KOTA KINABALU, 22 April 2013 – The race for a spot in the grand final of the 20th edition of the World Amateur Inter Team Golf Championship (WAITGC) continues in Sabah at two of Kota Kinabalu’s best world-class golf courses – Sabah Golf and Country Club and Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club.
The four-day event, which starts today, sees the participation of 27 teams comprising 104 foreign golfers and four Malaysians. A total of 15 teams are from Australia, five from Hong Kong, four from Singapore, and one team each from New Zealand, Brunei and Malaysia.
Rated as one of the toughest courses in South East Asia, Sabah Golf and Country Club was designed by Robert Muir Graves and opened for play in 1976. This 18-hole layout was remodelled in 2004 by Nelson & Haworth Golf Course Architects.
The 6,335 metres par-72 18-hole golf course has a course rating of 73.3 off the back tees. With hilly terrain, undulating fairways, lakes, hidden sand bunkers and adverse wind conditions, it offers endless challenges to golfers.
From Sabah Golf and Country Club, the participants will move to the 6,197-metre, par 72 Dalit Bay Golf and Country Club for the last two rounds. Designed by Ted Parslow, the course is located about 35km northeast of Kota Kinabalu, nestled in the heart of the Shangri-La’s 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 skill 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 crafts a unique marking point for the pin.
The first qualifying round of WAITGC 2013 took place in Johor last month. After Sabah, the subsequent four qualifying rounds will take place at eight different golf courses in Penang, Selangor, Langkawi 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 world map.
The World Amateur Inter Team Golf Championship 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.
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