The Malta Golf Association Shield tournament is being staged at the Marsa course between Thursday and Sunday of next week.
The annual competition is now in its sixth edition and it has become very popular among the local golfing fraternity. In fact, the MGA is expecting around 120 golfers – 90 men (including juniors) and 30 ladies – to take part.
The ladies will start the ball rolling on Thursday 8 November with the men going into action on Saturday 10 November. The final is scheduled for Sunday 11 November.
There will be trophies for the men and the ladies as well as for the overall winner.
The tournament is being sponsored by Nestle.
Addressing a news conference yesterday at the excellently refurbished Royal Malta Golf Club at Marsa, William Beck, president of the MGA, said the first two editions in 2007 and 2008 had been won by seasoned golfers Tony Vella and Nigel Hall. In 2009, Jutta Klotz became the first female to win the event. The last two editions were won by juniors – John Micallef Stafrace in 2010 – he was only 14 years of age – and Quint van Beek, at 15, last year.
He went on to thank the sponsors and his colleagues on the MGA Executive Council without whose support such events can never be staged.
He went on to say that golf had become a very popular sport here, but added that they were also looking at the future in the hope of having a good younger generation of Maltese taking up the sport.
Beck said the RMGC junior academy was doing sterling work to put very young players on the correct pathway to start playing competitively.
He said the MGA was now looking forward to increase its participation in international events as much as possible. He said: “We participated for the first time in the Med Games and this year, for the first time, we took part in the World Amateur team championships. A junior also represents Malta in the R&A Junior Open Championship and we also hope to participate in the European Amateur Championships in future.
“Our achievements so far have been very modest but we will continue to strive to give every opportunity possible for our golfers to improve their talent to be in a position to compete confidently in the international arena.”
Naum Janikew, general manager Nestle, thanked the MGA for giving his company in Malta the opportunity to help in the efforts of the association to improve the level of the sport in Malta.
He said that golf was a game played in beautiful surroundings. “This is one reason for those playing golf to have a strong commitment to achieve good results,” he said.
Also addressing those present was club captain Dr David Debono who thanked MGA president Beck for this opportunity to take part in such a tournament.
He said this was a very popular and much awaited tournament on the calendar of golf in Malta. “Next year, the club will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. We are proud of our past and at the same time, we are confident about the future with several juniors showing a lot of promise,” he said.
The public is invited to attend and watch the golfers throughout the three days of the event.