Two-time winner Zhang set to play Macao Open

The Macao Open, jointly organized by the Macao Sport Development Board of Macao SAR Government (MSDB) and the Golf Association of Macao, will be held from Oct 11 to 14, the organizers announced recently.

Title-holder Chan Yih-shin of Chinese Taipei and two-time Macao Open champion Zhang Lianwei have committed to this year's event, while other big-name international players will be unveiled in the coming weeks, the organizers said.

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Macao Golf Association, the event signed the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel as the new title sponsor this year.

Since it began in 1998, the tournament has attracted world-class names. The list of champions include European stars Lee Westwood of England and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie. Other top stars who have traveled to the Macao Golf and Country Club include Vijay Singh of Fiji, England's Nick Faldo, Ireland's Padraig Harrington and the US' Fred Couples and Mark O'Meara, all of whom have won majors.

This year's tournament will feature a total prize pool of $750,000. All four rounds will be broadcast live on the Asian Tour's global television platform, which reaches over 200 nations and 650 million homes.

"Since the inauguration of the Macao Open in 1998, international stars and leading Asian players have converged to compete in what is now one of Macao's most iconic and eagerly anticipated annual events," said Vong Iao Lek, president of the Macao Sport Development Board.

"We have had a long-term wonderful working relationship with the Macao Golf Association over this tournament and it is our hope for this to continue for many years to come as we build Macao into a top class destination for business, sport and leisure.

"The involvement of The Venetian Macao as the tournament's title sponsor will have a very positive effect on the development of The Venetian Macao Open and we look forward to making this year's championship a very successful one."

Macao Open is a four-day, stroke play event which sees the competition cut to the 65 top ranked players on the second day. A plum cash prize purse ensures spectators most exciting contests as golfers pit their wits against each other and the course in a dash to be crowned as champion of the Macao Open.

Last year, Chan's tee shot went out-of-bounds for a double bogey on the first hole of the final day, but he rallied with a massive chip-in birdie from 40 feet on 12 before closing with 2-under-par 69 in blustery conditions to grab his second Asian Tour title by three shots, with a winning total of 14-under-par 270 and pocketed the winner's cheque of $118,875 in Asia's casino hub.

(China Daily 08/22/2012 page23)