SPGA President's Cup also a boost for amateurs

A host of promising young amateurs have been invited to play in the three-day Singapore Professional Golfers' Association's (SPGA) Goodpack President's Cup teeing off today at the Warren Golf and Country Club.

Among them are leading amateurs Edgar Oh and Yash Majmudar, with a special invitation extended to India's Samarth Dwivedi.

"The idea is to provide them with good exposure and the worthwhile experience of playing with top pros," said SPGA president M. Murugiah.

The event which has attracted 104 professionals and 17 amateurs, is the final tournament on the SPGA calendar and carries a prize money of $70,000, from sponsor Goodpack and the SPGA.

The Republic's leading pros - Mardan Mamat, Lam Chih Bing, Quincy Quek and Koh Dengshan - plus top Singapore-based golfers Scott Barr, Unho Park and Zaw Moe will also compete.

The challenging Warren course, which held the Goodpack pro-am Monday, is in pristine condition although the recent thunderstorms will allow the golfers to play preferred lies.

Said M. Balraj, a former playing pro and now a top instructor at Orchid Country Club: "I had a great day at the pro-am. The course has been well laid out and the greens are in very good condition.

"The course is relatively short, but the narrow fairways and difficult pin placements make it very challenging. It's going to be an interesting three days ahead."

At Monday's pro-am, Barr shot an eight-under 64 to lead his team, which includes Gerald Tan and Ernest Huber, to victory.

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