Stars tee off BMW Asian Open

China Daily | Updated: 2008-04-24 07:26

The fifth BMW Asian Open to be held in Shanghai tees off today at Tomsom Shanghai Pudong Golf Club with some of the top golfing talents from Europe, Asia and South Africa gathered.

Among the contenders are two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and former world number one Greg Norman, European ace Henrik Stenson, Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Liang Wen-Chong and China's most celebrated golfer Zhang Lian-Wei and defending champion Raphael Jacquelin.

Speaking at Tuesday's opening press conference for the BMW Asian Open 2008, Dr. Christoph Stark, President and CEO, BMW Group Region China said: "2008 being the year of the Olympics. I'm sure the Chinese fans would be backing their home favourites like Liang Wen-Chong and Zhang Lian-Wei to put on a strong performance on home soil.

He added: "The BMW Asian Open is now in China, and specifically in Shanghai for fifth years now. The tournament has always been well received by the world's top professional golfers, China's golf enthusiasts and the general public. This year, we have another stellar line-up of the world's golf superstars so we can expect another spectacular tournament this year."

Stenson, current world number 13 and the highest ranked player in the field, will be hoping to go one better than in his last visit in 2006 where he lost in a play-off to Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Two-time US Open champion Goosen, the second-highest ranked player at world number 28, is making his second trip to Tomson Pudong and 'The Iceman' will certainly ranked as one of the pre-tournament favorites.

China's top player Liang Wen Chong, who became the first Chinese to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, will be eager to show what he has learnt from his recent US Masters debut, while his mentor and China's golfing trailblazer Zhang Liang-Wei will be eager to add another European Tour title to his resume.

"Besides Zhang and myself, there are other Asian players who have won co-sanctioned European and Asian Tour events before," said Liang, who scored his maiden international victory at the 2007 Singapore Masters. "It is good to know that the fans will be backing the Chinese players, but I believe the fans will also be supporting the other top Asian and European players. The best player this weekend will certainly win the hearts of the Chinese fans."

One player who is no stranger to the warmth and ardent support of the fans in Shanghai is defending champion Raphael Jacquelin who led from start to finish to win the 2007s BMW Asian Open. However, the Frenchman, who celebrated in style with a champagne shower at the 18th green last year, will certainly have a tough time defending his title given the strong field that has gathered for 2008.

No less than four Majors winners are in this year's field, namely dual majors winners Retief Goosen and Greg Norman, 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie and 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell.

Besides Stenson, the strong European contingent also boasts of a mix of exciting young and experienced talents including last year's European Tour's rookie of the year Martin Kaymer the German world number 30, Irish teen sensation Rory McIlroy, Danish ace Thomas Bj?rn (winner of nine European Tour titles), Spanish star Miguel Angel Jimenez (winner of 13 European Tour titles), England's Ryder Cup star Darren Clarke who has beaten Tiger Woods in two World Golf Championships events and compatriot David Howell who beat Tiger Woods to win the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in 2005.

Eager to end Europe's dominance of this event and to win a lion's share of the US$2.3 million prize money are Asian Tour stars like India's Jeev Milkha Singh and in-form compatriot SSP Chowrasia, former Asian Order of Merit winners Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, and current leader on the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit Mark Brown of New Zealand who won back to back titles in India in February.

Besides the prize money of US$2.3million, a brand new BMW X6, which will be introduced to the Chinese market tomorrow, awaits the first person who scores a hole-in-one at the 216-yard Hole 14.

The star-studded BMW Asian Open 2008 ends on Sunday April 27.