KUALA LUMPUR: A letter from the Sports Commissioner’s (SC) office may clear the air and put to rest the issue of sanction for professional golf tournaments in Malaysia or that involves professional golfers.

The Sports Commissioner’s letter dated Nov 14, 2007 was faxed to Bernama yesterday and among others stated that Malaysian Professional Golfers’ Association (MPGA) is the governing body for professional golfers in the country and that any party who organises golf tournaments that involve professional golfers must be sanctioned by MPGA first.

The letter also stated that any professional who wants to play in a professional golf tournament must get the approval of MPGA before playing in any professional golf tournament, as per the MPGA constitution.

According to MPGA president Datuk Ithnin Yaacob, the letter from the Sports Commissioner’s office clearly defines the role of MPGA and what organisers of professional golf tournaments must do in order to receive the necessary sanction.

“The Malaysia Golf Association (MGA) is the governing body for amateur golf in the country and MPGA is the governing body for professional golf in the country. It is that simple.

“We had a meeting to discuss the matter with the Sports Commissioner’s office and we have been asked to go ahead and seek legal redress to resolve the matter, if necessary.

“There are some individuals or clubs who continue to plead ignorance or simply float the rules just to avoid paying the sanction fees.

“The Negeri Masters, Selangor Masters or Terengganu Masters are tournaments which offer prize money in cash, as such they cannot be sanctioned by MGA and if they do so, it will be a violation of the golf rules,” Ithnin told Bernama yesterday.

He also urged the organisers of the Negeri Masters, Selangor Masters and Terengganu Masters to get the necessary sanction to avoid the matter from going to court.

“Last year, they had violated the rules and they are trying to do the same this year but we are not going to keep quiet.

“As much as we do not want to jeopardise these tournaments, we need to put things right and we will even go and get an injunction if necessary, to ensure that nobody takes MPGA or the SC for granted,” he said.

— Bernama