GOLF / 2007 JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

Top players boost field in Phuket

Serious business for Monty and Weir

SHENTON GOMEZ

An impressive contingent of Ryder Cup stalwarts and Canada's number one player have further boosted the star-studded field for this year's Johnnie Walker Classic, which tees off at the Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket, from March 1-4. The European Ryder Cup team's talisman Colin Montgomerie, reigning captain Ian Woosnam and former captain Sam Torrance will line up alongside past US Masters Champion, Mike Weir in the US$2.44m tournament.

This year's star attractions at the Johnnie Walker Classic already include three of the world's top 10 players: Adam Scott of Australia at number three, South African's Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, currently ranked fifth and eighth in the world respectively, plus the in-form Englishman, Paul Casey, who just two weeks ago won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship and is currently ranked 13th in the world.

Montgomerie is one of Europe's most successful golfers having won a record eight European Order of Merits during an impressive career, the most recent of which came in 2005. During his 2006 season, the Scot came agonisingly close to winning the US Open Championship, narrowly missing out to Australia's Geoff Ogilvy.

At last year's Ryder Cup matches, Montgomerie became the first European to play in five successive teams and once again he formed the lynchpin of Europe's win. The 43-year-old's last victory came in Asia at the UBS Hong Kong Open in December 2005, perhaps a good omen for this year's Johnnie Walker Classic.Buoyed no doubt by his successful captaincy of the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland and a great deal of experience playing in Asia, Woosnam could provide the surprise package. The diminutive Welshman boasts more than 35 tournament victories to his name, including the 1991 US Masters and the 1993 Johnnie Walker Classic, and remains one of the biggest hitters on tour.

Whilst Torrance has played a record 700 events on The European Tour since he turned professional back in 1970, the 53-year-old Scot is now enjoying a successful career on the Seniors Tour. He has topped the Order of Merit over the last two years and recorded his 40th career victory last September in the Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open. Torrance makes a welcome return to Asia and The European Tour when he competes in March.

Thirty six-year-old Weir, who makes his debut at the event in Phuket, became the first Canadian and only the second left-hander to win a Major when he won the US Masters at Augusta in 2003. A lingering neck injury hampered his 2005 season but in 2006 he managed 12 top-25 results, including a joint sixth slot in the US Open and sixth alone in the US PGA Championship, to finish 33rd on the US money list. A win at the Johnnie Walker Classic could just trigger a full return to form for the Canadian.

The Johnnie Walker Classic, with US$416,660 going to the winner, is tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasian Tours.

Bangkok Post
Wednesday January 31, 2007