Fourteen Australian golfers are competing in the Jack Akbar Shield 2024 tournament, which begins today at Fiji Golf Club. Susan Yee, secretary of the Fiji Senior Golfers Association, mentioned that this annual event continues to grow, with an expected field of 64 participants this year.
All previous winners, except for Jack Reddy, are returning to compete, raising the possibility of a past champion reclaiming the title or a new winner emerging. The competition will be a stroke play event, with the victor determined by the lowest net score, regardless of gender.
The Jack Akbar Shield was established in 2015 in memory of the golf enthusiast who passed away in Malaysia in 2014. Yee highlighted that the event has become a highly anticipated fixture on the seniors’ calendar since the passing of Mohammed Razak Akbar, affectionately known as Jack Akbar.
Born in Suva in 1929, Akbar attended local schools and began his career as an apprentice in fitting and machining. He established Akbar Engineering Ltd in 1974 and took up golf in the late 1970s after a previous stint as a tennis player. Akbar was dedicated to physical activity as part of his battle against diabetes, which he was diagnosed with in his early 40s.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Akbar was deeply involved in social initiatives, serving in various leadership roles including president of the Suva Jaycees, president of the Rotary Club of Suva, and vice president of the Fiji Muslim League. He was also recognized as a Justice of the Peace and appointed honorary consul for Pakistan, receiving an MBE from the Queen in 1987 for his services.
Akbar’s wife, Gulnoor, was a constant supporter of his endeavors, attending every prizegiving ceremony for the Jack Akbar Shield. Sadly, she is no longer with us.
Past winners of the Shield include Thiphait Hussein in 2015 and 2017, Gardiner Whiteside in 2016, Jack Reddy in 2018, Ishwar Nand in 2019, Kevin McCarthy in 2022, and Shalendra Prasad in 2023, who will be defending his title in this year’s tournament.