The Order of Merit (OOM) is a system used to rank golfers based on points earned in sanctioned tournaments. In Malaysia, the OOM started in 2009 and was used to select players for national tournaments, but is no longer actively maintained. The Professional Golfers Association of Malaysia (PGAM) now oversees professionals, but their role in sanctioning events and maintaining an OOM is unclear. Establishing an accurate OOM run by the governing bodies would help select the best local players to represent Malaysia in international tournaments.

1. MAY 2014 GOLFDIGESTMALAYSIA 29ILLUSTRATION: CORBIS
ORDEROFMERIT
ANDITSBENEFITSby V. RAVINDRAN
Golf has been
played over
two centuries
in Malaysia
and the governing body, the
Malaysian Golf Association
has existed since 1929.
Later, the Malaysian
Professional Golfers
Association (PGAM) was
V.RavindranistheGeneral
ManagerofSamarahan
CountryClubinKuching
andhasservedtwonational
golfassociationsin28years.
only one OOM by the MPGA
before it got suspended in
2009. MGA only had a ranking
which was managed for the
members of the national team
to be selected for national
assignments.
In2009,wehadtworankings
-oneformembersofthe
nationalteamandanotherfor
thosewhoqualifiedforthe
NationalTrialandmadethe
finalroundcuts,andupdated
aftereveryMGAsanction
events,includingsomejunior
events.
Both were used to
determine selection of
players for future MGA
tournaments. It’s a pity that
I have not seen either one of
them on the MGA website, so
it can safely be assumed that
it is no more in practice.
To the best of my
knowledge, I have not seen
one for the MALGA girls.
Since 2012, the PGM Tour
has come up with its OOM for
all professionals playing on
their tour. But what about the
PGAM (Professional golfers
Association of Malaysia)
who was registered to take
over the activities of the now
deregistered MPGA? What
is their role with regard to
professionals and event
sanctions?
The OOM is a good check
and balance to select local
players for events like
the Maybank Malaysian
Open and CIMB Classic to
name a few. Rather than
going through a qualifying
round where one wins on
performance basis for the
day and not being able to
cope with pressure during
the actual tournament
and thereafter fumble,
miss the cut and create an
embarrassment for the
country. GDM
D I G E S T T H E O B S E R V E R
formed in the 70’s. Then,
SportExcel was set-up in 1980
and the Malaysian Ladies Golf
Association (MALGA) in 1983.
The Order of Merit
(OOM) was in existence for
a long time in major golfing
countries. It took some time
for Malaysia to introduce it.
What is an Order of Merit
and how did it start in golf and
other sports?
The Order of Merit
(French: Ordre du Mérite) is
a dynastic order recognizing
distinguished service in
the armed forces, science,
art, literature, or for the
promotion of culture.
Established in 1902 by King
Edward VII, admission
into the order remains the
personal gift of its Sovereign,
currently Edward VII's
great-granddaughter Queen
Elizabeth II, and is restricted
to a maximum of 24 living
recipients from the monarch's
realm, plus a limited number
of honorary members.
While all members are
awarded the right to use the
post-nominal letters OM
and a medallion for life, the
Order of Merit's precedence
amongst other honors differs
between realms.
The first mention of a
possible Order of Merit was
made following the Battle
of Trafalgar in 1805, in
correspondence between the
First Lord of the Admiralty
Lord Barham and William
Pitt, though nothing came of
the idea.
Later,itwassuggestedby
QueenVictoria,hercourtiers,
andpoliticiansalike,thatanew
order,basedonthePrussian
orderPourleMérite,would
makeupfortheinsufficient
recognitionofferedbythe
establishedhonourssystemfor
achievementoutsideofpublic
service-infieldssuchasart,
music,literature,industry,and
science.
In golf, the OOM is used
to rank players for the year
on a month-to-month basis
based on points collected
from respective sanctioned
tournaments. It has nothing
to do with prize money
earned. One can be a highest
money earner but when it
comes to the OOM, he or she
might not be on the top.
In the past, and to the best
of my knowledge, there was