Bjorn and Jimenez confirmed for Johnnie Walker

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez have confirmed their participation in this year’s US$2,5m Johnnie Walker Classic, Asia’s premier luxury golf event, which tees off at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, New Delhi, from February 28 to March 2.

The presence of the European duo consolidates a strong line-up that already features Australian Adam Scott, currently the world number eight, Vijay Singh at world number 11, England’s Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie of Scotland. On the home front, India’s number one golfer, Jeev Milkha Singh, will spearhead the local challenge when the Johnnie Walker Classic makes its debut in India.

“Johnnie Walker is delighted to welcome back both Thomas Bjorn and Miguel Angel Jimenez to the tournament as in 2004 they produced one of the most tantalizing finishes ever in the 18-year history of the Johnnie Walker Classic,” commented Cristina Diezhandino, Acting Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker.

Jimenez, nicknamed “The Mechanic”, fired a four-under-par 68 at Bangkok’s Alpine Golf & Sports Club for a four-day total of 17-under-par 271, snatching the title from the big Dane whose chances dipped dramatically on the back nine en route to a 71.

Jimenez’s confidence-boosting Johnnie Walker Classic victory in Thailand sparked a rich vein of form and the pony-tailed Spaniard went on to record a further three wins on the European Tour that year to secure his place on the victorious European Ryder Cup team.

“Jimenez was no doubt inspired by his Johnnie Walker Classic performance,” said Diezhandino. “He went on to display tremendous determination to maintain his form and achieve a great deal that year. It is examples like these in golf that reflect so well the "Keep Walking" message of personal progress that is at the heart of the Johnnie Walker brand.”

Since 2004, Jimenez has continued to perform consistently well in Europe, winning twice in 2005 at the Hong Kong Open and Celtic Manor Wales Open. Only two months ago the 44-year-old secured his second victory in the UBS Hong Kong Open, winning by a shot from Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, signifying a return to his winning ways.

Bjorn boasts nine wins on the European Tour, with his last victory coming in May 2006 when he won the Nissan Irish Open at Carton House following a gritty comeback after he trailed the lead by nine strokes after the first round. His supreme consistency meant that for 12 years between 1995 and 2006 he never finished lower than 21st on the Order of Merit.

Both Jimenez and Bjorn will both be looking for a win in India to boost their chances of qualifying for the Ryder Cup when Europe defends the famous trophy against the Americans at Valhalla in September. A victory for Jimenez would make him the third double winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic behind Tiger Woods and Ernie Els.

While Bjorn would be no less keen to add his name to the illustrious list of winners which includes, in addition to Woods and Els, such legendary names as Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Retief Goosen and Adam Scott, champion in 2005 in China, that are engraved on the Johnnie Walker Striding Man Trophy.

First played in Hong Kong in 1990, the Johnnie Walker Classic broke new ground by not only being the first tournament to be jointly sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasian golf Tours, but also by being unique in that the event has been played in seven countries and at 12 golf clubs over the past 17 years. The 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic has also gained the all-important support of the Professional Golfers Tour India.

January 14, 2008

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