Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Stalwarts from the Asian golfing industry were feted at the glittering Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF) Awards Gala Dinner.

Among the highlights of the three-day AGIF Annual International Summit, the Gala Dinner at the Sime Darby Convention Centre ballroom honoured individuals and clubs who have excelled and made significant contributions to golf in the region.

Awards were presented in five categories:

• Outstanding Contribution (Individual/Golf Club)
• Excellence in Innovation (Institutions/Golf Clubs)
• Rising Star (Young Leaders <40 years)
• Women in Golf Leadership (Women Leaders)
• Distinguished Contribution to the Game

The awards were open to individuals of all nationalities, provided their work has contributed significantly to the growth and development of golf in Asia.

Nominations were submitted by industry peers, organisations, or through self-nomination, subject to verification by the AGIF Awards Committee. All nominees had to demonstrate a measurable impact on the advancement of golf in Asia, whether through leadership, innovation, sustainability, education, or community development.

In the category for Rising Stars, 31-year-old Joshua Ho, Chief Executive Officer at the Singapore Golf Association, and 34-year-old Vu Nguyen, Secretary-General of the Vietnam Golf Association, were identified.

Meanwhile, Deborah Wong and Champika Sayal were singled out in the segment for Women Leaders. Wong is Chairman of the Rules of Amateur Status at the Malaysian Golf Association, while Sayal is Secretary-General of the Women’s Golf Association of India.

Four veteran individuals were cited for Distinguished Contributions to the game over a sustained period of time – Pakistan’s Taimur Hassan Amin, Indian Dilip Thomas and Malaysians Zainal Mohammed Shah and His Royal Highness Tunku Tan Sri Imran ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar.

Amin has just stood down as Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) after six years in the post, while Thomas served more than 30 years in golf governance with the Indian Golf Union and APGC, and Shah was a prominent figure in leadership and advisory capacities in the Malaysian golf industry for several decades and was involved in the rollout of the AGIF’s Certificate in Greenkeeping programme.

Recognised globally for his distinguished service to international sport, HRH Tunku Imran was President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia for 20 years, an International Olympic Committee member since 2006 and an honorary member since 2018.

He was the Founder of SportExcel, established in 1991 as Malaysia’s first structured junior golf development pathway which has produced dozens of outstanding players, Ben Leong and Gavin Green among them.

Brad Burgess, Founder and CEO of Sports Turf Solutions (STS), was honoured for his Outstanding Contribution to the game having been a leader in introducing and promoting advanced Zoysia turf varieties around the region, improving course sustainability and performance.

Excellence in Innovation awards were presented to Trojan Battery Company, a global leader in energy solutions for golf and low-speed electric vehicles, and SmartScore Global, a comprehensive digital platform that connects golfers and golf courses through an integrated mobile app and management system.

Representing Trojan Battery at the ceremony were Mark Ray, Regional Sales Manager APAC, and Andy Bai, Sales Director APAC, while SmartScore CEO Yeom In-wook collected the award on behalf of his company.

In the category for Outstanding Contribution, clubs from nine countries were cited – Brunei (The Empire Golf & Country Club, Pg Hj Mohd Faizal bin Zainal Abidin), Cambodia (Vattanac Golf Resort, Damian McHugh), India (DLF Golf & Country Club, Tusch Daroga), Indonesia (Gading Raya Golf Club, Dadi Wiratmo), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, Adam Calver and Mohd Nizam Othman), Philippines (The Orchard Golf & Country Club, TJ Benitez and Nilo Famy), Singapore (Tanah Merah Country Club, Brodie MacDonald), Thailand (Amata Spring Country Club, Plai Khamsang) and Vietnam (Hoiana Shores Golf Club, Long Nguyen).

Chris Gray, President of the AGIF, said: “There are so many individuals and organisations who have had a positive influence on the game in Asia that deserve to be rewarded and lifted into the spotlight.

“The Federation was delighted to be able to celebrate excellence in golf by recognising them during our annual Summit.”