For the first time in the country’s sporting history, Turkmenistan’s national golf team competed in the final of the World Amateur Golf Championship (WAGC), winning the bronze medal in the team competition. This achievement has gone down in history as one of the first major international successes of Turkmen golfers.

The final stage of the world championship was held at five golf courses in Malaysia’s Johor state. A total of 620 athletes from 67 countries took part in the event. Each national team consisted of five golfers with handicaps ranging from 0.5 to 25.4. The five-round competition, held over five days, required a high level of technical skill, physical endurance and mental resilience from the participants.

Following the first round, the Turkmenistan team ranked fourth. Over the next few days, the Turkmen athletes improved their results and climbed to second place. Ahead of the final round, the team moved into third position.

In the final round, team captain Gurban Ishkabulov demonstrated his experience and composure, finishing the game at par. This result enabled Turkmenistan’s team to hold on to its position, finishing ahead of the teams from the United States, Thailand and Indonesia.

As a result, Turkmenistan’s national team secured third place in the world championship final, behind Malaysia and China.

Turkmen athletes also achieved strong results in the individual competition. Gurban Ishkabulov won the gold medal, while Gozel Yusupova claimed silver. In addition, Gozel Yusupova received the top award in a special category.

The contribution of the team’s 70-year-old captain, Gurban Ishkabulov, deserves special recognition. He brought athletes of different ages together as a cohesive team, developed suitable tactics for each round and helped players manage their energy effectively. He was also awarded a special WAGC certificate as the first representative of Turkmenistan to participate in the world championship final.

This historic achievement not only helps raise the international profile of Turkmen golf but also creates new opportunities for young people who practise the sport in the country.