KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — National veteran golfer Zainal Abidin Mohamed Yusof died today due to a kidney infection. He was 78 years old.

His brother Sahabuddin Yusof, when contacted, said Zainal Abidin died at 6.30am and was buried at 4pm in Kedah.

Zainal Abidin was a national golf legend in the 60s to 80s, having represented Malaysia at the World Cup Golf Championships five times and the Dunhill Cup in St Andrew, Scotland.

Hailing from Ipoh, Perak, he was known as the country’s professional golfer along with his three siblings, Khairudin, Sahabuddin and Nazamuddin.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah this afternoon expressed his condolences to Zainal Abidin’s family via a post on the Istana Negara Facebook.

“His services and dedication to the country is very much appreciated and his passing is a great loss to golf in the country,” according to the post. — Bernama