Mardan Mamat, Nicklaus Chiam among local golfers competing in S’pore Open

SINGAPORE – Twelve local golfers will fly the flag for the Republic at the 2026 Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, the event organisers announced on April 9.

Held at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course from April 23 to 26, the US$2 million (S$2.6 million) tournament is part of the International Series and one of the Asian Tour’s marquee events.

Headlining the list of Singaporean golfers is Nicklaus Chiam, 28, who recently won the Selangor Masters on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

Ranked 741st in the world, he is one of 10 players from the Singapore Golf Association. The others are Ryan Ang, Gregory Foo, Koh Dengshan, Wong Qiwen, Dennis Lim, Joshua Yap and Marc Ong, as well as amateurs Brayden Lee and Troy Storm.

Chiam, who secured a long-awaited maiden professional title in Malaysia in February, hopes to do well on home soil.

He said: “I’m very honoured to represent Singapore as the top-ranked Singaporean golfer but that also comes with pressure. I’ll continue to focus on my processes and do what I can to replicate that success I had when I won in Malaysia.”

SGA’s 10 golfers will be joined by Singapore’s most accomplished male player, Mardan Mamat, and James Leow, who stormed to his maiden ADT victory in the season-ending Aramco Invitational Tournament last November.

Five-time Asian Tour winner Mardan, 58, will be making his 24th appearance at the Singapore Open – he missed the cut in the 2025 edition, which was won by Japan’s Yosuke Asaji after a play-off with South Korean Wang Jeung-hun.

Leow enters through the Asian Tour category for those who finished in the top 10 on the ADT Order of Merit last season, while Mardan qualifies through the Asian Tour’s career earnings exemption.

The 2026 edition will also give the region’s best golfers the chance to secure a spot at one of the sport’s four Majors.

The R&A, which organises the British Open, announced in February that two slots will be given to the best players at the Singapore tournament who are not already eligible for the July 16-19 event.

That prospect of earning a ticket to the Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, has Leow all excited. He said: “Everybody, even all the Singaporean players will look forward to the Singapore Open. And with two available spots to The Open, that’s a very big opportunity for all of us. I like to compete against the best and see where I get myself.”

Past champions of the Singapore Open include Australia’s former world No. 1 Adam Scott (2005, 2006, 2010) and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia (2018) of Spain.

The tournament has also been a platform for young talents to shine. Troy, 17, is relishing another opportunity to prove himself again on home soil after making the cut in the 2025 Singapore Open.

The teenager finished joint-63rd, while amateur Lee was the top local golfer last November after placing tied-50th.

“Playing in the Singapore Open means a lot to me, especially after last year’s experience which was one of my best memories on the golf course,” said Troy.

“Being able to represent my country and compete in front of my friends and family makes the tournament even more special. I’m really looking forward to this year’s Singapore Open and can’t wait to get back out there and enjoy every moment.”