 2014 )

-Shopping Malaysia Secretariat.

Pesta Air 1Malaysia @ Port Dickson

-Tourism Malaysia Negeri Sembilan.

Amateur Golfers Head To Sabah For The Second Round Of WAITGC 2014

KOTA KINABALU, 21 APRIL 2014 – International and local amateur golfers are all geared up to compete in the qualifying round 2 of the World Amateur Inter Team Golf Championship (WAITGC) 2014 in Kota Kinabalu today.

The four-day event, from today till 24 April, is participated by 14 teams from Australia, 10 teams from Brunei, 2 teams from Singapore and one team from Malaysia.

Golfers will first play at the 6,197-metre, par 72 Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club. Designed by Ted Parslow, the course is located about 35km northeast of Kota Kinabalu, nestled in the heart of the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort. The 18-hole wetlands course is bordered by the Mengkabong and Tambalang rivers with the former mangrove swamp offering a fusion of risks and rewards to delight and test the skills of golfers of all levels.

Dalit Bay’s signature hole is its 163-metre, Hole 11. It is a relatively easy par 3 with the South China Sea surrounding the tee. The challenge lies in cutting across the Tambalang river mouth in order to land the ball on a gently contoured green flanked by bunkers. The imposing sight of the majestic Mount Kinabalu in the background presents a unique marking point for the pin. 

From Dalit Bay, the participants will proceed to the Karambunai Resort Golf Club, which is designed by renowned golfing architect Ronald Fream. This par 72, 18-hole course is surrounded by breath-taking views of Karambunai Beach, the South China Sea and Mount Kinabalu, presenting a unique golfing experience. The course presents fair but demanding challenges for every level of player. It is Sabah’s most distinctive golf course and one of Southeast Asia’s premier seaside resort.  

The first qualifying round of WAITGC 2014 took place in Johor last month. After Sabah, the subsequent four qualifying rounds will take place at eight different golf courses in Penang, Langkawi, Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya.

WAITGC is played in Strokeplay gross for the gross category and Stableford for the nett and senior category. Since its debut in 1994, WAITGC has emerged as a well-regarded tournament and one of the highly anticipated golfing events in the region.

Organised by Tourism Malaysia, it attracts more than 500 participants every year. The home-grown event not only tests the golfing skills of the participants but also encourages them to discover the many colourful cultures and traditions in Malaysia, as well as the country’s delectable cuisines and fascinating tourist attractions. The participation of international media has also boosted the stature of the event and placed Malaysia on the world map.  

WAITGC is managed by the Golf Club Managers Association of Malaysia (GCMAM) and sanctioned by the Malaysian Golf Association. For more information, please contact the WAITGC secretariat at 03-5633 2079/5634 2078 or visit www.ewaitgc.com.

-Tourism Malaysia.

The Smart Way To KLIA2 - KLIA Ekspres & KLIA Transit

-www.kliaekspres.com

Magician Without Limits @ Resorts World Genting

Come and be captivated by Peter Marvey, a famous international magician and illusionist best known for his skill in sleight of hand and large-scale stage illusions. He is the world's leader in magical flying and levitations. He made it possible to fly in bright light and was the first magician to change costumes in mid air. 

Be marvelled by his signature illusions consisting of Lumitec Levitation, Ultimate Cut, Cards, Learn to Levitate, Revenge, Fire Spikes, Jumping Jacket, Strongest Woman and Diamond Illusion.
He has won many awards in international magic competitions including the Merlin Award of the International Magicians Society in 2002, Golden Grolla Award, Merlin Award 2009 for being the "Most Creative Illusionist", Swiss National Champion 1993 - 1995,The Society of American Magicians (SAM) Award 1993, World Championships 1994 - Prize in Manipulation and Award Eddy International Magic Convention Hong Kong. Prince Albert of Monaco presented him with the Golden Wand trophy in 1996.

The whole performance by Peter Marvey is definitely a wonder to behold. Be sure to catch the "Magician Without Limits" LIVE at the Genting International Showroom in Resorts World Genting.
-www.rwgenting.com

ERL to KLIA2 to commence on May 2

A flight display board at the entrance of the KLIA2 terminal. - filepic

SEPANG: The Express Rail Link from KL Sentral to KLIA2 will commence operations when the airport terminal opens to the public on May 2.

Operated by airport rail company Express Rail Link (ERL), commuters can expect to reach KLIA2 via KLIA Ekspres; a trip that will take about 33 minutes to complete. It will stop at KLIA first before resuming on a 2.14-km track to KLIA2, less than three minutes-travel from the former.

A one-way trip via KLIA Transit to KLIA2, which also stops at the Bandar Tasik Selatan, Putrajaya/Cyberjaya, Salak Tinggi, and KLIA stations will take about 39 minutes to complete. A trip to KLIA2 from KL Sentral costs the same as a ride to KLIA: RM35 one-way.

Passengers in transit from KLIA can also take ERL's service, with a one-way inter-terminal transfer between the two terminals priced at RM2 for adults and RM1 for children.

Meanwhile, existing transit service KLIA Transit to LCCT (KT2LCCT) will still run until May 8, before discontinuing on May 9.

The KLIA Ekspres runs on a frequency rate of 15 minutes during peak hours, Mondays to Fridays, and every 20 minutes during off-peak hours and the weekends. The KLIA Transit runs on a frequency rate of 20 minutes during peak hours, Mondays to Fridays, and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours and the weekends.

ERL added that 1,000 members of the public can have a free trial ride to KLIA2 on Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad's KLIA2 Open Day on Sun, Apr 27. Those interested can register on a first-come-first-served-basis online from Wed, Apr 23 onwards at www.kliaekspres.com.

-thestar online.

AirAsia X to fly to Xi'an beginning July 2

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X is set to add Xi’an as its fifth destination in China beginning July 2.

In a statement yesterday, the long-haul low-cost carrier said it would commence four weekly flights into Xi’an from Kuala Lumpur and would be the only airline servicing direct flights between both cities. “In conjunction with the launch of our new destination, AirAsia X will be offering deals from as low as RM199 on Economy and RM599 on our Premium Flatbed to Xi’an one way,” the company said.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani said the latest addition into China after Hangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai proved the airline’s commitment to strategically grow in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The airline has to date carried 2.7 million passengers to and from China with an average passenger load of 82%. “With Xi’an added on our network, we expect to see our total revenue increase to over 17% with more than one million guests flying into and from our China routes this year,” he added.

He said that Xi’an had always been a global destination and attracted visitors from all over the world, being famous as the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta warriors of China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. “Attractions include the discovery site of The Lantian Man and the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, which was built to store the translations of Buddhist sutras obtained from India.” 

Bookings are available online from today till Sunday for travel between July 2 and April 30, 2015.
-thestar online.

M'sian Open: Superb-Lee won by Westwood

Lee Westwood won the Maybank Malaysian Open with a superb seven-stroke margin.
- S.S. KANESAN / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: England’s Lee Westwood ended a two-year title drought in style by bagging the Maybank Malaysian Open by a superb seven-stroke margin at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. 

Victory was already in hand for Westwood as he got ready to tee-off at the 18th and he birdied it as well to close with a four-under 68 for an 18-under 270. Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and South African Louis Oosthuizen, the winner here in 2012, finished joint second on 277. 

It was the second Malaysian Open title for Westwood after claiming his first back in 1997 and the 40th worldwide win of his career. The Englishman started the day one shot ahead of compatriot Andy Sullivan and moved into a commanding four-stroke lead before the threat of lightning forced play to be suspended for over four hours. But any doubts about the former world number one faltering over the last seven holes when play restarted were quickly brushed aside. 

Westwood, whose last European Tour victory came at the Nordea Masters in Sweden in June, 2012, kept up the hot pace to move six clear with a birdie at the 13th before parring his way to the last where he sunk a 15-footer for his fourth birdie for the day.

Westwood finished seventh at the US Masters at Augusta National a week ago and felt his improved form has been helped by changes on and off the course.

”I started working with a new coach, Mike Walker a few weeks ago and Billy Foster came back on the bag at the end of last year, so I was going back to what I had done before because it had worked,

”It started to work already – the last couple of weeks I’ve played well at the Houston Open and at the Masters last week and this week I obviously played very well.

”It is a golf course that suits my game, it’s very tight in certain areas. ”I played well, I putted well, and the short game is good,” said Westwood, whose win on Sunday was his 13th in Asia. 

Westwood collected a winner’s cheque of US$458,330 (RM1.466mil) while Wiesberger, Colsaerts and Oosthuizen each won US$205,066 (RM656,211). 

Asked whether he was approaching the form that took him to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking back in 2010, Westwood said: “The potential is there although now I feel like I got a short game and starting to roll a few putts in.
 
“It makes a hell of a difference if you can get up-and-down if you miss a few greens and keeps the momentum going.”

Sullivan, who had reduced Westwood’s lead to only one on Saturday, failed to keep up with his rival on Sunday. Sullivan found water at the second and hit a wayward fourth from the drop zone, eventually carding a triple bogey seven.
He managed to score a hat-trick of birdies immediately but dropped another shot at the seventh.

When play restarted, Sullivan dropped another after finding water at the 12th, leaving Westwood to race six shots clear with a 10 foot birdie at the 13th. Sullivan eventually dropped to a share of 13th place after finishing with a six-over 78 on a total of seven-under 281.
-thestar online.

Watch your back, Westwood

Andy Sullivan is just one stroke behind leader Lee Westwood of England after the third round of the Maybank Malaysian Open.

KUALA LUMPUR: It will be an exciting final round at the Maybank Malaysian Open after former world No. 1 Lee Westwood of England saw his lead whittled down to just one stroke by compatriot Andy Sullivan at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Westwood, seventh at the US Masters in Augusta a week ago, started the day four shots ahead of the chasing pack and, at one stage, he even stretched it to five before a closing bogey saw him sign for a third round of one-under 71 on Saturday. The world No. 36 sits at 14-under 202 with Sullivan one back following an impressive six-under 66 on Saturday.

Frenchman Julien Quesne is third on 10-under 206 after carding a three-under 69 while Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts is a shot further behind in fourth.

Westwood knew it wouldn’t be plain sailing as he targets a second Malaysian Open title the moment he bogeyed the 18th after finding a fairway bunker with his second shot. “It was tricky out there. I didn’t play as well as I did the first two days, but there were some difficult flags and it was really hot. That’s as hot as I’ve been on a golf course for quite some time,” he said.

Westwood, who won the Malaysian Open back in 1997, said the heat affected his focus on Saturday. “It was a real grind. I was leaking out there a little bit. You can get glazed up and lose your concentration quite easily. But I’m leading going into the last round ... so, I’m quite happy with that.

“It will be hot again, so I just have to try to keep control of my swing, the ball and my emotions. “It’s easy to get wound up when it’s as hot and humid as this.”

Fellow Englishman Sullivan will be waiting to pounce should Westwood slip up on Sunday. The 27-year-old Sullivan, who has yet to win on the European Tour, moved into second place on 13-under after firing seven birdies en route to a 66.

Sullivan reduced the gap to three with a birdie of his own from the 12th. He further trimmed Westwood’s lead with a curling birdie putt on the 16th before parring the final two holes.

“I didn’t look at the leaderboard until I finished. I’ll just do the same on the last day and see where it takes me,” said Sullivan, who also admitted that it was difficult to focus under the intense heat. “It was all quite satisfying. I just played good again and tried to limit my mistakes. I only made one mistake but I got it back straight away. I just played really good and am delighted with my finish.

“I felt myself getting a bit tired coming up on the 15th and 16th. I had a couple of sloppy swings in there but I did not drop any shots. I holed a good putt on 16 to keep the momentum going. It was tough out there to keep your concentration but I’m glad my adrenaline kept me going. “Hopefully I can play good golf and catch the leader.”

-thestar online.

Westwood maintains lead at KLGCC

Lee Westwood carded a 66 on the second day of the Maybank Malaysian Open, for a two-day total of 131. – AFP Photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Englishman Lee Westwood continued his control at the Maybank Malaysian Open with a dazzling six-under 66 to add to his opening 65 to open a four-stroke lead at the half-way stage at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Westwood signed for a 13-under halfway total of 131 and now has his sights on ending a two-year title drought by bagging his second Malaysian Open title. Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium and Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines are lying second on nine-under 135.

There were no dark clouds hanging over the venue on Friday and it was Westwood who was on cruise control from the start as he maintained his good form following a seventh place finish at the US Masters in Augusta last week.

Westwood made a series of superb iron shots en route to eight birdies with the only blemish being a double bogey on the par-three 11th where his tee shot was short of the green, finding the water instead.

“I played well. On the front nine I shot a five-under (for the second day running) and I think the longest putt I holed was from four feet on the first. It was solid stuff. “I got a little unlucky at 11. It was one of the best shots I hit all day and the wind just gusted on me and it came up short in the water. But I rallied after that and ended up shooting a 66,” said the pleased former world number one, who feels the work done with new coach Mike Walker is paying off.

“I started with Walker six or seven weeks ago and saw an immediate improvement on the range but at first it was difficult to take it onto the golf course. “I have always played well in Asia, my strike rate is really good. It must be the heat or rice or something, I can’t put my finger on it,” he added.

Colsaerts, a two-time European Tour champion, turned in 32 but struggled to keep pace when he dropped one bogey on his way home to trail Westwood by four shots.

“I thought I actually played a lot better today. I made a fantastic start and was quickly under par, but I got a bit sloppy at one stage. “I gave myself great birdie looks from nine to 14 but didn’t make any of them. I could’ve kept it going and gone really low, but I ran out of a steam on the back nine,” said Colsaerts.

South African Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion and 2012 Malaysian Open winner, carded a four-under 68 to head into the weekend on four-under 140, Defending champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand also hung on to join the weekend field after a second consecutive 71.

-thestar online.

KLIA2 Obtains Certificate Of Completion, Compliance

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama) -- KLIA2, the world's largest purpose-built terminal for low-cost carriers, has obtained the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) from UEMC-Bina Puri JV, the main terminal building contractors.

The issuance of the CCC not only certifies the safety of the project but is also a go-ahead for all relevant authorities to occupy the terminal building including airlines that can start operating from the new hybrid airport.

"We obtained the CCC yesterday, April 17," Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) Senior General Manager (Operations Services) Datuk Azmi Murad told BERNAMA. The CCC must comply with the Fire and Rescue Department, Sepang Municipal Council and Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) specifications.

MAHB conducted a mock run of the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT), which is a trial to stimulate functionality and operational aspects, since early February. The final ORAT will take place on April 30.

Flight operations at KLIA2 will begin on May 2 while the current low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) is scheduled to close on May 9.

Malindo Air, Cebu Pacific Air, Tiger Airways Singapore, Lion Air, Indonesia's Mandala Airlines have announced that they will begin operations at KLIA2 by May 2. On April 15, AirAsia confirmed it would join the bandwagon and operate out of KLIA2 by May 9.
-bernama.

Raikan Hari Ibu Bersama Dato' Jamal Abdillah ( 11 Mei 2014 )

Celebrate beloved mother in conjunction of Mother's Day in an exclusive dinner. Savour delicious dishes by N'dah Mahligai and be entertained by Dato 'Jamal Abdillah with his evergreen hits such as 'Kekasih Awal dan Akhir', 'Azura' and many more. In addition, you will also be entertained by guest artist Nas Adila and Jihan (Raja Lawak) will be the emcee for the night. This exclusive event is open for 400 guests only. Also, one lucky guest will walk away with wedding package worth RM 35,000.

Get your tickets from:

1. Online at www.AirAsiaRedtix.com
2. Rock Corner outlets:	The Gardens, Mid Valley (TEL: 03 - 2201 4893)
	Mid Valley (TEL: 03 - 2201 1423)
	KLCC (TEL: 03 - 2181 5560)
	Subang Parade (TEL: 03 - 5613 1139)
	The Curve (TEL: 03 - 7733 1139)
3. Victoria Music outlets:	Sg Wang(TEL: 03 - 2148 7208)
	Amcorp (TEL: 03 - 7956 0592)
	Tropicana (TEL: 03 - 7722 2955)
	BSC (TEL: 03 - 2093 1093)
4. Penang outlets:	Artist Gallery, Gurney Plaza
	Artist Gallery, Queensbay Mall
5. KL Live @ Life Centre	TEL: 03 - 2162 2570
6. Tune Store	Low Yat Plaza

For enquiry only: Please call AirAsiaRedtix Ticketing Hotline at +603 - 8775 4666. Hotline is operational from 9am-6pm on weekdays.
-AirAsia RedTix.

Westwood grabs early lead in Malaysian Open

Lee Westwood lines up a putt during his opening round at the Maybank Malaysian Open. He has the lead in the opening round with a seven-under 65. – S.S. Kanesan / THE STAR

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world number one Lee Westwood of England showed no effects of jet lag as he fired a seven-under 65 to take the opening round clubhouse lead at the Maybank Malaysian Open at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Westwood, who flew here straight after an impressive seventh placing at the US Masters in Augusta last Sunday, leads by one over 2012 Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium.

Michael Hoey of Italy and Ricardo Santos of Portugal were a further two shots back in third place at the US$2.75mil (RM8.9mil) event jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

Westwood sent out a reminder of why he could be the Asian specialist as he birdied the last three holes before play was suspended for 78 minutes due to the threat of lightning. A total of 42 players in the field of 155 will return at 7.40am on Friday to complete the first round after play was halted for the day due to darkness.

Westwood, who has won 12 out of his 40 titles in Asia including the 1997 Malaysian Open, had an early scare when he opened with a bogey on the par-five 10th hole. But he recovered with a late flourish when he birdied from eight feet and holed a huge 25-footer on eight. He completed a hat-trick of birdies with a 15-foot curling shot on the last hole.

“I did not make the best of starts, bogeying the par-five 10th, the first hole of the day, but fortunately that did not set the tone for the day. “I hit it really well and hit it close a lot. I had to be patient because I was hitting good putts and they weren’t going in,” said Westwood.

The Englishman, currently ranked world No. 37, was delighted to continue his momentum from the year’s opening Major. ”I played well last week and I am happy to carry that on today. ”Obviously this is a slightly harder golf course than Augusta but if you are shooting low scores at Augusta, you should expect to come here and shoot low scores, which I did.

”It was a good round of golf in tricky conditions. It’s obviously very hot and you have to keep hydrated. ”The course is soft so it’s playing its longest, and the greens are firm – it’s testament to how good the construction of the greens are when you consider the rain we’ve had over the past couple of days,” he said.

-thestar online.

2014: An Awesome Year In The Making ( 2014 Petronas FIM Asia Road Racing Championship )

The 2014 season of the PETRONAS FIM Asia Road Racing Championship is shaping up to be one of the best seasons to date. The 19th season of the Asian series will once again run a 6-round championship, featuring 53 of the best riders from 10 participating Asian countries.

The season begins with the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia from April 18 to 20, 2014. The second round will be held at the Sentul International Circuit in Indonesia from June 13 to 15. Japan will then host two consecutive legs, with rounds three and four to be held at the Autopolis International Race Course from August 15 to 17 and followed by the Suzuka Circuit from September 5 to 7. A new host venue makes its appearance in 2014 - the Buriram International Circuit will mark Thailand's return to the championship calendar after an absence of more than a decade. Buriram will be the stage for Round 5 from November 7 to 9. The season will end under the desert skies at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar from December 11 to 13, 2014.

Round 1	Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia	18 – 20 Apr
Round 2	Sentul International Circuit, Indonesia	13 – 15 Jun
Round 3	Autopolis International Race Course, Japan	15 – 17 Aug
Round 4	Suzuka Circuit, Japan	5 – 7 Sept
Round 5	Buriram International Circuit, Thailand	7 – 9 Nov
Round 6	Losail International Circuit, Qatar	11 – 13 Dec

At the time of writing a total of 22 riders have already been confirmed for the SuperSports 600cc premiere class. Despite rumours of his retirement, former MotoGP and WSBK rider Makoto Tamada will be back for his second season in the Asian championship. With the departure of Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman to the MotoGP, for the second year in a row, the SuperSports 600cc class will be without its title defender. Kawasaki's Katsuaki Fujiwara will be racing with an eye on the title, having won it in 2011 and lost it in 2012 and 2013 to rivals Ryuichi Kiyonari and Azlan Shah.

Another WSBK rider adds his presence to the SuperSports 600cc class - Australian Mark Aitchison will be taking to the track in Akeno Speed Racing's trademark yellow and blue livery. Malaysia's top SuperSports 600cc rider Mohd Zamri Baba will be racing astride a Honda this season, after a career spent in the Yamaha marquee. Ahmad Fuad Baharudin also trades bikes, returning to the PETRONAS Hong Leong Yamaha camp after spending a number of years in Kawasaki. Fuad will be teaming up with Japanese rider Yuki Ito.

Look out for young upcoming riders of the class, especially Indonesia's HA Yudhistira who grew wings in the final leg of the 2013 season, much to the amazement of the entire paddock. Another young gun to watch out for is Zaqhwan Zaidi who is rapidly coming into his own in the SuperSports 600cc class. Other young debutants of the class include Malaysia's Ahmad Afif Amran and Mohd Fitri Ashraf Razali. Neither riders are strangers to the championship. Afif previously raced in the Underbone class whilst Fitri had won several Asia Dream Cup races.

In the Underbone 130cc class, Hadi Wijaya is back in the hunt for his fourth consecutive title. Hadi will be teaming up with countryman Rio Dewara in team Faito Factory Racing whilst Gupita Kresna Wardhana stays on at team Manual Tech. The Underbone class will have its first Japanese team to date with the entry from Team RSC that will be fielding the dynamic and hugely popular Kazuki Masaki.

Meanwhile, out of the 18 riders in the Asia Dream Cup, only six are repeat riders. They are Japan's Reitoku Kurogi, Malaysia's Khairul Idham Pawi, Chinese-Taipei's Chung An-Yu, and India's Sarath Kumar as well as Arunagiri Prabhu. The remaining twelve are first time ADC participants hoping to impress with their skill and talent.

Fans of Asian motorcycle racing can now catch the action live on their TV screens with a newly-inked broadcast deal between the championship and Fox Sports. Details are as follows:

-www.asiaroadracing.com