Genting highlands: A total of 108 junior golfers from 10 countries are vying for a spot in grand finals this October during the China Hainan Junior International Golf Tournament - Malaysia Leg 2026 at the Resorts World Awana, here, which tees off today until Saturday.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysian leg served as an important platform for young golfers including from Malaysia and China across four age categories for boys and girls aged six to 18, to gain international competition experience, with champions and runners-up in each division earning qualification to the final round in Hainan, China.
Sanctioned by both the Malaysia Golf Association and the China Golf Association, the fourth edition of the Malaysia leg, hosted by Hainan Golf Association and co-hosted by SportExcel Malaysia, will be held at the newly remodelled Resorts World Awana Golf Course, which continues to offer an enhanced playing experience amidst the scenic highlands.
Genting Malaysia Berhad executive vice president of sales, marketing and public relations Spencer Lee said Resorts World Genting is placing greater emphasis on supporting the nation by providing young athletes with opportunities to develop their talent beyond Malaysia. 'We hope Resorts World Awana Golf Course will be the platform where they can go overseas and make our country proud. Definitely we'll be very proud because we are the venue that will be able to unearth more talented young golfers in Malaysia,' he told a press conference here, today.
Spencer also said the event would contribute to Malaysia's overall tourism and sporting calendar, with Genting Highlands well-positioned due to its proximity to Kuala Lumpur, favourable weather, accessibility and facilities to host international sporting events.
Meanwhile, Hainan Golf Association secretary general Zhuang Chu Xuan said they are delighted on forging the partnership with Resorts World Awana, which shows strong commitment to the development of junior golf particularly in Malaysia. 'We hope this championship will serve as a platform to nurture the next generation of talented golfers and one day produce future world champions who will proudly represent their countries on the global stage,' he said.
In the meantime, SportExcel Malaysia executive director Sivanandan Chinnadurai said they are committed to maintaining partnership with Hainan Golf Association since 2016 and provide valuable avenue for exposing Malaysian junior golfers with international experience through this event. Established in 2013, the Hainan Junior Golf Tour has grown into one of China's premier junior golf development platforms with Malaysia become one of key international destinations to promote youth development and cultural exchange through sport.