Low wants more youngsters to embrace golf

Veteran sports administrator Low Teo Ping is seemingly the man with the Midas Touch.

As the Singapore Sailing Federation president between 1999 and 2010, he oversaw the success of the Republic's junior sailors at world level, a nod to the development pathway conjured up by his team.

As the Singapore Rugby Union president, the 71-year-old has overseen the successful hosting of the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at the National Stadium earlier this year.

Under his leadership as president of Sentosa Golf Club, the facility's Serapong Course was ranked in Golf Digest's list of the World's 100 Greatest Golf Courses for the first time this year.

Low was also the vice-president of the International Sailing Federation from 2004 to 2012, and is currently the vice-president of the Asia Rugby Union.

LITTLE SURPRISE

Considering his achievements, it was little surprise when members from the golfing fraternity approached Low to stand for the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) presidency at the elections next Wednesday.

Low, a vice-president at the Singapore National Olympic Council and a board member at Sport Singapore, will go up against Jurong Country Club captain Ross Tan to replace Bob Tan, who has served the maximum of three two-year terms.

Normally chatty, Low, who is also Singapore's chef de mission at the Rio Olympics next month, was unusually brief when The New Paper spoke to him about the contest.

He said: "A group of people have asked me to stand (for the SGA office) and so I have put my name into the hat.

"I think we can do better in terms of inclusivity, beyond just club members and including the likes of industry people and professionals.

"Also, we need to address golf's declining interest among young people. I have some ideas in these areas."

The next SGA president, who will be elected during the Annual General Meeting, will have a stable platform to build the sport on, with incumbent Tan leaving behind an association that generates $1.5 million in annual revenue, as well as about $4m in reserves.