KURNIA Insurans have become the new partners of Saujana Golf and Country Club to host the Kurnia -Saujana Amateur Golf championships from May 27 to 29.

The three-day championships, to be played at the Palm course at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, will see not only the top amateurs in the country, but foreigners as well.

Saujana Consolidated Group chief executive officer Mohd Ahmad Halim Ahmad said the championship would be a beginning of a significant partnership.

“Kurnia Insurans is one of Malaysia’s fastest rising insurance company and the partnership is the rebranding of the original Saujana Amateur Open held for the past 22 years.

“Kurnia and Saujana will work together to promote the sport. Since its inauguration in 1988, we have seen many prominent professionals emerge from this championship,’’ said Mohd Ahmad.

Kurnia Insurans chief executive officer K.H. Chia said they were privileged to be given the opportunity to be associated with Saujana for the championship.

“Contributing to the golfing fraternity to further strengthen and enhance the talents and the advancement of golfers is part of our corporate social responsibility. We also hope to see a Malaysian winning the championship. Since 2000, when Rahizam Ramli became the champion, foreigners had dominated the event,’’ said Chia.

The other sponsors are Mestari Adjusters and Rexit. The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) vice-president Mohd Yaacob Mohd Kassim said all the national trainees would be taking part in the competition.

“For the MGA, it will be a chance to evaluate the trainees. We are also expecting a strong field of foreign players.

“As the Malaysian Amateur Open will be in Kuching from May 21 to 24, those foreigners involved in the Malaysian Amateur Open will also take part in the Kurnia- Saujana Amateur Open.

“We should be able to get an exciting field for the championship,’’ said Mohd Yaacob.