The Barclays Singapore Open will once again take centre stage next month when a star-studded field competes in Asia’s richest national Open.
Major Champions Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Y.E. Yang – along with American Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas – are the first big name players to confirm their participation for the US$6 million tournament.
The Barclays Singapore Open will be played from November 10-13 at Sentosa Golf Club and for the third year in a row will be joint sanctioned by The European Tour and the Asian Tour.
For the second successive season a starting field of 204 players will compete on both The Serapong and The Tanjong courses. Players will play on both courses for the first two days and after the halfway cut is made they will compete on The Serapong at the weekend.
Robert Morrice, Chairman and Chief Executive, Asia Pacific, Barclays PLC , said: “The Barclays Singapore Open is one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in Asia. Since our sponsorship began in 2006, the tournament has witnessed an ever-increasing field of players and size of prize purse. The championship has consistently delivered some of the finest golfing talent to the region.
“We feel that the commitment and passion for success expressed in this world-class event is a true reflection of what Barclays brings to our clients every day – quality, confidence and focus.”
Four-time Major champion Mickelson has competed in the last four Barclays Singapore Opens with his best finish coming in 2008 when he ended ninth.
The American claimed the Shell Houston Open this year for his 39th victory on the US PGA Tour. Currently ranked number 10 in the world he has triumphed three times at the Masters Tournament (2010, 2006 and 2004) and won the US PGA Championship in 2005.
McDowell, popular winner of the 2010 US Open, tied for third in last year’s Barclays Singapore Open and was equal fifth in 2009. He will be chasing his eighth victory on The European Tour when he tees off at Sentosa.
Yang, who competed in Singapore last year for the first time, shot to fame in 2009 when he became the first male Asian to win a Major by overtaking American Tiger Woods in the final round of the US PGA Championship.
Harrington narrowly lost to Indian Jeev Milkha Singh in the 2008 Barclays Singapore Open. That came at the end of a year that saw him reach stardom by winning both the Open Championship and US PGA Championship in the space of five weeks, adding to his maiden Major at the 2007 Open Championship.
Kim and Villegas will be exciting new additions to the event having both won three times on the US PGA Tour. The duo won last year with Kim winning the Shell Houston Open and Villegas claiming the Honda Classic.
Other star players will be announced in the following weeks.
A total of 77 players from the Asian Tour and 77 from The European Tour will line up at Sentosa. There will be 10 sponsor invites and 22 places will go to members of the China, Indian, Japanese, Korean and ASEAN PGA Tours.
The Singapore PGA will receive four spots and four berths will be available for the Singapore Golf Association’s leading amateurs.
A qualifying tournament to be held on November 1 on The Tanjong will make five places available in the prestigious event which celebrates its 48th staging this year.
Bob Tan, President, Singapore Golf Association, said: “I am delighted to welcome back the Barclays Singapore Open. This prestigious event will once again play host to many of the world’s top golfers including Asia’s and Singapore’s best. This event also provides an opportunity for four of our top amateurs to bench mark against the very best professional golfers and experience what it is like to compete at the highest level.”
Adam Scott completed a hat-trick of victories in Singapore's national Open when he triumphed by three strokes in 2010. The popular Australian also tasted victory in 2005 and 2006.
It was yet another memorable edition of Singapore's national Open, which returned to the golfing calendar in 2005 after a three-year hiatus due to lack of sponsorship.
Argentinean Angel Cabrera triumphed in 2007, Singh took top spot the following year while Ian Poulter from England won in 2009.
The tournament will be broadcast live for all four days on the ESPN Star Sports network through the efforts of event organiser World Sport Group.
Chris Jordan, Senior Vice President – Golf, World Sport Group, said: “This is the seventh successive year that World Sport Group has promoted this magnificent tournament. The event broke new ground last year with a US$1 million increase in prize money to US$6 million, confirming its position as the most lucrative national Open in Asia. With US$6 million at stake again this year and a line-up of quality players ready to do battle over two of the finest courses in Asia, we await a bumper week of golf.”
