Sunday July 8, 2012

Making a contribution

Top Malaysian junior golfers tee off with the big boys in the Carlsberg Classic.

Winning golf tournaments is a familiar experience for Natasha Andrea Oon but for the 10-year-old, golf is not simply all about winning, what matters most is the excitement you get from the game.

Four years ago, Natasha added her name to the nation’s golfing history when she became the first Malaysian to win the Callaway World Junior Championship title in San Diego. She followed that high with another triumph a year later, winning the TaylorMade World Masters Junior tournament.

Those wins underlined her talents and potential as one of the nation’s leading junior golfers. It may have increased expectations on her future golfing career but the jovial lass is unperturbed and insists that uppermost on her mind anytime she tees it up is to have fun.

The Sports Excel cheque presentation.

“I just go out there today and have fun, anyway my score’s are not counted,” said Natasha with a smile when asked after her round at the Palm Garden Golf Club recently where she played with another top junior player, Chan Tuck Soon and Carlsberg Malaysia’s managing director Soren Ravn and general manager of Luen Heng, and F&B Sdn Bhd’s Kenneth Soh in the fifth preliminary leg of the Carlsberg Golf Classic 2012.

“The golf course is beautiful but it is very difficult. Teeing off with the big guys was fun and I didn’t played too bad,” added Natasha, who almost hit an ace at the par-3, 17th hole, Palm Garden’s signature hole, en route to a respectable score of 88.

In between the social rounds, Natasha has her eyes fixed on the coming Callaway World Junior Championship next month where she aims to repeat her performance of the past couple of years by nicking another age group title.

Both Natasha and Chan are junior players benefiting from the SportExcel programme, the Foundation of Malaysian Sporting Excellence.

Incorporated in 1989, SportExcel’s aim is to promote junior sports development and assist talented Malaysian junior athletes to reach their full potential on the international stage.

“Carlsberg Malaysia is a chartered member with SportExcel for the past 21 years and we believe every child’s fundamental rights for equal opportunity to education are recognised,” said Soren.

“Our partnership with SportExcel is to support and develop these children to provide them a better future for our society.”

Carlsberg Malaysia presented a RM50, 000 contribution to SportExcel early this year, which was raised from the Carlsberg Golf Classic. The contribution will be channeled to further support the development of junior sports, in particular golf.