Triumphant trio book Iskandar Johor Open 2010 berth with fine showing at the international qualifier
Johor Bahru, October 4, 2010 - Craig McClean from Melbourne, Australia sensationally made five birdies and an eagle three in his first competitive nine holes at the 6,271-metre, par-72 Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club layout to qualify for the Iskandar Johor Open 2010 by virtue of being the International Qualifier winner.
McClean, 35, who has been a teaching professional at the Singapore Island Country Club for the last eight years, faced a stiffer challenge on the back nine, where he made only one birdie against four dropped shots but still win the qualifying round with a round of four-under-par 68.
“The golf course is definitely pleasing to the eyes but it is not easy, especially on the back nine. I had a good first nine and that carried me to the finish,” said McClean who sunk a 30-footer for eagle on the 506-metre, par-five, second hole after finding the green in two. “I tried to qualify for the last two years but didn’t manage to, so I’m happy to make it into the field this year.”
Rookie professional, Poosit Supupramai joined his elder brother, Sattaya in the illustrious IJO 2010 field by finishing runner-up today. Poosit, 17, started rather shakily with bogeys on holes 1 and 3. The Thai birdied hole 6 to make the turn on one-over-par 37 before canning four more birdies on holes 11, 12, 16 and 18 to chalk up a three-under-par 69.
“My driving was inconsistent but my putting helped me a lot, especially the one at hole 12 where I made a birdie from 40 feet. To play well on this course, you need to have all aspects of your game in good condition so I’m happy to have made it,” said the talented Poosit who at 15 won a professional event on the Thailand domestic tour.
“I will go back and practice to prepare for this championship. I’m looking forward to come back and compete against my brother. It will be a strong field with top players but I’m confident I can play well,” added the youngster who was not shy to declare that he’s in it to win.
The final slot was fiercely contested with three players finishing regulation play on two-under-par 70 forcing a sudden-death playoff at the 475-metre, par-five 18th hole. Brunei based Canadian, Ahmad Dan Bateman sunk a four-foot birdie putt to edge ahead of his younger Thai challengers, Namchoak Tantipokakul and Ronnachai Jamnong who finished par and bogey respectively.
“This is my first round of golf in two months, having last played at the Brunei Open in early August, so yes, I’m delighted with my score,” said Bateman who is the head golf professional at the Empire Hotel Country Club. “I’ve no target for the championship, on a good day, I can still shoot low score so, we’ll see what happens.”
The International Qualifier, which was open to regional, international as well as local professionals holding a valid Professional Card from recognised Golf Clubs and Professional Golf Associations, saw a total of 39 players teeing it up in the 18-hole affair. The top three players qualified for the Iskandar Johor Open under the Qualifier Winners category.
The prestigious Iskandar Johor Open will be held from October 14 to 17, 2010 at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Defending champion K.J. Choi of Korea, two-time major winner South African Retief Goosen, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and 2010 Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie are the leading players already confirmed for the championship.
Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia, the Iskandar Johor Open 2010 will be contested by 144 players consisting of the top 116 players on the Asian Tour ranking, the top 10 Malaysians on the PGAM Order of Merit, 10 sponsors invites, top five players from the Malaysian Qualifier and top three players from the International Qualifier.
The main sponsor of the Iskandar Johor Open is the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). It is also supported by platinum sponsor - UEM Land Holdings Berhad, the master developer of Nusajaya which is a key driver of Iskandar Malaysia and hosted by the Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Other co-sponsors include 100 Plus, Auto Bavaria Johor Bahru, Blackberry, Heineken, Kuok Brothers Sdn. Bhd, Pulai Springs Resort, Ricoh, Srixon, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Telekom Malaysia, Titoni and Winston Wine. The official media partners are Fairways, Golf Malaysia and ParGolf. The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Johor Golf Association.
The Iskandar Johor Open
The inaugural edition of the Iskandar Johor Open kicked off in August 2007. Held at the Johor Country Club (RJCC) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, it carried a prize purse of USD$300,000 and the honour of hoisting the trophy for the first time fell to Artemio Murakami of the Philippines. In October 2008, the championship offered an improved purse of USD$500,000 and South African Retief Goosen went on to clinch the coveted trophy at RJCC. 2009 marked a milestone in the history of the Iskandar Johor Open, with a 100% increase in prize money to USD$1,000,000, certainly pointing to the tournament’s growing stature. It was won by Korean K.J. Choi, who triumphed over rising Indian star Himmat Rai and defending champion Retief Goosen.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)
Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority is the statutory body tasked with realizing the vision of developing Iskandar Malaysia.
IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment’s diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.
More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.
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) and Srixon (Official Ball). Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort getaway, is the Home of the Asian Tour.
For Media Enquiries, please contact:
IRDA:
Balbeer Singh Jessy
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Email: balbeer@irda.com.my
