The first tee shots of the Baiduri Masters 2026 were struck this morning at Pantai Mentiri Golf Club (PMGC), officially launching another year of competition, camaraderie, and community giving at one of Brunei Darussalam’s longest-running charity golf tournaments.
The ceremonial tee-off was led by Yang Berhormat Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, and Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (Security and Law). They were joined by Pengiran Azaleen bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Group Treasury and Institutional Banking of Baiduri Bank and President of the Baiduri Masters 2026, and Colonel (B) Zahrin bin Haji Zunaidi, Chairman of Pantai Mentiri Golf Club, signalling the start of this year’s tournament.
The ceremony was witnessed by members of the PMGC Executive Committee, tournament officials, sponsors, and early-morning golfers as players prepared to take on the course over the first of two weekends of competition.
Now in its 28th edition, the Baiduri Masters has become a familiar fixture on Brunei’s sporting and community calendar. Since its inception in 1995, the tournament has grown into a platform that brings together golfers, businesses, sponsors, volunteers and supporters in pursuit of a shared purpose: raising funds for local charities while celebrating the spirit of the game.
This year, proceeds from the tournament will benefit La Vida, SMARTER Brunei, Learning Ladders Society, Pusat Ehsan Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam, and An-Nur Harapan. In 2025, the tournament attracted more than 800 golfers and raised BND82,000 for charity.
As scores began to come in from the opening round, Muhd Irwan Hj Abd Hamid set the early pace with a composed round of 70, taking a slender one-shot lead at the top of the leaderboard. Close behind was Hj Shahminan Hj Damit, who carded a 71 to remain firmly in contention, while Suhaimi Hj Ibrahim sits third on 77 after a steady opening round.
Pg Hj Ahmad Zaki Al Hakim Pghj Jambol occupies fourth place on 78, with Lee Jack Hui rounding out the top five on 81. Sharing sixth position are Dato Hj Suhaimi Hj Gapar and Bakhtiar Yahya, both returning scores of 83.
With two more days of competition remaining this weekend before play resumes the following week, the leaderboard remains wide open as golfers continue their pursuit of the coveted Green Jacket and Challenge Trophy. Adding to the excitement are a range of hole-in-one prizes contributed by event supporters, including a BMW X3 on Hole 13, a Porsche Macan EV on Hole 16, a MINI Cooper on Hole 9, and a BND20,000 cash prize on Hole 7.
There was no hole-in-one winner on the opening day, though one player came tantalisingly close to driving away with a major prize. A shot that stopped just 3.35 centimetres from the hole proved one of the day's biggest talking points and will no doubt add to the anticipation as play continues over the weekend.
Golfers who have yet to sign up still have the opportunity to join this year’s tournament. Registration for the Baiduri Masters 2026 remains open at BND120 for the Men’s, Ladies’, and Senior categories, and BND60 for the Junior category. Players may register online through the Pocket platform or in person at Pantai Mentiri Golf Club, where registration forms are also available.
