Selangor’s PKNS Masters golf event is expected to help attract nine million visitors in 2026 by boosting sports tourism and related industries.
PETALING JAYA: The PKNS Selangor Masters and Selangor International Junior Golf Championship are expected to help the state achieve its target of attracting nine million visitors for Visit Selangor Year 2026.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said hosting such tournaments boosts sports tourism and encourages the involvement of other industries. “Events like this not only involve sports activities, but also help boost other sectors such as hospitality, including hotels, transport, food and beverage and various other support industries,” he said.
He added that the impact provides comprehensive benefits to the state’s economy and tourism industry. “From my golfing experience in Selangor, I found that even foreign golfers from South Korea, Japan, Europe and neighbouring countries come to play here,” Amirudin told a media conference at the Seri Selangor Golf Club.
He said these tournaments will further spur their participation and help achieve the visitor target. More than 2,000 spectators are expected to converge on the venue for the PKNS Selangor Masters.
State Tourism and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim recently said Selangor is targeting nine million visitors for VSY2026. This is higher than the eight million visitors targeted for VSY2025.
The PKNS Selangor Masters from Feb 11-14 will serve as the curtain raiser for this year’s Asian Development Tour campaign. Amirudin said 144 golfers from the ADT, Professional Golf of Malaysia and invited players will compete for an overall prize money of RM685,000.
Participants will also be vying for Asian Tour cards next year. Malaysia’s challenge will be led by Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Marcus Lim, Khavish Varadan and Ervin Chang.
The field includes defending champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand and youngsters Carl Jano Corpus and Aidric Chan of the Philippines. Others expected to tee off are Sam Broadhurst of England, Yang Minhyeok of South Korea and Kartik Singh of India.
