YANGON, Myanmar – Feb. 5, 2005 – Titleholder Thongchai Jaidee will headline a field of champions when the Myanmar Open celebrates its 10th anniversary at Yangon Golf Club from February 24-27.
Thai star Thongchai, last year's Asian Tour number one, has confirmed his entry in this month's championship, which will be the first full-field event of the 2005 season. Other top names who have entered include Scotsman Simon Yates, third on the Order of Merit last year, Singapore's Mardan Mamat and American Andrew Pitts, runner-up here 12 months ago.
Last season, Yates won the SK Telecom Open in Korea while Mamat broke through with his maiden Asian Tour triumph at the Royal Challenge Indian Open. Several former Myanmar Open champions will be back for another bite at the title. Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit, victorious in 1996 and 1997, and Korean American Anthony Kang will be challenging for Thongchai's crown.
Thongchai is looking forward to a return to Yangon. "Whenever a player has a chance to defend a title, he should go to honor the tournament and its sponsors," said Thongchai. "I still want to play as many Asian Tour events as I can. With so many tournaments in Asia this year, it will keep me nearer to home."
The former paratrooper also won the Myanmar Open in 2002 and said that Yangon reminds him of home, which provides him with the inspiration to perform well. "The playing conditions are very similar to my home town in Lopburi," said Thongchai. "Also, it is only a one-hour flight from Bangkok and the proximity to Myanmar and similarity helps all the Thai players. Boonchu also plays well in Myanmar because of these reasons."
After winning last year's Myanmar Open, Thongchai went on to bag the Carlsberg Malaysian Open, jointly sanctioned with the European Tour. The back-to-back wins propelled him to a second Order of Merit title in three years with earnings of over US$381,000, a new record in Asia.
As the first Thai winner on the European Tour, he went on to finish 43rd on the European money ranking and also cracked the top-100 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Myanmar’s top professionals will be joining the fray, led by former Asian number one and Asian Tour chairman Kyi Hla Han. Other local pros tipped to challenge for honors include Zaw Moe, Soe Kyaw Naing and Aung Win, who has come close in recent years of ending Myanmar's search for a first home winner in the national Open.
Soe, who won five of the domestic tour’s eight legs, is presently ranked number one in the country and should mount a serious challenge while Win is another player expected to shine. The talented Win finished tied ninth last year and joint third in 2003.
Contact:
Chuah Choo Chiang
Media Director
Asian Tour
920 Block A
Kelana Centre Point
Jalan SS7/19, Kelana Jaya
47301 Petaling Jaya
Malaysia
T +603 7880 3714
F +603 7880 1141
E chuah@asiantour.com
W www.asiantour.com
