Excited participants at The Els Club Desaru Coast (All photos: MercedesTrophy)
The journey to the MercedesTrophy 2024 National Final Malaysia was by way of a five-hour road trip to Desaru in Johor from Kuala Lumpur — specifically, behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz C 350 e plug-in hybrid sedan. Arguably the most covered golf tournament of its kind, the 34th edition of the annual event was held at the picturesque The Els Club Desaru Coast, and it was a luxury golfing experience to be remembered. This is the second time the final has been held at this venue.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia added a unique touch this year. Instead of driving themselves, golfers were chauffeured from their hotels to the welcome dinner in a variety of models such as the EQE, EQS, GLE and C-Class.
“We want our customers to feel like they are on holiday at a destination tournament,” says Mercedes-Benz Malaysia general manager of marketing communication Elaine Hew.
For those unfamiliar with the tournament, the MercedesTrophy is open to the brand’s customers globally. The international amateur tournament series, launched in 1991, has grown and now attracts more than 60,000 golfers from over 60 countries each year.
Entry is open to all Mercedes-Benz car owners who have purchased their vehicles from authorised retail partners over the last five years. Country winners get the opportunity to compete for the MercedesTrophy World Finals at the “home of the automobile”, Stuttgart, Germany, on Sept 29.
This year’s tournament commenced over four qualifying rounds, with the first three taking place at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and the concluding round at the scenic Forest City Golf Resort in Johor Bahru.
The top five contenders from each qualifying round progressed to the National Final Malaysia at The Els Club, setting the stage for an exceptional display of skill and perseverance.
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The MercedesTrophy 2024 National Final Malaysia gathered five players competing in three main categories: A (handicap 0 to 12), B (handicap 13 to 20), and C (handicap 21 to 24).
Azuan Dahli emerged the winner in Category A, Hisyamuddin Salleh secured the win in Category B, and Datuk Mohd Nakir Shayuki, in Category C.
It had been a long time coming for all three, who shared similar stories about winning the tournament. As a matter of fact, none of them thought they would make it to the finals, much less win at the national level.
Hisyamuddin, who started golfing in 2017 as a means to network, said: “I didn’t target to win. I bought a Mercedes-Benz car just to enter this tournament; it’s like no other. But, after I qualified for the finals, I started to practise golf swings every day.”
He describes how he had to keep calm throughout the competition because the long stretches of freeway made gauging the distance a tricky affair.
“I had to use long irons during my middle game, which is not something I am used to. Then, there were also a lot of water hazards. As such, I had to be more tactical and strategic instead of aiming for the furthest swing possible,” Hisyamuddin says. “I could not be greedy.”
Mohd Nakir started golfing three years ago. He joined the tournament with zero expectations, looking to have fun while taking the opportunity to network with other players. This is the second time he is participating in the competition.
“I just played golf for fun, but after a while I got hooked. It’s challenging, yet rewarding,” he says.
The final round was a true test for him, as he had never played at The Els Club Desaru Coast.
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“When I qualified for the finals, I realised I wanted to do my very best. Also, my handicap is high in comparison to the other players. So, I had to practise more because there were so many good players.”
Mohd Nakir was at the driving range almost every day to practise his swings, hitting 300 balls each session. He even attended course management classes to understand that winning is not just about having the best and furthest swing.
“I am not a single-handicapper. So, I was learning to be strategic and practise course management. To top it off, the freeway was long and there were strong winds.”
Indeed, the wind was exceptionally strong at the Ocean Course overlooking the South China Sea. It was designed by four-time major champion Ernie Els, and has three distinct nine-hole loops, aptly named the Lake, Coast and Ridge. The par-three hole is a sight to behold, overlooking the water. But the strong ocean breeze poses a different kind of challenge to golfers.
Despite the tribulations, the three winners described their experience of the whole competition as a rare opportunity found nowhere else.
Their perseverance having paid off, they are looking forward to an all-expenses-paid trip to the MercedesTrophy 2024 World Final in Stuttgart as a team representing Malaysia.
They will be hosted at the luxurious five-star Der Öschberghof hotel, situated on the outskirts of the Black Forest, with picturesque views of Lake Constance and Switzerland.
“For any golfer, it is a dream come true to get to play in the MercedesTrophy finals. Not only that, it is an all-expenses-paid trip and I get to represent Malaysia,” says Azuan, who was participating for the sixth time. He picked up golf in 2018 at the invitation of a friend and soon got hooked on the game, which he describes as “technical and complicated” compared to other sports.
“I have played a lot of sports but I cannot describe any as similar to golf. It’s about understanding your capabilities and the challenges you are facing. Every course offers different challenges; that is what makes the sport very dynamic.”
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The tournament presented an array of exciting prizes and exclusive merchandise, headlined by the coveted Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ 4MATIC as the hole-in-one prize, which was not claimed this year.
Wilson Lim Wee Seng clinched the “Drive to the Major” title, along with an all-inclusive trip to The Open 2024, to be held from July 17 to 22.
“Every year, I look forward to this tournament. This is my second time and I had hoped to win. Nonetheless, I am very happy and surprised to win this prize; it is an experience of a lifetime,” says Lim.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia CEO and president Amanda Zhang describes the annual MercedesTrophy as an event that epitomises the perfection of golf combined with the luxury of the marque.
“This exclusive, invitation-only tournament honours our commitment to providing exceptional experiences for our valued customers. More than a competition, the MercedesTrophy is a prestigious event that embodies sophistication, celebrates excellence and stands as a pinnacle event in the golfing world,” Zhang says.
Novelty prizes from the marketing partners of the MercedesTrophy — including Carlsberg, Crestlink, Desaru Coast Johor, EPOS, Mercedes-Benz Card, Precise Rehab, Taylormade, The Edge and The Els Club Desaru Coast, as well as Dr Med, Luen Heng and Oppo (new to the tournament) — were also presented.
This article first appeared on Jul 15, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
