A stellar cast of champions will headline the season-opening Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan from February 2-5, organisers announced today.
The new season is poised for a spectacular launch with no fewer than 40 Asian Tour champions set to gather for the US$300,000 event at the Royal Migalardon Golf and Country Club, headlined by title holder Tetsuji Hiratsuka.
Six of last season’s winners – Chan Yih-shin of Chinese Taipei, India’s Himmat Rai, Finland’s Joonas Grandberg, American Berry Henson and Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol and Kiradech Aphibarnrat – are also in the elite field for next month’s event.
Hiratsuka will be eager to defend the title he won by a massive 10 shots in 2010. The Myanmar Open wasn’t played last year.
After a spectacular season which saw him win three times in 2010, the Japanese veteran followed up with another impressive 2011 campaign with a fourth Asian Tour victory at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open on home soil to finish second behind Juvic Pagunsan on the Order of Merit.
With compatriots Thongchai Jaidee and Boonchu Ruangkit having triumphed previously in Myanmar, the supremely talented Kiradech and Chawalit will be eager to add their names onto the trophy as well.
Kiradech, a former world amateur champion, broke through for his maiden Asian Tour title at the SAIL Open in India last season en route to finishing seventh on the Order of Merit, his best outing since turning professional in 2009.
Chawalit claimed his third Asian Tour victory on home soil at the Queen’s Cup last June to finish 19th on the Order of Merit and knows he requires a higher dose of patience when he is in title contention.
“I’ve had many chances to win tournaments in the past but I think I wasn’t patient enough on those occasions. I think I’ve learned from that,” said Chawalit after his win at the Queen’s Cup.
Following successful rookie seasons, Granberg and Henson will be keen to produce another solid campaign in 2011.
Granberg became only the second Finnish player to win on the Asian Tour at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters, thanks to an opening course record of 10-under-par 62 while Henson triumphed in Asia’s oldest national championship, the ICTSI Philippine Open, which he will defend the title the week after the Zaykabar Myanmar Open.
A stellar cast of champions will headline the season-opening Zaykabar Myanmar Open presented by Air Bagan from February 2-5, organisers announced today.
