SHAH ALAM, March 8 — The typical see-saw nature of Malaysian weather over the past four days wasn’t enough to put a damper on the Bandar Malaysia Open 2020 (BMO 2020).
Fans continuously showed up for the tournament despite the weather turning foul on the first three days.
The tournament, held at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club (KPGCC) from March 5 to 8, saw the fans avidly following the players through their rounds.
They came armed with umbrellas, caps, sunglasses and some even lugged walking sticks that could be folded out into chairs.
While the first two days saw hundreds of fans watching some of Asia’s most talented golfers on display, the fourth and final day saw thousands of golfing enthusiasts flood the grounds of KPGCC.
Even under the scorching afternoon heat, they faithfully followed then leader, Andrew Dodt, around all 18 holes, eagerly anticipating that the Aussie would claim the Malaysian Open title by the end of the day.
But it wasn’t as predictable as many may had anticipated as Dodt played his worst round from the three in total, allowing Trevor Simsby and Jarin Todd to catch up and match his total score.
The three then engaged in two thrilling playoff rounds to decide the sole champion of the tournament, as a massive cheer from the fans was heard when Simsby surprisingly beat Dodt by a single shot in the playoff.
Previously known as the Malaysian Open, BMO 2020 returned after a four-year hiatus and the last time the national golf open was held here was 12 years ago in 2008 when India’s Arjun Atwal came out on top, collecting his second Malaysian Open title.
Other golfing greats such as former world number one Vijay Singh and Lee Westwood have also lifted the coveted Malaysian Open trophy.
Having been more than a decade since the tournament was last hosted here, it’s obvious that there were bound to be concerns about the course condition and weather.
“It’s the Malaysian Open. It’s the biggest event in Malaysia. So from our side, the most important part was the golf course,” said Gamuda Club, Township and Property Director Tang Meng Loon in an interview with Malay Mail before the tournament.
“Fingers crossed the weather will be good. But we still had to make sure our golf course was in tip-top condition to present the best playing conditions for the pros.”
While the golf course was in near-perfect condition, the weather didn’t match up as the first three rounds of play, from March 5 to 7, had to be called off early due to storm scares.
This meant that instead of playing a full four rounds through 72 holes, the winner of the BMO 2020 was crowned after just 54 holes and three full rounds of play.
However, in spite of the action being cut short, the 156 players, comprising amateurs and professionals, put on a worthy display of skill and expertise for the many fans in attendance.
Players like American duo Todd and Simsby, Australia’s Dodt and Japan’s Naoki Sekito, dazzled bystanders with their cool and calm styles of play, leading the pack after three rounds.
But it wasn’t all just golf, as tournament organisers also put in a lot of effort into making BMO 2020 an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Apart from being able to walk around the picturesque greens at KPGCC, guests also had interactive activities to take part in at the main exhibition centre such as trying out physiotherapy machines, playing virtual reality games and even testing their skills on a putting mat.
Guests were also able to get delicious food, snacks and drinks at the public dining area behind hole 9, with fruit juice stalls, a Carlsberg beer garden and even five food trucks.
This year’s tournament was also the first time that food trucks have been invited to the Malaysian Open.
Guests didn’t even have to walk under the hot sun from their parking spots outside the golf club either, as organisers prepared shuttles to pick up and send guests to and from KPGCC.
The exhibition centre, on the other hand, served a dual purpose as it also acted as the sole entry and exit point for the tournament, as the organisers explained that it was merely a safety precaution, in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“There’s only one way in and one way out. That’s through the exhibition,” said BMO 2020’s head of operations Wong Jay Lyn in an interview with Malay Mail.
“We do it that way because we want to channel people through there, where we have the temperature checks and hand sanitiser stations.”
That extra bit of precaution went a long way into making guests feel safer while being able to let loose and enjoy the tournament as well, as thousands flocked to the course in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam.
Simsby eventually came out on top as the BMO 2020 champion after playing an extra two playoff holes on the 18th tee, with Aussie Dodt and compatriot Todd in the runners up spots.
“When this tournament was announced I was really excited to play here because from fairway to green it’s in really good condition,” said Simsby during a press conference.
“I will remember this week for the rest of my life. You can’t pay for these types of experiences. So I’m excited to keep the momentum going for the rest of the year.”
Malay Mail was the official media partner for the BMO 2020.
For more information about the BMO 2020 surf over to https://themalaysianopen.com/
