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Top Asian Tour players head to Singapore Open
The 42nd Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club will witness a stunning turn out of players from the Asian Tour rarely seen before at a national Open in Asia, thanks to the tournament's popular return after a three-year hiatus, an outstanding new venue and record prize money of US$2 million.
The final Entry List from the Asian Tour has been confirmed for the Singapore Open, which tees-off from September 8 to 11, and will feature an almost full house of players with nine from the current top-10 on the Order of Merit playing and 56 out of the top 60.
This is in addition to the impressive line-up of star players announced last week which includes Australians Adam Scott, Craig Parry and Nick O'Hern, Englishman Lee Westwood, and Japanese legend Isao Aoki.
The top five from the Order of Merit will compete in what is Asia's richest national Open led by top ranked Thaworn Wiratchant from Thailand, his compatriot Thongchai Jaidee, who is in second place, Jyoti Randhawa from India, and Australians Terry Pilkadaris and Scott Barr, who is based in Singapore.
Thaworn, who was the last player to win the event in 2001, is one of three past champions including Randhawa (2000), and Myanmar's Kyi Hla Han (1994) hoping for a second victory in the prestigious championship.
The other players from the top-10 will be India's Jeev Milka Singh, Australian Marcus Both, Simon Yates from Scotland and Taiwanese veteran Wang Ter-chang.
The field of 144 professionals will be gunning for the first place cheque of US$315,000 while the second place finisher will earn US$216,000.
“The return of the Singapore Open has really captured the attention of our membership and not surprisingly nearly every player who is eligible to play will be making the trip to the Lion City,” said Louis Martin, Chief Executive, Asian Tour.
“Not only will the Singapore Open see our leading players compete but the field will also be strong in depth and will also feature tournament winners this year and former Singapore Open champions,” added Martin.
A host of tournament winners from the Asian Tour this year will be bidding for success. Scott marched to victory in the Johnnie Walker Classic, Thaworn claimed the Indonesia Open, Thongchai successfully defended his Malaysian Open crown, Pilkadaris triumphed in the Brunei Open and Wang won the Macau Open.
Other winners gracing the fairways of Sentosa will be Australians Scott Strange and Adam Le Vesconte who claimed the Myanmar and Philippine Open titles respectively and New Zealander Richard Lee, winner of the Thailand Open.
Other distinguished names from the Asian Tour to play will be China's Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong, Korean Kang Wook-soon, and Frankie Minoza from the Philippines.
Singapore's hopes will once again rest on Mardan Mamat, whose career continues to go from strength to strength. He was victorious in the Indian Open last season to become the first Singaporean to lift an Asian Tour trophy and earlier this year holed the putt against Japan that ensured the Visa Dynasty Cup stayed in Asian hands.
As ever Thailand will be strongly represented with Boonchu Ruangkit, Prayad Marksaeng, Thammanoon Srirot and rising star Prom Meesawat all looking to make an impact.
Five spots have been allocated to the Singapore PGA and these will be filled by Lam Chih Bing, Poh Eng Wah, Madasamy Murugiah, Dino Kwek, and Lim Kian Kee.
In addition, six amateurs from the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) will qualify. Two of these, Choo Tze Huang and Patrick Tang have already made it through thanks to fine performances at last week's Singapore Amateur Championship. Choo won the event to become the first Singaporean to win the title since Samson Gimson in 1989. The remaining four amateurs will be confirmed by the SGA later this week.
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