Column | Malkeet Kaur

Published July 17, 2008 on May 16, 2020

Malaysia’s Veteran Pro V Nellan Passes Away

---

Malaysia’s veteran golfer Nellan Vellasamy no longer walks among us. The 71-year-old legend passed away this morning at 2.30 a.m. at University Hospital on 16 May 2020. According to his son Tharvindren, Nellan complained of a tightness in his torso, so they rushed him to the hospital ER at night at around 10 pm last night. He was admitted and after several tests, the family was informed that his heart was slowly weakening and eventually, as his son said chokingly – “he just left us.”

 

Born September 30, 1949, Nellan was one of those individuals with a big personality that was larger than life. He had a lot of stories to tell, some so outrageous, one wasn’t quite sure if he was pulling one’s leg or not. He had a wealth of colourful golf stories to tell anyone who listened. He had a tremendous sense of humour, was never afraid to speak his mind on any topic, especially about the state of our local professional golf scene, he was an accomplished professional and a well-loved teaching professional, not just in Malaysia, but throughout Asia. He was truly a golf legend.

 

“My father had always done things his own way. He was always joking. Even in the hospital, despite having just vomited, he was still joking with the nurses. I could hear laughter behind the curtains,” said his son Tharvindren, who revealed that the MCO was difficult for his father as he wasn’t used to staying put at home.

 

He added, “He was always outdoors, travelling and living his life. We thank god that he was in the country when the MCO was imposed.”

 

Golf was the love of his life. In his own words, he once said that golf consumed his very being. This year, Nellan celebrated 50 years (a golden anniversary) of being a professional golfer. He was the eldest of 10 siblings who grew up around the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC) area. His family, including him, starting at age 13 earned a livelihood at the country’s premier golf club. Not many people can say they shared a lesson with crooner Engelbert Humperdinck or caddied for Malaysia’s Prime Ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak, as well as Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s Prime Minister.

 

In his playing career, Nellan played his first Malaysian Open in 1969 and his last in 1989. His two tournament victories included the 1985 Tasek Cement Matchplay and the 1987 Malaysian PGA Championship. He proudly represented Malaysia in two World Cups recording the country’s best finish then at 11^th place together with Bobby Lim in the 1977 edition at the Wack Wack Golf Club in Manila, Philippines. At the 1976 World Cup in Palm Springs, USA, he and Zainal Abidin Yusof finished 32^nd.

 

In his lifetime, Nellan had met and socialised with a host of golfing greats like Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player and a non-golfer Garry Sobers, a West Indies cricketer.

 

Nellan cheated death twice; he survived a plane crash at Subang Airport in 1983 when the flight from Singapore crashed two kilometres short of the runway, and he beat colon cancer in 2007.

 

As a teaching pro, he held teaching positions at Kelab Golf Negara Subang, Tasik Utara Golf Club (Now known as Johor Golf Club), and the Seremban International Golf Club. Though he was now the ambassador for the Saujana Golf & Country Club, his teaching skills were in demand all over Asia.

 

It all began when a group of Indian visitors took lessons from him at Saujana and later invited him to teach beginners and juniors in India. Indeed, despite his advancing age, he had become Malaysia’s veteran golfing nomad travelling frequently to East Malaysia and to different parts of the world imparting his golfing knowledge and skills to groups of golfers who valued his homespun style of golf instructions.

 

Nellan was well-loved evidenced by the number of phone calls received by his family and friends from around the world, all saddened by the loss of their coach, but most of all, a friend. Nellan is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter and a host of grandchildren.

You will be so missed Nellan. Rest in Peace.

---