Former champion Louis Oosthuizen has confirmed he will play in the Maybank Malaysian Open, from April 17-20 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
The South African claimed the title in 2012, a week after he came agonisingly close to winning the Masters Tournament, where he lost a play-off to American Bubba Watson. He bounced straight back from that Augusta National near-miss by triumphing in the Malaysian capital by three shots from Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open Champion, was hampered by injuries in 2013, but returned in January to successfully defend the Volvo Golf Champions, and last week he reached the quarter-finals of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Maybank Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor, said: “I’m delighted to announce Oosthuizen will be playing in this year’s Maybank Malaysian Open as he is widely regarded as one of the finest players on The European Tour.
“Who can forget the way he admirably bounced back from a heart-breaking play-off defeat at the 2012 Masters to win the Maybank Malaysian Open that year.
“The true test of champions is how they react after a loss and Oosthuizen showed a lot of class to delight his Malaysian fans when he overcame an emotional defeat and jetlag to win at KLGCC.
“With (Lee) Westwood also in the field, we now have two former champions ready to do battle in Malaysia.”
Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) president Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor said having Oosthuizen and Westwood at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2014 will be a big boost for the tournament.
“What a great start to the build-up to the Maybank Malaysian Open 2014 with two former champions, one of whom is a Major winner, while another is a former world number one.
“I would like to congratulate Maybank for their hard work in getting these two stars to come to Malaysia.”
The Maybank Malaysian Open was the first tournament in Asia to be co-sanctioned by The European and Asian Tours in 1999.
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