Chowrasia confirms for Maybank Malaysian Open 2011

Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Avantha Masters champion S.S.P. Chowrasia have confirmed their participation at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 from April 14 to 17.

Thai star Thongchai will be gunning for a third Malaysian Open victory following wins in 2004 and 2005. He finished runner-up in 2006 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, which will host the Open for the second straight year next month.

The 41-year-old, who has a large fan base in Malaysia, served in the Royal Thai Army as a paratrooper before turning professional at the age of 30. He currently holds the record for most wins on the Asian Tour with 13 titles to his name.

Last season, Thongchai collected his 13th win at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open. In 2008 and 2009, the three time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion won twice in each season but has voiced his ambition to land a first victory on European soil.

Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, or better known as S.S.P., has come a long way from being the Royal Calcutta Golf Club’s greenskeeper’s son. Following in the footsteps of compatriot and idol, Jeev Milkha Singh, S.S.P. emerged as a local hero when he secured the inaugural Indian Masters title in 2008.

It was a memorable triumph as he defeated an elite field that included South Africa’s Ernie Els and Alvaro Quiros of Spain.

Last month, the 32-year old gave his home crowd more to cheer about as he bagged the Avantha Masters title. The win at the tri-sanctioned Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) event ended his three-year drought.

Chowrasia and Thongchai will face one of the biggest challenges of their career at the Maybank Malaysian Open as they will go up against world number one Martin Kaymer of Germany, promising teen sensation Rory McIlroy of Ireland and South Africa’s
Louis Oosthuizen, the reigning British Open champion, and Charl Schwartzel.

This year, the tournament reaches a milestone as it celebrates its 50th edition with many of the world’s best golfers gathering to compete at the renowned Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Making history as the first ever co-sanctioned tournament in Asia by both the European and Asian Tours in 1999, the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will feature top players from the rankings of both these world-leading circuits to make up the 156-player line-up.

Points earned at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will go towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and will also add to the player’s 2011 Race to Dubai Ranking, granting them a chance to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

A star-studded field is expected at the 50th edition of the Maybank Malaysian Open, with the Malaysian professionals competing with some of the world’s best players for the championship title. With a USD 2.5 million prize purse up on offer, spectators can expect an exciting tournament this April. The four-day co-sanctioned event will take place at the West Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from 14th - 17th April 2011.

Source: http://4moles.com/contents/show/758-chowrasia-confirms-for-maybank-malaysian-open-2011

IGU and Nimbus Sport announce landmark partnership

The Indian Golf Union has finalised a long-term exclusive partnership with Nimbus Sport to stage and market professional Golf in India, including events like the prestigious Indian Open, the Indian Masters and the Indian Classic.
 

The landmark deal between IGU and Nimbus Sport is spread over three years and will feature number of golf events across the Country.

 

Apart from taking the Indian Open to new heights and reviving the Indian Masters, IGU has also decided to add the Indian Classic to give further lustre to professional golf in India. The Indian Golf Union holds the rights to all three events.

 

Rohit Amin, the President of Indian Golf Union said: “We are extremely pleased to enter into a long-term exclusive partnership with one of Asia’s leading sports management companies, Nimbus Sport. This agreement will not only ensure the presence of three world class IGU-sanctioned events in India, but will also ensure a significant increase in the funds available with the IGU to invest in development of the sport of golf in India. The growth of Indian Golf has to be fuelled by financial investments and marketing prowess. Our partnership with Nimbus Sport will deliver this and much more.”

 

Speaking on the partnership, Yannick Colaco, COO Nimbus Sport added: “This agreement with the IGU is part of our commitment to building the commercial value of the sport of Golf in Asia through long-term investments. The Indian Open, Masters and Classic are prestigious events which, in stature, deserve to be on par with the best in the continent.”

 

In 2013, the Indian Open will celebrate its 50^th edition. The Indian Open is the oldest and longest running professional golf event in India, and it has often been spoken of as the ‘fifth Major’ by Indian stars like Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa.

 

The Indian Open, started in 1964 with encouragement from Peter Thomson, then one of the world’s top golfers, who won the British Open five times. In the time since, it has become a flagship event for Indian golf and is one of the leading National Opens in Asia.

 

Currently carrying a purse of US $ 1.25 million it is jointly one of the richest full field event on Asian Tour. It has been sponsored by Hero Honda for the last six years.

 

The next edition of the Indian Open is scheduled for October 2011.

 

Each of the three Indian Events are expected to be rotated across cities in the country to ensure that golf fans across the country get an opportunity to be a part of and witness world class golf events.

 

The Indian Open thus far has been held in Delhi and Gurgaon and in Kolkata in its 47 years of existence.

 

The Indian Golf Union’s amateur teams have brought India medals at the 1982, 2006 and 2010 Asian Games, besides amateurs winning the Faldo Series Asia events three times in last six years. The Indian junior team also won the Asian junior title.

Source: http://4moles.com/contents/show/759-igu-and-nimbus-sport-announce-landmark-partnership