Hong Kong Open promises plenty of action

Anirban Lahiri

Hong Kong, Oct 10 (IANS) Over 30 Asian Tour winners will form part of the impressive line-up at the $1.3 million Hong Kong Open which gets underway at the Hong Kong Golf Club next week.

The Hong Kong Open, which is the only national championship in Asia to be held at the same golf club since its inauguration in 1959, will welcome four former Asian number ones in Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thaworn Wiratchant, Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, who have won a combined six Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns.

Also in the fray are American David Lipsky, Anirban Lahiri of India, Filipino veteran Antonio Lascuna, Jason Knutzon of the US and new Asian Tour winner Steve Lewton of England. They are among the top 10 players from the current Order of Merit vying for the Hong Kong Open which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

Asia's first Major winner Y.E. Yang, who is an Asian Tour honorary member and winner of the 2009 US PGA Championship, will also headline the field alongside four-time Hong Kong Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain and four-time Major winner Ernie Els of South Africa.

Reigning Asian Tour number one Kiradech, currently ninth on the Merit list, knows he must maintain or better his position on the Merit list to qualify for the CIMB Classic in Malaysia later this month.

A win in Hong Kong could potentially push him into the top four of the rankings and earn him a spot in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China in November. The cut-off date to qualify for both events is October 20.