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IN TIME WITH BY BENNY TEO FIRE THAT KEEPS BURNING ingapore’s number one golfer for numerous years, veteran fessed. As for the future of professional golf professional Mardan Mamat, now 51 years old, is still going strong in Singapore, he offered a stern warn- as we caught up with him at the Staysure Tour’s (formerly Senior ing. “Sorry to say that we are in the European Tour) MCB Tour Championship event early December. wrong country to build up this game. It’s not that I don’t like Singapore but to build up your game here is very dif- “I just turned 51 and there’s not earning $10,000 for his effort. How- ficult, whereas in Thailand, Philip- many senior tournaments in ever, he finished the season at 48th pines, Malaysia, Indonesia or India, Asia, so to get an opportunity to on the money list after 10 events and they have their own domestic tour, so play in a European senior is a good ex- missed the trip upwards the Indian even when they are not playing on the perience. First time in Mauritius was Ocean for the finale. Asian Tour, when they go back home, three years back (at the tri-sanctioned Nevertheless, he credited former they have their own tour to play. AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open) and I Asia number one Thaworn Wiratchant “Here in Singapore, we don’t have played well, came in top five. as motivation to do well at Mauritius. that. Most of my career, I have to trav- “It’s different playing the main tour “I spoke to Thaworn about a week el a lot. The only thing we play in Sin- Sand the senior tour. It’s more relaxed before we came here and he told me gapore is the Singapore Open and last here, even the players, while still com- he shot 10 under in the last round to time we had the Singapore Masters petitve are more relaxed,” said the win the tournament last year. That’s but now, we only have the Singapore veteran golf professional over break- very impressive. So I asked about the Open. fast at the Constance Belle Mare Plage golf course and he said it was short, it “Look at Thailand. Every year they where he had been staying for the was easy. It’s just a putting competi- produce an up-and-coming star. Why? week of the event. tion, so if you putt good, you can win.” Because they have their own domes- His first attempt at the 450,000 eu- While he did not follow suit by win- tic tour (All Thailand Golf Tour) and ros ($705,000) season-ending double ning, Mardan was glad to see familiar in a year, they have 15 to 20 events. billing that included another week in faces from when he competed on the Next year, the Thai tour will be all Seychelles for the senior tour’s top 30 European Tour in his younger days, world ranking events. That’s how the players saw him finish a respectable particularly the time after his momen- Thai players can develop very fast and tied-17th in a field of 50 players, and tous victory on home soil at the OSIM that’s why they are very competitive. Singapore Masters. “That’s already proof that this is “We competed at the same age and what you need to do if you want to it’s great to see all of them as seniors produce future Asian top players.” again. Not many players get this op- As to his own future, he looked to portunity to still play golf at 50 years the past for an answer. old and make some money, so I’m “Golf is a struggle. My only mistake very blessed,” he said. that I made, at nine years old, I told At his age, Mardan is still not let- myself I want to be the top profession- ting up, competing in the Asian Tour al in Singapore and I got it. That’s the with exemption earned from a strong mistake I made. I didn’t wish myself career money list ranking, as well as to be world number one,” he reflect- playing a series of events on the Stay- ed wistfully. sure Tour. “It’s a bit emotional for me, when I “Beginning in summer, I spent four think of the past, it’s always that way. weeks in Europe playing in Switzer- I don’t know, I’ll see my body, I’ll see land, Germany and British Seniors how it goes. I hope to continue playing and Scotland. Then I came back for till I’m 60 but now I give myself up to two weeks before going back for an- 55 and see how my fitness is. other four weeks to play two tourna- “If my body allows me, I aim to be ments in England, one in Bulgaria and the number one senior in the world. Mardan Mamat one in Scotland. So I spend about two I’m quite fortunate to still compete at (left) in action months in Europe. It’s good. the highest level. Some of my old col- at the MCB Tour “It’s just that sometimes it gets real- leagues have already left the tour and Championship in ly lonely being away for months, but I still have my career money in the Mauritius. when I play golf, I don’t feel that way. Asian Tour, which means I can play I’ve been playing for so many years, there for another two or three years,” photo by Mark Sampson by photo but I’m still getting used to it,” he con- said the proud Singaporean athlete. SUPERVISING EDITOR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING MARKETING AND SWING S. Murali Benny Teo EDITORS PARTNERSHIP ENQUIRIES [email protected] [email protected] Godfrey Robert Vivien Cham Business Director TEAM Spencer Robinson 9746 0379, [email protected] CREATIVE EDITOR WRITER Ven Sreenivasan Daphne Tay Business Director Jacqueline Wu Jeremy Theseira Rohit Brijnath 9620 1418, [email protected] [email protected] Rahul Pathak SUB-EDITOR Ida Karsia 2 | SWING BY SPHGOLF | 29-30 DECEMBER 2018 | THE BUSINESS TIMES WEEKEND.

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