DUNGUN: He started basic golf at 13, and learnt the finer points of the game as a caddie in his free time after school.
Today, diminutive Shahril Jusoh, 39, is a champion golfer.
Representing the Kuala Terengganu Golf Players Sports Club, Shahril showed his prowess in the game by bagging the Terengganu Sultan’s Golf Championship individual title.
Shahril, handicapped 8, carded a score of three-under 69 over 18 holes, in the Stableford stroke-play competition, to beat 139 other players at the Bukit Besi Golf Resort.
He won RM500, while Affenddy Mohd (handicapped 5) was second to pocket RM300 and Muhammad Aqeel Aqram Arman (handicapped 9) was third, to grab RM100.
Both Affenddy and Aqeel also carded a 70, but lost on countback.
Shahril, now an executive with the Kuala Terengganu District Office, said that he had taken to the sport in Form One.
“I began with the driving range twice a week on weekends for two years under the tutelage of my golfing father, Jusoh Din, at the Royal Terengganu Golf Club in Batu Burok.
“By 16, I began playing actively on golf courses by tagging along with my dad, apart from caddying in between.
“I got my big break in 2009, when I represented Terengganu at the Government Services (Maksak) tournament,” said Shahril.
Last year, he was selected by Audi Malaysia to play at the Audi Quattro Cup Grand Final in Barcelona, Spain.
“I gained a lot of exposure there and it boosted my confidence in the game, as I learnt useful tips from professionals,” said Shahril.
On his triumph at Bukit Besi, Shahril said the undulating course was very challenging, not to mention the stiff competition from other seasoned golfers.
“I needed a lot of mental and physical strength, apart from playing cautiously, but tactically, to succeed among the best golfers in the state,” said Shahril.
Fourth to eighth places were occupied by Ahmad Sukri, M. Parizam Karim, Wan Shohairra Wan Shariff, Abdullah Danish Mohd Nazir and Rossdee Ali, in that order, on countback after carding a 70.
Md Azwan Md Azmi and Mansor Mamat both carded a 71, but finished ninth and tenth, respectively, on a countback.
For the team event, Royal Terengganu Golf Club emerged champions among 14 teams, with a three-under 573 aggregate points to bag RM7,000.
Kelab Sukan Pemain Golf Kuala Terengganu was second place with a one-under 575 to win RM5,000, and Kelab Golf Rantau Petronas (KGRP) third, with a two-over 578 to pocket RM3,000.
The prizes were given away by Sultan Mizan Royal Foundation representative Syed Ahmad Shaifuddin Syed Mohamad, the nephew of Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.
RTGC was represented by manager Zul Fadli Rozi and players Pakhruddin Abdul Majid, Mohd Osman Mohd Azahar, Affendy Mohamad, Ahmad Rusdee Mazlan, Nik Mohd Farid Nik Wan, Wan Shohairra Wan Shariff, Ahmad Farhan Wahab, Che Ku Zuhairi, Mazlan Mamat and Ch’ng Bak Lim.
The other 11 teams are Kuala Terengganu Golf Resort, Desa Besut Golf Club, Seri Pantai Golf Club, Green Acres Golf and Country Resort, Bukit Besi Golf Club, Desa Dungun Golf Club, Petronas Golf and Recreation Club, Kemaman Golf Association, Royal Malaysian Police Terengganu, Brang Golfers Club, Gong Kedak Air Base Recreational Club, and the Terengganu Malaysia Games team.