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Forest City Classic Course Rises 14 Places to No. 36 in Asia; Retains Malaysia No. 1 for Seventh Year
Strong Rankings and Asia Golfing Trend Underscore Forest City’s Readiness for Increased Demand
According to Forest City Golf Resort, it hosted more than 100,000 golfers in 2025. Driven by national and state campaigns and expected rising interest in golf, 2026 is expected to see continued growth in visitor arrivals, especially among recreational and leisure-focused golfers.
Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026 are complementary, government-led tourism campaigns designed to stimulate inbound and domestic travel through coordinated promotion, marquee events, and service enhancements across key gateways and destinations. With ambitious targets — Visit Malaysia 2026 aims to attract 47 million tourists and generate RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts, while Visit Johor 2026 targets 12 million visitors and an estimated RM42 billion in economic impact by year-end — these initiatives are expected to drive increased demand for hospitality, events, and leisure around Forest City SFZ throughout 2026.
Meanwhile, Asia has seen a growing interest in golf participation and travel. Urban driving ranges and family-oriented mini-golf are broadening entry points to the game, and independent data from the R&A, one of the two governing bodies globally determining the rules of golf, revealed in 2024 that Asia leads the global golf population ahead of Europe, Canada, and all other R&A affiliated regions (excluding the US and Mexico, which are affiliated with the USGA). International golf travel into Asia is also growing, with Southeast Asia in particular strengthening its position as one of the most attractive regions for golf tourism due to championship courses, quality hospitality, and diverse cultural experiences — signalling a broad-based upswing supported by participation growth, investment, and tourism.
Against this backdrop, with the Forest City Classic Course ranking No. 36 in Asia and No. 1 in Malaysia for 2026, the resort is well positioned to translate demand into stay-and-play bookings, corporate golf events, and family getaways. Forest City Golf Resort also recently won the 2025 Agoda Gold Circle Award, reinforcing its appeal as an integrated golf-and-hospitality proposition designed to support stronger occupancy, longer lengths of stay, and higher per-guest spend through 2026.
Classic and Legacy Courses Anchor Forest City Golf Resort: Seven Years, One Consistent Verdict
Forest City Golf Resort in Johor, Malaysia, offers two 18-hole championship courses: the Classic Course, designed by veteran course architect Liang Guokun, and the Legacy Course, a signature collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II. Both have achieved strong rankings in Asia.
Co-hosted by the Chinese and Korean editions of Golf Travel magazine since 2016, the Asia Top 100 Golf Courses ranking evaluates course design, playability, landscape aesthetics, and technical difficulty. The Classic Course first entered the list in 2018 and has maintained an unbroken presence through 2026.
In 2026, the Classic Course placed No. 36 in Asia — an improvement of 14 places. Within Malaysia, three courses were recognised; Forest City ranked No. 1 nationally, with the others at No. 55 and No. 73.
Forest City views this sustained recognition as evidence of relentless operational refinement and consistent course quality. In a competitive ranking where many venues rotate in and out, seven consecutive appearances reflect consistently high professional standards in design, conditioning, and the playing experience, as well as a deep commitment to achieving higher levels of excellence.
Course Design Philosophies: Return to Nature, Calibrated Challenge
Forest City Golf Resort’s 36 holes present complementary architectural signatures at international championship standard.
The Classic Course, by veteran architect Liang Guokun, exemplifies his “Return to Nature” philosophy through multi-layered landscapes, sculpted bunker lines, and lake vistas integrated strategically across every hole. The lakes form part of the course’s water management system, delivering visual drama and functional sustainability in tandem. Liang’s standing is independently validated: both the Classic Course and his Holiday Island Golf Club feature in the 2026 Asia Top 100.
For golfers, the Classic Course translates design intent into experience: each shot invites thoughtful decision-making, rewarding precision and course management while immersing players in a carefully composed natural setting. The result is a round that challenges skill and strategy while offering a sense of progression through a living landscape.
The Legacy Course, a signature collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II, adds a distinct counterpoint. This rare father-and-son design balances calibrated challenge with aesthetic appeal, catering to players who seek a different test from the Classic Course while maintaining championship credentials.
Both the Classic and Legacy courses are GEO Certified, underscoring verified environmental stewardship rather than self-declared claims. In 2025, Forest City Golf Resort hosted several major tournaments and welcomed more than 100,000 golfers, confirming the venue’s role as an active stage for diverse styles of play as well as an exceptional destination for visiting golfers.
| Classic Course | Legacy Course | |
| Designer | Liang Guokun | Jack Nicklaus & Jack Nicklaus II |
| Yardage | 7,138 yards | 7,386 yards |
| Holes | 18 | 18 |
| Design Signature | “Return to Nature,” lake integration | Challenge × aesthetics balance |
| GEO Certified | Yes | Yes |
| Asia Top 100 (2026) | No. 36 — No. 1 in Malaysia | Previously recognised (Asia-Pacific) |
| Design hallmark | Lakes integrated as water management + strategic challenge | Pulai River mangrove edges, elevation changes, water carries |
Beyond the Courses: Forest City as a Golf Tourism Destination
Forest City Golf Resort operates as an active international competition venue as well as a premier leisure destination. Its regularly held tournaments and growing visitor numbers underscore consistent utilisation throughout the year. These metrics also complement the Asia Top 100 recognition and reflect the resort’s capacity to stage events at scale while maintaining a high-quality guest experience.
Set within Forest City’s wider leisure ecosystem, the resort benefits from approximately 4 km of coastline, curated mangrove boat tours, sea-fishing, and year-round food and beverage options. This natural and amenity-rich setting supports repeat visitation: close enough to Singapore for convenient access and continually evolving to reward the return visit with rich and diverse experiences and itineraries.
Beyond golf, Forest City Golf Resort has secured nearly 20 industry accolades since 2018, contributing to Forest City’s portfolio of more than 40 international awards overall. For organisers, these third-party validations, combined with proven MICE infrastructure and cross-border connectivity, translate into a reliable platform for corporate golf days, incentive travel, and multi-event calendars — breathtaking for the new, heartwarming for the familiar.
Resort Overview
- Location: Forest City, Johor. Approximately 2 km from Singapore at the closest point.
- Access: Approximately 40 minutes’ drive to Singapore’s CBD via the Second Link Crossing (travel time subject to traffic).
- Accommodation: Forest City Golf Hotel (five-star; recipient of 2025 Agoda Gold Circle Award) and garden villas. Golf Villa show units renovated with a “limitless space,” intended for groups and families.
- MICE and corporate: Conference and event facilities available for corporate golf days, incentive travel, and board-level meetings. Catering and breakout spaces available.
- Visitor volumes (2025): More than 100,000 golfers visited; among Malaysia’s most visited golf clubs.
- Booking: Tee times, stay-and-play packages, and corporate event enquiries are available via the official site at https://fcgolfresort.com/.
Looking Ahead: Consistency as a Competitive Advantage
Sustained recognition in the Asia Top 100 reflects consistent investment in course quality, operations, and environmental management (including ongoing GEO certification) — commitments Forest City Golf Resort expects to carry forward through 2026 and beyond. As the Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026 campaigns take effect, the resort anticipates stronger demand across stay-and-play bookings, corporate events, and family leisure. These conditions, combined with its proximity to Singapore and integrated amenity offering, strengthen Forest City’s value proposition as a golf tourism destination and integrated resort platform for golfers, organisers, and long-term stakeholders alike.
Hashtag: #ForestCity
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
SIM Global Education Students Connect with Industry Mentors Through Campus Life
At SIM Global Education (SIM GE), campus life is designed to complement academic learning by helping students develop networks, soft skills, career awareness and a stronger sense of community. SIM GE’s holistic learning approach and culturally diverse environment aim to equip students with an all-rounded global education, while student life, career development and networking activities help students build competencies needed to thrive in the real world.
This is increasingly important in higher education. UNESCO’s International Institute for Higher Education notes that student wellbeing is critical to academic success and personal development, and that inadequate support can affect learning outcomes, career readiness and students’ ability to contribute meaningfully to society.
Addressing student concerns beyond the classroom
Students exploring higher education often face several practical concerns. They may wonder whether they will make friends, whether they will be supported if they struggle, whether they will have opportunities to develop leadership skills, and whether they can access career guidance before entering the workforce.
SIM GE addresses these concerns through a campus ecosystem that combines student clubs, leadership development, peer support, wellbeing programmes and career services. Through Project 1095, SIM GE highlights that education extends beyond books, exams and qualifications, encompassing knowledge, skills and activities both inside and outside the classroom. This approach supports students who want a fuller higher education experience to grow personally, socially and professionally.
Building networks through clubs and co-curricular activities
Student clubs and co-curricular activities are among the first ways SIM GE students build connections on campus. SIM offers nearly 80 student clubs across areas such as arts and culture, international student clubs, student councils, special interest groups, sports and fitness. These activities allow students to broaden their interests, discover new talents and interact with peers beyond their academic programmes.
For students, these communities can make networking feel more natural. Instead of viewing networking only as a formal career activity, students can begin by working with peers on events, competitions, club projects and leadership initiatives. These experiences help students develop communication, teamwork, confidence and relationship-building skills that are valuable in both campus life and the workplace.
Developing leadership and workplace-ready skills
Leadership opportunities are another important part of the SIM GE student experience. Project 1095 states that SIM aims to prepare every student to be a leader, with opportunities ranging from leadership positions in clubs, to workshops that help students take charge of their learning journey.
These experiences are relevant to students who want to strengthen their employability before graduation. By organising activities, leading teams, managing projects and engaging with different student groups, students can develop confidence and practical skills that support their future careers. Such skills are increasingly valued by employers. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 report identifies skills such as analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social influence as important for the future workforce.
Connecting students with career guidance and industry networks
For students seeking more direct career support, SIM Career Connect helps students develop a competitive edge, build industry networks and professional connections, and align their career aspirations with real-world opportunities. This is a key part of helping students transition from academic learning to career readiness. Through career guidance, networking opportunities and employer engagement, students can better understand industry expectations and explore potential career pathways.
SIM’s Employer Engagement team also works with industry partners to connect employers with SIM GE students, supporting employers in finding the right fit from its pool of talent, and provides. For students, this access to industry networks can help reduce uncertainty about life after graduation. It also gives them opportunities to gain exposure to professional environments, employer expectations and potential career directions while still studying.
The role of mentoring in student career development
Mentoring and professional guidance are important because students often need perspective as much as information. Research on employability-oriented higher education programmes has highlighted that higher education has increasingly focused on developing students’ employability competences through mentoring programmes.
Within SIM GE’s broader campus life and career ecosystem, students can connect with peers, student leaders, career advisors, employers and industry opportunities. These touchpoints help students build confidence, ask the right questions, learn from others’ experiences and make more informed decisions about their future.
Helping students make a more confident higher education choice
As students consider their higher education options, many are looking for more than a classroom experience. They want to know whether they will be supported, whether they can build friendships, whether they will have access to career resources, and whether they can connect with people who can help them understand the world of work. At SIM Global Education, student life plays an important role in addressing these concerns. Through clubs, co-curricular activities, student leadership, peer support, wellbeing services, career guidance and employer engagement, SIM GE provides students with opportunities to build meaningful connections and develop future-ready skills.
For students choosing their next step in higher education, these experiences can make a significant difference. They help you move from uncertainty to confidence, from participation to leadership, and from academic learning to stronger career readiness.
Reference
- SIM Global Education – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/sim-global-education/university-partners-sim-ge/sim-ge
- New insights on countries’ objectives to support student well-being in higher education – https://www.iesalc.unesco.org/en/articles/new-insights-countries-objectives-support-student-well-being-higher-education
- Project1095 – https://project1095.simge.edu.sg/
- Future of Job Report – https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/
- SIM Career Service – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/career-services
- Measuring mentoring in employability-oriented higher education programs: scale development and validation – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10170025/
- Wellness and Counselling – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/student-care
Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE #GlobalEducation #InternationalDegree #CareerReady #FutureSkills
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About SIM Global Education
SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is a leading private education institution in Singapore and the region. We offer more than 140 academic programmes ranging from diplomas and graduate diploma programmes to bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes with some of the world’s most reputable universities from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States. SIM GE’s cohort is made up of 17,000 full- and part-time students and adult learners, of which approximately 41% are international students hailing from over 50 countries.
SIM GE’s holistic learning approach and culturally diverse learning environment aim to equip students with knowledge, industry skills and employability competencies, as well as a global perspective to succeed as future leaders in a fast-changing, technologically driven world.
For more information on SIM Global Education, visit www.sim.edu.sg
Media OutReach
Thailand’s “trust capital” a potential strategic advantage amid global realignment: NUS Business School Dean
Speaking to the media during a visit to Bangkok, Professor Rose said economies with deep international trust and stable regional relationships are increasingly well positioned as businesses rethink where they invest, manufacture and expand.
“In a world where global alignments are shifting and supply chains are being redrawn, trust becomes a strategic asset,” said Professor Rose. “Thailand has spent decades building strong relationships across Asia and beyond. That foundation becomes more valuable in periods of uncertainty.”
A pivotal moment for Thailand
Thailand’s current environment is demanding, and the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook (April 2026) projects growth of 1.5 per cent in 2026.
Professor Rose noted that rising energy costs, softer long-haul tourism demand and rapid AI adoption are creating near-term pressure across key sectors of the Thai economy. However, he said periods of disruption often create the conditions for long-term competitive repositioning.
“The economies that emerge stronger are usually the ones that adapt earliest,” as Professor Rose. “Leadership capability, agility and the ability to navigate change will determine who captures the next decade of growth.”
The comments come as businesses across Southeast Asia accelerate investment in AI, digital transformation and workforce reskilling amid growing global economic fragmentation.
A 2026 Milieu Insight study of 3,000 workers across six Southeast Asian markets including Thailand found that 53 per cent ranked over-dependence on AI as their top concern, ahead of privacy risks and job displacement. This suggests that organisations in Thailand and across the region must do more to guide, not just deploy, new technology.
Building regional leadership capability
Addressing these challenges requires more than a policy response alone. Professor Rose emphasised that both multinationals and SMEs must build their adaptation strategies around talent and leadership development to power Thailand’s growth engine.
Ms Usa Skulkerewathana, Senior Lecturer at NUS Business School, said Thai organisations should consider focusing on strengthening talent development and practical AI readiness rather than treating technology as a standalone solution.
“This is not a wait-and-see moment,” said Ms Skulkerewathana. “Thai businesses that invest early in leadership, digital capability and workforce resilience will be better positioned to compete regionally and internationally.”
Singapore’s role as Asia’s financial and educational hub offers Thai professionals and organisations a natural gateway to build regional leadership capability. Thai professionals and executives have, for decades, benefitted from NUS Business School’s MBA, MSc and executive education programmes, including the Stanford–NUS Executive Programme and other senior leadership initiatives developed with global academic and industry partners. Thai enrolment has remained steady over the past five years as professionals seek regional exposure and globally benchmarked leadership training.
Thailand’s “trust capital” is intact, and its position within a reorganising ASEAN is reinforced by the changes underway. The Thai institutions and business leaders that treat “trust capital” as a competitive asset, and build the leadership depth to deploy it, will define the country’s next chapter of growth.
Hashtag: #NUSBusinessSchool
https://bschool.nus.edu.sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/school/nus-business-school/
https://x.com/NUSBizSchool
https://www.facebook.com/NUSBusinessSchool/
https://www.instagram.com/nusbizschool/?hl=en
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About NUS Business School
With 50,000 alumni and 60 global chapters, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School is known for providing management thought leadership from an Asian perspective, enabling its students and corporate partners to leverage global knowledge and Asian insights.
The school has consistently ranked first in Asia by independent publications and agencies, such as The Financial Times and Quacquarelli Symonds, in recognition of the quality of its programmes, faculty research and graduates.
The school is accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System), endorsements that the school has met the highest standards for business education.
For more information about NUS Business School, please visit
bschool.nus.edu.sg.
To discover our MBA, MSc or Executive Education courses, visit
https://mscbiz.nus.edu.sg/,
https://mba.nus.edu.sg/ or
https://executive-education.nus.edu.sg/
Media OutReach
Dayos Releases Athena: Agentic Replacement for Oracle and Workday AMS Contracts, Now Generally Available
Hero performs full end-to-end report development, Application configuration, and token management, closing tickets at no marginal cost on top of the platform fee while customers keep their existing systems, controls, and access model.
SINGAPORE –
The release addresses four structural problems with the AMS model that enterprises running Oracle and Workday have lived with for two decades.
Time to deploy. Traditional AMS engagements take months to scope, onboard, and ramp to full coverage. Athena Starter deploys in two weeks – from contract execution to production agents running inside the customer’s Oracle or Workday tenant.
Quality of work. Hero’s agents reason through tickets in the customer’s actual tenant – exploring, planning, and validating before posting. Report development tickets, historically the worst offenders on enterprise SLA reports, complete 70% faster on Hero. Plain English in, validated SQL out, executed inside the tenant.
Long-term support drag. Hero reduces Oracle ticket backlogs by 50% in the first 30 days for Starter customers, with a sustained 60% reduction in the active ticket queue by the end of year one for Pro customers. SLAs across customer engagements run 50% faster. Every ticket Hero closes is a ticket the customer’s AMS provider does not bill for.
Proof. Dayos used Hero internally to retire its own ServiceNow ITSM environment in 45 days, with 60% of Tier 1 tickets now resolved autonomously. The deployment is documented as a reference case in Section 2.1 of the IMDA Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI, published by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority at ATxSG in May 2026, alongside case studies from AWS, DBS, Google, Workday, OCBC, Tencent, PwC, and GovTech.
“AMS providers bill per ticket or per hour. Hero closes tickets at no marginal cost on top of the platform fee. Every ticket Hero closes is one your AMS provider doesn’t bill for,” said Brad McElhannon, Founder and CEO of Dayos.
AVAILABLE NOW AND AHEAD
Athena Starter is available at USD 60,000 per year, delivering 50% Oracle ticket backlog reduction in 30 days, 70% faster report development, and 50% faster SLAs. Athena Pro is available at USD 150,000 per year, adding custom agent development and a contractually committed 60% sustained reduction in the active ticket queue by the end of year one. Plan details and outcome breakdowns by tier are at dayos.com/plans (https://www.dayos.com/plans).
The Athena Hero release ships with full support for Oracle and Workday. SAP availability is targeted for January 2027.
Hero is built on Google’s Agent Development Kit (ADK) with Gemini as the lead reasoning model, and operates under ISO 42001-aligned governance with SOC 2 Type II controls. Athena enters general availability, with active enterprise deployments across the Asia-Pacific region.
Hashtag: #AgenticAI #Oracle #Workday #SAP #EnterpriseAI #AMS
https://www.dayos.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dayos/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnCEgiDBw1g
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Dayos
Dayos is an AI-native platform company headquartered in Singapore. Its platform, Hero, automates the Oracle and Workday application-managed services work that enterprises have historically outsourced, including configuration, report development, reconciliations, transaction entry, monitoring, and incident resolution. Rather than replacing a customer’s systems, Hero works inside their existing Oracle and Workday environments and respects their established controls and role-based access model.
Dayos is ISO 42001 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified and was published as a reference deployment in the IMDA Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI. The company was founded by Brad McElhannon, who spent more than 20 years in enterprise Oracle implementation across 200+ clients and led Finance Engineering at Robinhood through its IPO. Learn more at www.dayos.com.
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