Kuala Lumpur: Jeev Milkha Singh, Darren Clarke, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Victor Dubuisson will challenge for the specially-commissioned Maybank Championship Malaysia trophy when the event gets underway in a fortnight.

Maybank unveiled the trophy which was conceptualised by Maybank and created by the Royal Selangor.

The trophy is a modern sculptural art form of the “Tiger”, an eminent symbol of Maybank. Weighing nearly five (5) kilos and measuring 550mm (H) x 340mm (W) in height, the trophy is crafted out of pewter on a wooden base.

Tan Sri Dato’ Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor, Chairman of Maybank and Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, Chairman of Royal Selangor International Sdn. Bhd., officiated the ceremony at Hilton Kuala Lumpur today.

“The “Tiger” is a notable brand mark of Maybank and a symbol of Malaysian national pride. With the trophy we aim to illustrate the best of the Maybank Championship Malaysia – ‘courageous, creative and collaborative’ – whilst playing our role in nurturing the pursuit of professional excellence in the game of golf, now across ASEAN countries,” said Tan Sri Dato’ Megat.

Tan Sri Yong added, “We are honoured to have been chosen as the official trophy maker for the Maybank Championship Malaysia, and together with Maybank, we have created a work of art. The intriguing design of the “Tiger” coupled with our intricate craftsmanship, have created a new milestone in the arena of golf trophies in Asia.

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, Royal Selangor’s specially-designed trophies are recognised as accolades that befit the world’s top achievers. The company has previously crafted trophies for other high profile events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix races in Singapore, Malaysia and China; the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 and the inaugural WTA Wuhan Open 2014 tennis tournaments.

Following the unveiling of the trophy, Tan Sri Dato’ Megat also announced the participation of the 2016 EurAsia Cup captains, Clarke and Singh, along with Fitzpatrick and Dubuisson who join a previously announced stellar cast which includes Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen, Danny Willett, Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

“The presence of these four renowned players adds to the attraction of the player field at the Maybank Championship Malaysia,” said Tan Sri Megat. “I am pleased that so far, seven of the top 50 world-ranked players will be at the tournament.”

Darren Clarke
A three-time English Open winner, the finest moment of Clarke’s golfing career came at the 140th Open Championship, where he outplayed Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, to seal a thrilling victory at Royal St. George’s. He has been a record-setter, being the first player on The European Tour to shoot 60 twice and in 2003, Clarke was one of the first players to have more than one World Golf Championship title under his belt, apart from Tiger Woods. Clarke was Captain of the European Team at the recent EURASIA CUP, the first Northern Irishman to have this honour and he led the European Team to victory. Clarke has an impressive record, with 14 European Tour wins and one Challenge Tour win.

Jeev Milkha Singh
The son of former Olympic sprinter Milkha Singh, Jeev was the first Indian golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament and finished tied for 37th place at Augusta National. One of his career highlights was when he carded a bogey-free five under 67 and saw off his opponent, Francesco Molinari, in a sudden death play-off in the 2012 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. Singh’s victory at the Scottish Open also secured him a late berth in The Open Championship the following week. Singh was also granted the Padma Shri by the Indian Government, which is the equivalent of a knighthood, for his extraordinary achievements in the world of sports. He was appointed Captain of the Asian team in the recent EURASIA CUP.

Matthew Fitzpatrick
Currently ranked number 44 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Fitzpatrick, age 21, is one of the most sought-after rising stars in the world of golf. As an amateur, he clinched the 2013 US Amateur Championship and was ranked number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Having turned professional in 2014, Fitzpatrick won the British Masters supported by Sky Sports in 2015 and achieved another nine top ten finishes, including second place in the Omega European Masters.

Victor Dubuisson
Currently ranked number 36 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Victor won the Turkish Airlines Open in 2015. He birdied three of the last four holes in the final round for a six under par 66 and a one stroke victory over Jaco Van Zyl – his second in the event after claiming his maiden title in Turkey two years earlier. The year before, he arrived as a superstar after his epic battle with Australian Jason Day in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. With the match all square after 18 holes, the Frenchman conjured some seemingly impossible shots from the desert to keep the match alive, but eventually lost on the 23rd hole. That helped earn him a place in the European Ryder Cup team, and he made a brilliant debut at Gleneagles, forming a strong partnership with Graeme McDowell and winning two and a half points from three.