So long, Ramayah – a fighter finally concedes defeat

PETALING JAYA: He survived a plane crash, a car crash and even escaped a gunshot, but the great fighter finally conceded defeat – to spinal cancer.

Even then, former national golfer M. Ramayah (pic), who died at the age of 67 yesterday, fought a brave fight.

He was diagnosed with the spinal cancer last month but stayed every bit the golf master, coaching others even from his hospice bed.

However, he breathed his last at 10.20am yesterday at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM in Cheras. He was admitted to the hospital two days ago due to shortness of breath.

Ramayah was a man who had many stories to tell. After all, he was Malaysia’s No. 1 golfer and a name to be reckoned with in the region from 1976 to 1997.

He played in 13 World Cups and is one of only a few local golfers who had played with Tiger Woods, being in the same flight as the American when Malaysia hosted the 1999 edition.

Ramayah and partner P. Gunasegaran represented the country in the tournament won by Woods and his partner Mark O’Meara.

Ramayah, in fact, was ahead of Woods until the American birdied the last few holes while the Malaysian dropped strokes.

At the Marcos Invitational tournament in the Philippines in 1981, Ramayah even defeated a field of world class golfers, including Bernhard Langer, Gary Player, David Graham, Billy Casper and Sandy Lyle, to bag the title.

Ramayah and Gunasegaran also finished ninth at the 1994 World Cup in Puerto Rico – still the best achievement by a Malaysian pair.

He has also had many near shaves. He survived the air crash, car crash and came close to being shot dead, in just 10 years between 1983 and 1993.

When he was 28, his flight crashed into a swamp near the Subang International Airport when he was on his way back from Singapore after a tournament.

The plane caught fire but Ramayah, his buddy and mentor V. Nellan, and the others on the plane escaped.

Six years later came the car crash in Ipoh.

He was driving home after dinner when he hit the divider and the car turned turtle. His Nissan Sentra was damaged beyond repair, but he survived the horrific crash with cuts on his head.

“The last thing I remember before passing out was someone helping me get out from the car,” he said later. “When I opened my eyes, I was already in the hospital,” he said.

In 1993, a gunshot accidentally fired by a friend narrowly missed him during dinner before a local tournament in Kelantan.

The golfer had thought he had unloaded the bullets. The near-miss shook Ramayah but he was not defeated. He went on to claim the title that week.

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh led the tributes for Ramayah on her social media.

“Malaysia has lost a bright star in golf. The Youth and Sports Ministry extends our deepest condolences to Ramayah’s loved ones,” she wrote.

The Malaysian Golf Association said they were deeply saddened to hear about Ramayah’s passing.

“He was an inspiration to so many aspiring golfers, and his contributions will never be forgotten.”

National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) chairman Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed said a death benefit would be given to Ramayah’s family.

“Yakeb will give a death benefit of RM3,000 to his family, in addition to covering his medical bills at the hospital.”

Ramayah is survived by his wife, Pathma, and 14-year-old daughter, Bhakialakshmi.