Malaysian Open prize purse tops $1m mark
Malaysian Open prize purse tops $1m mark
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Prize money at next year's Malaysian Open
will total US$ 1 million, the first time that a national open in
Asia has hit the million dollar mark.
The Malaysian Open has been the richest national open in the
region for several years but prize money at the 2002 event,
jointly sanctioned by the Asian and European PGA tours for the
fourth year running, will reach an unprecedented level thanks to
a cash boost from sponsors Carlsberg.
"For the Malaysian Open to become the first national open in
Asia to offer one million dollars is something that the Malaysian
Golf Association is very proud of. The increase speaks volumes
for the stature of our flagship tournament," said Malaysian Golf
Association President Thomas Lee.
The tournament will be the second richest on the Asian circuit
-- after the BMW Asian Open, which makes its debut in Taiwan in
November with a prize fund of $1.5 million.
Royal Selangor, the home of the Malaysian Open from its 1962
inception until the early 1990s, will host next year's tournament
for the first time since 1994.
This year's title was won by Fiji's Vijay Singh, who defeated
Ireland's Padraig Harrington in a play-off in February.
Taiwan Open
In Taipei, Taiwan, Scott Hoch, one of the 12 Americans who
will do battle with Europe's best in next month's Ryder Cup, is
the star attraction for the $300,000 Taiwan Open, which tees off
here on Thursday.
The 45-year-old, currently enjoying one of the best periods of
his career, is something of an old Asia hand having won the
Korean Open in 1990 and 1991 as well as three titles in Japan in
the 1980's.
He will be looking to put that experience to good use at the
Sunrise Golf and Country Club, as well as fine-tuning his game
for the September 28-30 showdown at The Belfry in Sutton-
Coldfield, England.
Hoch booked his automatic place on the US team with victories
in the Western Open and Greater Greensboro Classic titles this
year, bringing his tally of US tour titles to ten.
That wealth of experience means he will start as a strong
favorite to add another star name to the Taiwan Open trophy after
Vijay Singh's play-off victory last year.
South Korea's Charlie Wi, the current leader of the Asian PGA
tour's order of merit, and second placed Thongchai Jaidee of
Thailand are also competing this week.
Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, the winner of the last two
events on the tour - the Singapore Open and Malaysian Masters --
and India's Jeev Milkha Singh are also expected to challenge.