2006 Barclays Singapore Open

The cream of Asian golf, led by Jeev Milkha Singh of India and Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, will take full aim at the stars at the US$3 million Barclays Singapore Open next week.

Singh, currently ranked number one, and Thaworn, last season's top-ranked player, spearhead a dazzling Asian Tour line-up determined to eclipse many of the world's best players at Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course.

Other top names who will shoot for glory include two-time Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, India's Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur, China's trailblazer Zhang Lian-wei, local hero Mardan Mamat and Korea's Charlie Wi.

No fewer than 18 players ranked inside the top-20 of the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit will head to the Barclays Singapore Open, which is Asia's richest national Open and billed the Major of Asia.

The elite field at Sentosa will also include 12 winners from this season's Asian Tour and six past and present Asian Tour number ones in the form of Thongchai, Thaworn, Randhawa, Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar, Lin Keng-chi of Chinese Taipei and Korea's Kang Wook-soon.

"As our flagship tournament, we are delighted to see that all our best players have signed up to compete in the Barclays Singapore Open," said Asian Tour Chief Executive Louis Martin.

"This is a Championship that all our players would like to win, not only for its lucrative prize pot on offer but also for the prestige of winning the Barclays Singapore Open which has been billed as the Major of Asia."

A total of nine players currently in the world's top-50 will head full speed to the Lion City in the race to pocket the US$475,500 top prize, one of the richest winner's cheque on offer in Asian golf.

Title holder Adam Scott of Australia, three-time major winner Ernie Els of South Africa, England's Lee Westwood, who was runner-up in Singapore last year, and 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand are amongst the big guns slated to play in Singapore.

Singh is strongly tipped to challenge for honours at the demanding Serapong course in his bid to win the Asian Tour number one title for the first time in his career. Since winning the Volvo China Open in April for his first triumph in seven years, the Indian stalwart has posted eight more top-10s in Asia, Japan and Europe and also qualified and played in all four rounds at the US Open in June.

"I've got a lot of trust after winning the Volvo China Open. I now trust my game under pressure and I believe in myself. That's taken me ahead. I've worked quite hard although there could be a lot more improvements," said Singh.

Thaworn is a former Singapore Open champion and he believes that the demanding Serapong course will separate the men from the boys. "It's a long course and it gets windy on most occasions. I will imagine that the rough will be up again like last year.

"I'm sure it'll be a real challenge once again as even if you hit a good shot, you will likely have a long iron into the green. If you miss the fairway, it's an easy bogey. It could be tough for me again but of course I will try to make the cut and take it from there," said Thaworn, who finished tied 45th last year.

The Thai is hoping that memories of his triumph in 2001 will spur him on at Sentosa. "I still remember that win very well as I birdied the last three holes to beat Hsieh Yu-shu (of Chinese Taipei) by one stroke in the end. It was a great finish," he said.

September 1 , 2006

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