IN a bid to ensure that poor students who excel in rugby are not compelled to withdraw from the sport, the Combined Old Boys Rugby Association (COBRA) will be holding the 3rd Prudential Cobra Golf Tournament on July 21 at the Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam in Bukit Kiara.

The biennial event is held to raise funds for Cobra’s Financial Assistance Programme (FAP), where college students and unemployed fresh graduates are given financial support to ensure that their talent is not wasted.

The tournament is co-sponsored by Prudential Assurance and Prudential Unit Trusts Bhd, who sponsored RM15,000 and is supported by Carlsberg and Adidas.

Said Cobra president Datuk Krishnan Tan, almost RM25,000 has also been pledged by 120 confirmed competitors.

"The money will be used to pay part of their fees, medical bills and also allowances.

"It is not a full scholarship, but something to ease their burden," Tan said in a simple cheque presenting ceremony at the Cobra club house in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Also present were Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad CEO Ng Keng Hooi and Prudential Unit Trust Berhad CEO Mark Toh.

Tan also added that more than 10 students have benefited from the FAP since its inception in 2001, with five of them graduating from local universities this month. Two of the players are in the national team.

"Cobra will be taking in five more students who have played at school, university level as well as for COBRA in a number of international tournaments for this year," said Tan. More than 70 per cent of Cobra players are university students.

Details of the event and the dinner-cum-presentation ceremony can be obtained from Boon Hoon Chee at hcboon@pd.jaring.my or call 012-212 7000.