JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC RELATED STORIES Johnnie Walker Classic home page Johnnie Walker Classic Preview Round 1: Khan leads on fine day for local players Round 2: Kapur and Park share halfway lead Round 2: Lin Wen-tang enjoys Indian debut Round 3: 'Miraculous' birdie gives Kiyota lead Round 3: Ghei in 1cm disqualification heartbreak Round 4: Mark Brown walks off with J. Walker Final Scores & Prize Money India needs more courses to fulfil potential - Vijay Scott goes for a second Johnnie Walker Chowrasia relishes measuring up to Scott Jyoti goes for Johnnie Walker at home 2007 flashback: Haig is the toast of Johnnie Walker Six to watch this week Johnnie Walker Award nominees announced Bjorn and Jimenez confirmed for Johnnie Walker Jeev, Westwood & Dougherty for Johnnie Walker Scott, Poulter & Monty commit to Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker Classic for India - Vijay to play 2007: Singh and Chinarat win Johnnie Walker awards Full details of the DLF Golf & Country Club ASIAN GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Liang is Indian wire-to-wire hero Tanihara takes Panasonic title Su Dong's lead cut to two Hole-in-One Jeev shares the lead Korea, Philippines, Italy for World Cup Lu wins record 4th Taiwan Masters Aussie PGA rethinks 'One Asia' GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Seve has a brain tumor Schwartzel wins by three Johnson wins Texas Open In-Kyung Kim wins maiden title Weibring clinches title with closing 68

Chowrasia relishes measuring up to Scott

S.S.P. Chowrasia, India’s newest golf sensation, is relishing the opportunity of going head-to-head with world number five Adam Scott in the Johnnie Walker Classic starting on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Chowrasia is looking to bounce back from last week’s disappointment of missing the cut at the SAIL Open on home soil, saying he feels “refreshed” ahead of this week’s challenge at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

“I putted badly last week after the high of the previous week (where he won the Emaar-MGF Indian Masters). I wasn’t really mentally there. I went home, got fresh and I’m feeling much better and raring to go now.

“I’m looking forward to playing alongside Adam Scott in the opening two rounds,” said Chowrasia, who will have 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic winner Miguel Angel Jimenez as the third member of his group.

The slightly built Indian defeated a top field at the Indian Masters three weeks ago and said the victory has given him the confidence to take on the world’s leading players.

After winning over US$400,000 for his career breakthrough, Chowrasia, the son of a greenkeeper in Calcutta, said he will not change one bit. “My life hasn’t changed … it won’t. The only thing that could change is that I’m going to play a bit more in Europe. My confidence has gone up. After beating a field like that in the Indian Masters, I feel I can do it in Europe as well. I’ve got the confidence to do it again.

“I’m going to give Europe a shot. My plan is to play a maximum of three to four weeks over there and reassess my game and plan ahead again. I’ll try to play in countries where the weather is not too harsh and try to find my comfort zone. I’ll take it one tournament at a time,” said Chowrasia.

The current leader of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit is also setting his sights on an appearance at the WGC-CA Championship in the United States next month. If he retains his position in the top-10 of Europe’s money list over the next two weeks, Chowrasia, currently ninth, will achieve another lifelong dream.

“It’ll be nice to get into the WGC and play in America for the first time but my main aim right now is the Johnnie Walker Classic,” said Chowrasia. “I would like to do well here this week.”

Other top names competing in the US$2.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic include Fijian star Vijay Singh, Ryder Cup stalwarts Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter and Paul McGinley and Asia’s best including 2006 Asian Tour number one Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.

February 27, 2008