MERCEDES-BENZ MASTERS SINGAPORE RELATED STORIES Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore home page Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore Preview Round 1: Lam finds his A-game to take command Round 2: Steady Mardan moves clear at the top Round 3: Mardan extends his lead to two Round 4: Mardan's maiden Mercedes title by three Final Scores & Prize Money MORE ASIAN GOLF NEWS Old Guard Show Form In Philippines Mike Kerr New Asian Tour CEO Nirat Eyes Title In Philippines 2012 Performance Stats Hiratsuka Hopes To Defend In Myanmar Sponsors Show Support For Philippine Open Champions Head To Myanmar 84 Players Make Final Stage

 Event Preview - Lam leads local challenge

The 2009 season tees off on the Mercedes-Benz Tour tomorrow with an impressive line up of players competing in the Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore.

Led by the Lion City’s leading players Lam Chih Bing, Mardan Mamat and amateur star Quincy Quek the tournament is being played at Laguna National Golf and Country Club.

The prize money has been increased by US$10,000 to US$60,000 and will see 115 players compete.

Pariya Junhasavasdikul from Thailand has returned to defend his title along with a host of other young players from his country including Chan Song Wongluekiet – who is the brother of the famous golfing twin sisters Aree and Naree.

Other top players expected to challenge for honours include Malaysian Danny Chia, Felix Casas from the Philippines and Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat – all of whom tasted victory on Tour last year.

Rising star Rory Hie from Indonesia, who was ranked the seventh best amateur in the world before turning professional in 2008 is also playing. He claimed the International Championship on home soil last year on the Tour.

Sadly, Angelo Que from the Philippines, who won last year’s Mercedes-Benz Tour Order of Merit title, had to pull out and head home to Manila as his mother passed away yesterday.

Lam who recorded a popular breakthrough win in last year’s Asian Masters – which is the season-ending Tour Championship on the Asian Tour – will be looking for a good result this week to kick start his season.

Since winning in such convincing fashion last year at Thai Country Club he has not been able to recapture that form.

“I had a long break at the start of the year so it is taking a bit of time to find my swing again. I played quite well in the Singha Thailand Open last week which was encouraging and hopefully I can keep it going this week,” said Lam.

Lam led the Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore by four shots last year going into the last round before being overtaken by Pariya. The Singaporean finished outright second.

“I wasn’t too disappointed as I played really well during the week. My ball striking was great and I switched to my old putter so it all played a part in the great victory at the end of the year,” said Lam.

The winner this week will earn a cheque for US$9,750. The first groups will tee off at 7.30am with the last pairings out at 1.05pm in the four round tournament.

A total of nine tournaments, played across six countries, will be staged this year culminating in the Mercedes-Benz Masters Vietnam in November.

Prize money has also been increased to US$60,000 for the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia and Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia.

The season-ending event in Vietnam, which is the Tour Championship, will also see its purse raised to US$80,000.

March 10, 2009