By Rahul Banerji
A much-reduced Indian number will tee it up from Thursday for the Asian Tour’s season-opening Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur’s Mines Resort and Golf Club.
With quite a few unable to retain their tour cards for 2024, Gaganjeet Bhullar will be the leading name in the pack where Yuvraj Singh Sandhu will be the only new face via the Asian Development Tour.
The remaining regulars at the $1 million tournament include Karandeep Kochhar, Chikkarangappa S., Rashid Khan, and Veer Ahlawat.
Ajeetesh Sandhu is playing on exemption while Jeev Milkha Singh and S.S.P. Chawrasia are in the career cumulative prize money list and Honey Baisoya has a tournament invitation.
The overall entry list, though, has eight of the top nine from the tour’s 2024 final money list including Bhullar.
The others are Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, Travis Smyth of Australia, Thais Phachara Khongwatmai and Poom Saksansin, Spaniard David Puig and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, the tour website said.
Defending champion from 2020 when the event was last played, Trevor Simsby of the US will be one to watch as will Japanese powerhouse Takumi Kanaya, an International Series winner in 2023 and ranked inside the top 130 in the world.
This year, the Malaysian Open holds Open Qualifying Series Asia status by The R&A with the three leading finishers not already exempt earning entry to July’s 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Lahiri in for Macau
Meanwhile, a field that numbers LIV Golf League stars Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell and Anirban Lahiri have confirmed entry for the $2 million International Series Macau presented by Wynn from March 14 to 17.
Major winners Garcia and McDowell are confirmed to tee it up at the event that to be played at Macau Golf & Country Club.
Masters champion in 2017 Garcia will line up alongside US Open 2010 winner McDowell, and Hong Kong’s Asian Games winner Taichi Kho in a strong field as Macau makes its debut on The International Series.
Asian Tour entrants include Thailand’s Suwannarut, Campbell and Bhullar, the final three winners on last year’s calendar of 10 elevated events, are in the field.
Garcia, who has six wins on the Asian Tour said on the Asian Tour website, “I’ve always enjoyed playing in the region throughout my career, and I’m excited about playing in Macau and competing against some genuine talent from the Asian Tour.
“I’ve heard a lot about the venue and how excited some of the players are about it, so it would be great to pick up another win in Asia here.”
Garcia’s former Ryder Cup team-mate and Las Vegas-winning Smash GC member McDowell, who triumphed in Macau last November at a rooftop challenge to unveil the event, added: “I am excited to be back in the Vegas of Asia.
“It’s an amazing destination, and as soon as I saw the calendar, I pencilled it in.
“It fits my schedule well and like other events on The International Series, playing in a strong field at a world-class destination gives me a wonderful opportunity to stay sharp and competitive.”
The tournament is the second of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that offer increased prize funds, and a pathway to the LIV Golf League through its season-long rankings system.
It follows the International Series Oman on the schedule, and is the fourth event of the Asian Tour season.
Also read: Dustin Johnson wins LIV Golf Las Vegas, Smash lift team trophy
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