Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Avantha Masters champion S.S.P. Chowrasia have confirmed their participation at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 from April 14-17.
They will line up against World Number One and US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer of Germany, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, reigning Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and his fellow South African, Charl Schwartzel for the 50th anniversary of the Malaysian Open.
The star players headline an exceptional field set to gather at the renowned Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to battle for the lion’s share of the $2.5 million prize fund.
Thongchai will be gunning for a third Malaysian Open victory following back-to-back wins in 2004 and 2005. He finished runner-up in 2006 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, which will host the Open for the second successive year next month.
The 41 year old, a winner of four titles co-sanctioned by The European Tour and the Asian Tour, has a large fan base in Malaysia and currently holds the record for most wins on the Asian Tour with 13 titles.
Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, or better known as S.S.P., has come a long way from being the Royal Calcutta Golf Club’s greenkeeper’s son. Following in the footsteps of compatriot and idol, Jeev Milkha Singh, S.S.P. emerged as a local hero when he captured the inaugural Indian Masters title in 2008 to claim his first European Tour title.
Last month, the 32 year old gave his home crowd more to cheer about when he won the Avantha Masters title, tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
The 1999 Malaysian Open was the first event co-sanctioned by The European Tour and the Asian Tour. South Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul won the title last year to become the youngest professional in history to win a European Tour event. Noh, at 18 years and 281 days, beat the record for youngest professional winner - previously set by Dale Hayes in 1971 - by nine days, although the youngest winner in Tour history is New Zealand's Danny Lee who was 18 and 213 days when he won the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic as an amateur.
