Open ticket to Europe

22/01/1999

THERE is more than the prize money at stake in next month's Malaysian Open
championship - at least for Asian golfers.
The reason? Any Asian player who wins the tournament will get a two-year
exemption to the European PGA Tour.
He will receive playing rights for the remainder of the 1999 season and
bypass the gruelling qualifying school for 2000 and 2001.
The US$750,000 Malaysian Open will be held at the Saujana Golf and
Country Club on Feb 4-7.
"The chance of playing on the European Tour for two years is a huge
incentive for our players to try their best," said Asian PGA executive
director Ramlan Harun yesterday.
"There are a number of ambitious players in Asia who would love to
compete regularly in Europe and a win at the Malaysian Open would give
them that opportunity."
Asian players have had chances to qualify for the European Tour by
winning certain events but this is the first time that Asians will have a
shot at glory in one tournament in this region.
The leading Asian players are Kang Wook-Soon of South Korea, the top
money winner on last year's Asian PGA circuit, and Japanese Tour regulars
Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and Myanmar's Zaw Moe.
China's No 1 Zhang Lianwei and Thai stars Pryad Marksaeng and Chawalit
Plaphol are also capable of overcoming the cream of European players to
win the dream slot.
Lee Westwood, winner of seven titles last year and tipped as a future
world No 1, and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, successful in the end-
of-season Volvo Masters, will lead the challenge from Europe.
Asian PGA Tour graduate Jeev Milka Singh of India made a great start to
the 1999 season with a joint third finish at the season opening South
African PGA and will be very comfortable at his old camping ground in
Saujana.
Milka, winner of three titles on the Asian Tour, earned just under
STG60,000 on his first year on the European Tour. He still competes in
Asia and finished runnerup in the Hero Honda Masters as well as the
Thailand Open.
Asian PGA stalwarts Fran Quinn of the United States and South African
Nico van Rensburg, who finished in the top 10 bracket in the South African
PGA, have also confirmed their entries.
(END)