Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Avantha Masters champion SSP Chowrasia have confirmed their participation at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 from 14 – 17 April.

The veteran Thai golfer who has a large following at each Open he participates, was once a Royal Thai Army paratrooper turned professional when he was 30-years old. He currently holds the record for most wins on the Asian Tour with a whopping 13 titles next to his name. The 41-year old Thongchai collected his 13th win at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open, after enjoying a season of wins in 2008 and 2009 where he claimed two victories in respective years. The three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner is still gunning for his first victory on European soil as he splits his time between the Asian Tour and the European Tour.

Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, or better known as SSP, has come a long way from being the Royal Calcutta Golf Club’s green keeper’s son. Following in the footsteps of compatriot and idol, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, SSP emerged as a local hero when he secured the inaugural Emaar-MGF Indian Masters back in 2008. This was a memorable triumph as he defeated an elite field that included South Africa’s Ernie Els and Alvaro Quiros Garcia of Spain. In February 2011, the 32-year old SSP gave his home crowd something to cheer about as he bagged the Avantha Masters title. The win at the tri-sanctioned – Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) event – simultaneously ensured that he ended his three-year drought.

These top Asian players will face one of the biggest challenges of their career at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 as they go up against World No. 1 Martin Kaymer of Germany, promising teen sensation Rory McIlroy of Ireland and two of South Africa’s finest – Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

This year, the tournament reaches a milestone as it celebrates its 50th edition as some of the world’s best golfers gather to compete at the renowned Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club from the 14th to 17th April 2011.
 
Making history as the first ever co-sanctioned tournament in Asia by both the European and Asian Tours in 1999, the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will feature top players from the rankings of both these world-leading circuits to make up the 156-player line-up.

Points earned at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 will go towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and will also add to the player’s 2011 Race to Dubai Ranking, granting them a chance to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

A star-studded field is expected at the 50th edition of the Maybank Malaysian Open, with the Malaysian professionals competing with some of the world’s best players for the championship title. With a USD 2.5 million prize purse up on offer, spectators can expect an exciting tournament this April. The four-day co-sanctioned event will take place at the West Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from 14th - 17th April 2011.

Past winners of the Malaysian Open

About Maybank

Maybank was incorporated on 31 May 1960 and commenced operations on 12 September 1960. On 17 February 1962, Maybank was listed on the then Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (today Bursa Malaysia).

The Maybank Group is the country’s leading financial services group with an international network of over 1,750 branches and offices in 14 countries namely, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea,  People’s Republic of China, Bahrain, Uzbekistan,  Pakistan, United Kingdom and United States of America.

The Group offers a comprehensive range of financial services and products ranging from commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, credit cards, offshore banking, leasing and hire purchase, insurance, factoring, trustee services, asset management, stock broking, nominee services, venture capital and Internet banking.

In December 2005, Maybank signed on as the Title Sponsor of the country's premier golf tournament, the Malaysian Open from 2006 until 2010.

Website: www.maybank.com

About the Malaysian Golf Association

Founded in 1929, the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) as the sole governing body of golf in Malaysia has been entrusted to promote the game while preserving its traditions and integrity.

It’s a non-government organization that runs by volunteers who are passionate about the game with the help of a team of management staff.

The Association’s portfolios have increased over the years ranging from conducting 14 state amateur opens, national amateur open, national amateur close, Malaysian Open to processing handicaps through its National Handicap System to promoting grassroot programs and training of the athletes to represent Malaysia in the international events.

We take our responsibilities seriously in promoting the game in Malaysia while simultaneously upholding the Rules of Golf as prescribed by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A;).

About the European Tour

The PGA European Tour is an organisation which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the Senior Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England. The European Tour is the primary golf tour in Europe.

The European Tour was established by the British-based Professional Golfers' Association, and responsibility was transferred to an independent PGA European Tour organisation in 1984. Most events on the PGA European Tour's three tours are held in Europe, but in recent years an increasing number have been held in other parts of the world outside of North America.

The PGA European Tour is a golfer-controlled organisation whose primary purpose is to maximise the income of tournament golfers. It is a company limited by guarantee and is run by a professional staff but controlled by its playing members via a board of directors composed of 12 elected past and present tour players and a Tournament Committee of 14 current players. As of 2007, the Chairman of the Board is Neil Coles and the Chairman of the Tournament Committee is Thomas Bjørn.

About the Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Ricoh (Official Office Solutions Provider), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Royal Selangor (Official Trophy Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Pan Pacific (Official Hotel), BlackBerry (Official Mobile) and Srixon (Official Ball). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

About GlobalOne

GlobalOne is an executive lifestyle sports marketing consultancy founded in 1987 and works with sports governing bodies, broadcasters, commercial sponsors and other partners to create effective sports properties and events that deliver on the bottom-line. Our extensive experience blankets executive lifestyle sports marketing as well as media marketing which spans across all sports, cultures and geographies.

GlobalOne serves an expanding stable of prestigious Asia-Pacific clients through a network offices in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Indonesia. We have in the past created partnerships in golf, motor racing, sailing, tennis, rugby, skiing, athletics, basketball, cycling and skiing. Today, GlobalOne’s primary focus and area of sports rights ownership is professional golf.

GlobalOne currently stages two highly successful tournaments in Asia – the Maybank Malaysian Open and the Enjoy Jakarta Astro Indonesia Open – all of which enjoy European Tour and Asian Tour co-sanctioning. Over the past six years, GlobalOne has promoted a total of 21 events, all co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, with total prize money in excess of US$20 million. GlobalOne has also staged the first World Cup of Golf in Asia, at China’s Mission Hills in 1995, and a second World Cup of Golf event in Kuala Lumpur in 1999.

For more information, log onto www.maybankmalaysianopen.com

For further information, please contact the official Communications Partner for the Maybank Malaysian Open 2011 – Arcis Communications Malaysia:

Email:

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