\n<\/p>\n
He will be 59 in October and is already a grandfather of five, but his drive for playing golf is still burning bright.<\/p>\n
Singapore\u2019s most accomplished golfer, Mardan Mamat, showed the same verve and passion as he practised at Sentosa\u2019s Serapong Course this week in preparation for the Singapore Open, presented by The Business Times, starting on April 23.<\/p>\n
The five-time Asian Tour winner said: \u201cI still love the game that has given me so much. But I admit that the competition is getting tougher, the younger guys are bombing their drives and, at my age, keeping pace with the guys is getting a lot harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll give myself another shot at the Singapore Open and depending on how I finish, will decide on my future. Maybe just play on the senior tour.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is also playing in the 35-man senior field at the Singapore Professional Golfers\u2019 Association event at Warren next week.<\/p>\n
Mardan, who will be making his 24th\u00a0appearance at the Singapore Open \u2013 in addition to two as an amateur \u2013 savoured his time at the national tournament as it had given him some memorable moments.<\/p>\n
In his Singapore Open debut as a pro in 1994, he made a hole-in-one on the par-three fifth hole of Tanah Merah Country Club\u2019s Garden Course and won a Jaguar XJS convertible worth $350,000, which he sold for $270,000.<\/p>\n
His best finish at the historic series was in 2000 when he finished tied-seventh at the Singapore Island Country Club and won US$9,730 ($12,510). His biggest prize money in the event was in 2006 when he finished tied-12th\u00a0and won US$47,500.<\/p>\n
As he looks ahead to the Singapore Open, Mardan says that he is all the more determined to do well as he is now without a club attachment after having left Seletar Country Club in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith my 40 years of playing experience, I am keen on teaching young kids. Hopefully, a club will sign me on.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As in 2025, he would be the oldest participant at the Asian Tour\u2019s International Series event.<\/p>\n
He missed the cut in November 2025 in a strong field in the US$2 million event won by Japan\u2019s Yosuke Asaji, who beat South Korean Wang Jeung-hun in a play-off to pocket the US$360,000 prize money.<\/p>\n
Mardan is one of 12 Singaporeans in the 144-player field for the US$2 million Singapore Open, from which two best finishers, who are not already eligible, get the chance to play at the British Open at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, in July.<\/p>\n
Among the leading Asian Tour players for the Singapore Open are South Korea\u2019s Cho Woo-young, Australian Travis Smyth, Thailand\u2019s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Japan\u2019s Ikemura Tomoyo and Asaji, and Sweden\u2019s Charlie Lindh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n