Galaxy of Asian stars to join internationals in Singapore

The US$4 million showpiece at Sentosa Golf Club, which is the flagship tournament on the Asian Tour, will feature nine players from the top-10 of the UBS Order of Merit and no fewer than 50 Tour champions from November 1-4.

With a lucrative US$634,000 on offer for the Barclays Singapore Open champion and the top-eight finishers earning over US$100,000, the race to become Asia’s number one could well take a few interesting twists and turns.

Talented South African Anton Haig, currently lying second behind leader Liang Wen-chong in the merit race, will be amongst those looking to topple the Chinese star from his perch. Five events remain before the season concludes in December.

Haig, who trails Liang by just over US$42,000, claimed a monumental win at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand in March and will arrive in Singapore in good form after posting a recent top-10 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

The tenacious Liang has led the UBS Order of Merit race for most of the season following one win and seven other top-10s and the 29-year-old has stated repeatedly that it is his dream to become the first player from China to lift the prestigious honour.

“I think it’ll be quite special to achieve this feat as no one from China has done it before,” said Liang, who will be aiming for a Singapore double as he won the Singapore Masters in March.

Australian Scott Hend, a former US Tour player and now third on the rankings, will also be amongst the big guns from the Asian Tour brigade heading to Sentosa. The other players ranked in the top-10 include Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat and Prayad Marksaeng, Scotsman Simon Yates, Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh, India’s Gaurav Ghei and Korean youngster Kim Kyung-tae.

Apart from Prayad and Yates, the other six have tasted victories on the Asian Tour this season, with veteran Lu holding the honour of being the only player to win twice.

Other champions from this season’s Schedule who will compete in the Barclays Singapore Open include Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang, Filipinos Frankie Minoza and Artemio Murakami, Korea’s Lee Sung and Bae Sang-moon, American Jason Knutzon and Malaysia’s Airil Rizman.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said: “The Barclays Singapore Open promises to be a spectacular affair as our leading stars will be heading to Sentosa next week.

“As our flagship event, there is so much to play for. Not only are they battling for the Barclays Singapore Open title, our players know that a good week will see them edge closer to the prestigious UBS Order of Merit crown.

“It will be a huge week for us, especially as Sentosa is also the home of the Asian Tour. We’re looking forward to some great of performances from our players.

“With a US$4 million purse, the Barclays Singapore Open has certainly raised the bar for other events to emulate and it will also be interesting to see our players facing a new challenge at the revamped Serapong course.”

The region’s best will face a quality line-up in Sentosa where world number two Phil Mickelson of the United States will make his Asian Tour debut at the Barclays Singapore Open.

Two-time defending champion Adam Scott of Australia will aim for a “three-peat” while South African star Ernie Els, Argentinean Angel Cabrera, Fijian Vijay Singh and Korea’s world number nine Choi Kyung-ju are amongst the big names who will headline the event.

October 26, 2007

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