Four former champions to tee off in Maybank Malaysian Open
KUALA LUMPUR: The 2014 Maybank Malaysian Open slated from April 17- 20 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club ( KLGCC), here is expected to be a tough battle as several former champions have confi rmed their participation in the tournament.
The organiser in a statement yesterday said among the former champions who are set to tee- off in the tournament are defending champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, India’s Arjun Atwal ( 2003 and 2008 winner), Alastair Forsyth of Scotland (2002) and the 2007 champion, Peter Hedblom of Sweden.
They will be going up against former world number L ee Westwood of England, South African Louis Oosthuizen (2012), three-time Asian Order of Merit winner Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and young Italian, Matteo Manassero who bagged the title in 2011.
Nineteen Malaysians have also booked their berth in the tournament via merit whi le four amateurs – Gavin Kyle Green, Ervin Chang, Solomon Emilio Rosidin and Mohamad Wafiyuddin Abdul Manaf have also found their way into the list.
The local professionals in the list Nicholas Fung, Danny Chia, Shaaban Hussin, Ian Steel, S. Murthy, S. Siva Chandran, Rizal Amin, Airil Rizman, Sukree Othman, Iyl ia Jami l , Khor Kheng Hwai, Shaifubari Muda, R Nachimuthu, Arie Fauzi , Kemarol Baharin, Ben Leong, Wilson Choo and Kenneth De Silva.
The Maybank Malaysian Open, co- sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, offers a prize purse of US$ 2.75 million ( RM9.076 million). — Bernama