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28 January 2009 Kuala Lumpur, 28 January 2009 – Fresh from their Asian Team victory at the Royal Trophy earlier this month, Thongchai Jaidee, and fellow Thai professional Prayad Marksaeng will join the line-up at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 which tees off at Saujana Golf and Country Club from 12th -15th February.
Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand was undefeated over the three days at the Royal Trophy and will be keen to build on this performance. He is a two-time winner (2004 & 2005) of the Malaysian Open and a strong crowd favourite. His 2004 victory was the first time a Thai player had won a co-sanctioned European Tour event.
He said, “The Maybank Malaysian Open is one of my favourite events on Tour and I feel that I’m in good physical condition, and would love to claim the trophy for a third time. Both victories for me came at Saujana Golf and Country Club so I am familiar with the course and surroundings which always helps me to focus on my game and relax.”
Jaidee was the first man to earn over US$2million on the Asia Tour and has 10 Asian Tour victories to his name so far. In the 2008 season, he won the Hana Bank Vietnam Masters and the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open, finishing in 14th position on the Order of Merit after playing 11 events on the calendar. His most recent event, the Abu Dhabi Championship saw Jaidee finish in a strong 13th place.
Fellow Thai player Prayad Marksaeng has been a member of the Asian Tour since it began in its current form in 1995. He has six Tour victories to his name so far and became one of the first 10 men to reach a million US dollars in career earnings. His most recent Asian Tour win was at the 2007 Volvo Masters of Asia and he collected three titles on the Japan Golf Tour last year.
Marksaeng partnered Jaidee to Foursomes and Fourball victories at the Royal Trophy and also won his singles match against Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal on the final day.
He said, “The victory for Asia at the Royal Trophy was a great start to the season for me. Thongchai and I played well together in the opening two days. I am looking forward to teeing off beside him and the other players at next month’s Maybank Malaysian Open. “
Commenting on the progress that the game has made in the past few years, Malaysian Golf Association President Datuk Robin Loh said, “The quality of players in Asia has grown tremendously over the last few years. It is great to have so many high profile players from the Asian Tour play alongside the best from the European Tour at the Maybank Malaysian Open this year.
“Both Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng are popular with the locals and with their recent victories they will have lots of confidence and support from the fans.”
The Maybank Malaysian Open, which was the first event in Asia to be co-sanctioned back in 1999 by the European and Asian Tours, will offer players vital prize money on The Race to Dubai. This new format replaces the old European Tour Order of Merit and will give the top-60 ranked players the chance to play for the US$10,000,000 prize find, in addition to the US$10,000,000 Bonus Pool, when the season ends at the inaugural Dubai World Championship in November.
Kyi Hla Han, Asian Tour, Executive Chairman said, “The Asian Tour players always perform well at the Maybank Malaysian Open and consider it as one of the favourite events on their schedule. We have had many winners at this co-sanctioned event and with the form of our Asian Team earlier this month, we are confident the Tour players will give good performances at Saujana Golf and Country Club. It would be great to see another Asian champion on the trophy.”
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| Maybank Malaysian Open debuts at the newly remodelled Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in 2010 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 | | Kang is king at Maybank Malaysian Open Sun, 15 Feb 2009 | | King Kang conquers Maybank Malaysian Open Sun, 15 Feb 2009 | | Blyth holds slender lead at action-packed Maybank Malaysian Open Sat, 14 Feb 2009 | | Blyth grabs lead in Maybank Malaysian Open Sat, 14 Feb 2009 | | Danny's déjà-vu sees him lead in Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 | | Chia soars on eagle's wings Fri, 13 Feb 2009 | | It's the Noren and Noh show at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 | | Thongchai bids for record-equalling win in Malaysia Wed, 11 Feb 2009 | | The King and I: Kim gets Royal treatment in Malaysia Tue, 10 Feb 2009 | | Kim aims to be King of Maybank Malaysian Open Tue, 10 Feb 2009 | | Maybank Malaysian Open prepares for tee-off at Saujana Golf and Country Club Mon, 9 Feb 2009 | | Local golfers out in force at the Maybank Malaysian Open Fri, 6 Feb 2009 | | Testing the Cobra for the 9th time Thu, 5 Feb 2009 | | European stars make their way to the Maybank Malaysian Open Wed, 4 Feb 2009 | | Results of National Qualifying Tournament for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 | | Day 1 of National Qualifying Tournament for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 | | Callaway Golf announced as Official Equipment and Ball partner for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 in February Fri, 16 Jan 2009 | | Anthony Kim coming to Saujana for the Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Thu, 8 Jan 2009 |
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