Ballantines Championship to Tee Off Thursday
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
High profile golfers are set to gather on Jeju Island to contend for the Ballantine's Championship.
The $2.7-million European Tour event, which will have a field of 156 players, will be staged at Pinx Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday.
Three-time major winner Ernie Els of South Africa headlines the champion-studded list.
Although he has been winless since he last claimed the Honda Classic in March 2008, the 39-year-old, a former world No. 1, is still a favorite for the title.
Els has pocketed 60 professional trophies, including 16 on the PGA Tour.
World No.9 Henrik Stenson of Sweden, defending champion Graeme McDowell and world No.15 Lee Westwood are also in contention for the championship.
Two legends of the game, former Masters champion Fred Couples and Europe's next Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, will add excitement to the event.
Asia will be strongly represented with the continent's leading players gearing up to take on Europe's big guns.
Seven of the 45 past European Tour winners at Pinx will be from Asia - Thai trio Thongchai Jaidee, Chapchai Nirat and Thaworn Wiratchant; China's Liang Wenchong; India's SSP Chowrasia; Chinese Taipei's Lin Wen Tang; and Mardan Mamat from Singapore.
The tournament will also see the battle for the Asian Tour's Order of Merit intensify ― no fewer than 19 of the top 20 in the current standings will be teeing off at Pinx.
Korean-American Anthony Kang ― presently leading the way with season earnings of $372,469 _ will be looking to extend his lead, but knows the likes of Thongchai, Indian ace Jyoti Randhawa, Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita and Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng will be hot on his heels.
``The field at the Ballantine's Championship is truly a world class one,'' said Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han. ``Our Asian Tour players have shown that they are fully capable of holding their own against world-class players.
``There is undoubtedly unprecedented depth and quality in the Asian Tour and we are now making great progress in addressing the imbalance that existed for so long between Asia and the rest of the world.''
A strong Korean contingent will be led by talented 17-year-old Noh Seung-yul, currently ninth in the Asian Tour's Order of Merit. Noh is looking to build on his remarkable 2008 rookie season when he won the Midea China Classic and claimed three runner-up finishes.