WESTWOOD, ELS, POULTER HEAD FOR BALLANTINE'S CHAMPIONSHIP
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Seoul, South Korea: World number one Lee Westwood will headline a quartet of golfing greats at the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea this April.
The English ace will be joined by South African superstar Ernie Els, world No.10 Ian Poulter and Asian Tour Honorary member, Y.E Yang, as the tournament moves to the prestigious Blackstone Resort in Seoul.
Westwood will be making his first visit to South Korea since playing in the 2009 Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.
In the 21 months since he has been in superb form – winning the inaugural Race to Dubai in 2009, claiming four top-three finishes in Majors, winning on the US Tour for the first time in a decade, and ending Tiger Woods’ five-year reign at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I thoroughly enjoyed playing in the Ballantine’s Championship in 2009 and I’m very much looking forward to returning to the tournament this year,” said Westwood.
“It is exciting that the event is moving to Blackstone Resort. I’ve heard great things about the venue and, like the vast majority of the players, it will be my first time there so it promises to be quite a challenge.
“I enjoyed a fantastic 2010 and becoming the world number one has been the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition. Obviously, I’m very keen to maintain the momentum in 2011 so I’m aiming to put on a great display for the Korean fans.
“South Korea has really put itself on the world golf map these past few years with the performances of its top players and the facilities there are second to none, so it has all the makings of a great week.”
The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship, once again co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA, will be played at Blackstone Resort in Incheon, just south of Seoul, from 28 April to 1 May. The club will host the event for at least the next three years.
It will be the first time that the exclusive venue – which opened only in 2009 and has just 300 members – has hosted a professional tournament.
Westwood has an astonishing 20 European Tour titles to his credit – the second highest total by an Englishman after Sir Nick Faldo – and has been a mainstay of Europe’s successful Ryder Cup teams in the past decade.
He also has an excellent record in the Far East, including four wins in Japan from 1996-98 and victory in the 1999 Macau Open.
Els, meanwhile, has more than 60 victories worldwide including three Majors – the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and the British Open in 2002.
He recently won the South African Open Championship for an astonishing fifth time and will be looking to make it third time lucky at the Ballantine’s Championship after top 10 finishes in the past two years.
Seoul, South Korea: World number one Lee Westwood will headline a quartet of golfing greats at the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea this April.
The English ace will be joined by South African superstar Ernie Els, world No.10 Ian Poulter and Asian Tour Honorary member, Y.E Yang, as the tournament moves to the prestigious Blackstone Resort in Seoul.
Westwood will be making his first visit to South Korea since playing in the 2009 Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.
In the 21 months since he has been in superb form – winning the inaugural Race to Dubai in 2009, claiming four top-three finishes in Majors, winning on the US Tour for the first time in a decade, and ending Tiger Woods’ five-year reign at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I thoroughly enjoyed playing in the Ballantine’s Championship in 2009 and I’m very much looking forward to returning to the tournament this year,” said Westwood.
“It is exciting that the event is moving to Blackstone Resort. I’ve heard great things about the venue and, like the vast majority of the players, it will be my first time there so it promises to be quite a challenge.
“I enjoyed a fantastic 2010 and becoming the world number one has been the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition. Obviously, I’m very keen to maintain the momentum in 2011 so I’m aiming to put on a great display for the Korean fans.
“South Korea has really put itself on the world golf map these past few years with the performances of its top players and the facilities there are second to none, so it has all the makings of a great week.”
The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship, once again co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA, will be played at Blackstone Resort in Incheon, just south of Seoul, from 28 April to 1 May. The club will host the event for at least the next three years.
It will be the first time that the exclusive venue – which opened only in 2009 and has just 300 members – has hosted a professional tournament.
Westwood has an astonishing 20 European Tour titles to his credit – the second highest total by an Englishman after Sir Nick Faldo – and has been a mainstay of Europe’s successful Ryder Cup teams in the past decade.
He also has an excellent record in the Far East, including four wins in Japan from 1996-98 and victory in the 1999 Macau Open.
Els, meanwhile, has more than 60 victories worldwide including three Majors – the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and the British Open in 2002.
He recently won the South African Open Championship for an astonishing fifth time and will be looking to make it third time lucky at the Ballantine’s Championship after top 10 finishes in the past two years.
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, January 17, 2011
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