National final comes to dramatic countback finish

The players, officials and sponsors at Saujana Golf and Country Club.

JOHOR golfers showcased grit and consistency to be crowned team state champions at the fifth edition of the Perodua National Amateur Golf Series national final at Saujana Golf & Country Club in Subang, Selangor.

In a nail-biting conclusion, Johor edged out Selangor on countback (ocb) after both teams posted identical two-round nett scores of 588 strokes.

Led by team captain Mohamed Izzad Ibrahim Jagkeira, Johor entered the championship as favourites, having committed to regular training sessions and practice rounds in preparation for the final.

The team’s winning scores for the Perodua Challenge Trophy came from Mohamed Izzad (handicap 1), Ivan Lim Jen Jean (4), Nor Azhar Mohamad Noor (7), Mohd Zaid Mohd Nor (12) and Mohd Azmie Lahad (21).

“Saujana’s Palm Course is one of the toughest in the country, so our approach was to stay focused, play safe and do our very best,” said Johor’s team captain Mohamed Izzad. “Every player knew they had to dig deep to outdo the other states.

“The fighting spirit was remarkable, and our ultimate goal was to clinch the title.”

The national final featured 70 individual finalists vying for medals across five categories, with the winners of each earning the honour of representing Team Malaysia at the World Amateur Golfers Championship (WAGC) world final in Jeju Island, South Korea, from Oct 31 to Nov 8, 2025.

Seasoned participant Mohd Rizal Mohmad Sahibek (5) emerged as champion in Medal A with a two-day nett score of 143, beating 14 other contenders. Medal B was won by Abdullah Dania with a score of 146 nett.

The other qualifiers for the WAGC world final were Medal C’s Amir Beek Kamaruddin, with a 146 net, Ahmad Fadzli Mohd Nor in Medal D on 141 and Mohd Faizal Zainal with a 140 net in Medal E.

At the closing ceremony, WAGC president Isac Saminathan announced the potential return of the global championship to Malaysia in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

“We anticipate over 40 countries participating in this prestigious amateur golf event.

“And we’ve identified the official hotel and four golf courses in Johor to welcome the world’s best players,” he said.

He extended his gratitude to title sponsor Perodua, a steadfast supporter of the national series since 2012, and acknowledged co-sponsors and partners including Fella Design, Skechers Go-Golf, Etika Holdings, Tourism Malaysia, the Youth & Sports Ministry, Malaysian Golf Association, IROAS the official timekeeper, Desa Golf House, the Firefly Resorts – Semporna, Rinnai Malaysia, URMunchys, Hospitality 360, Acti-Tape & Throatsil, Kami Global PLT, Le Botanical, Jake’s Charbroil Steaks, Golf Malaysia, Vanakkam Malaysia, AirAsia Group and Pixel Block.

The prize giving ceremony was officiated by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin, who presented the prizes.

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