http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/4/1/sports/8392452&sec=sports
PETALING JAYA: South Korean Noh Seung-yul (pic) will be back to defend the Maybank Malaysian Open title in the tournament, which will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from April 14-17.
Other former champions have also joined the cast, among them American Anthony Kang, Thai Thongchai Jaidee, Swede Peter Hedblom and Scot Alastair Forsyth.
Seung-yul, whose triumph at last year’s Malaysian Open helped him become the youngest-ever player to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit at 19 years old, recently qualified for his first WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship as one of the top 64 players in the world rankings.
“I had to adjust to the scorching weather the first time I played in Malaysia,” he said.
“This time, I’m mentally and physically prepared to withstand the heat in order to defend my title.”
Seung-yul added that winning the title last year was exceptionally meaningful because he managed to defeat his idol, K.J. Choi.
The 50th edition of the Malaysia Open have also attracted the participation of some of the best golfers in the world. In the fray are world No. 1 Martin Kaymer of Germany, Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
Points earned at the Open will go towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit and will give players a chance for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.
The four-day co-sanctioned event by both the Asian and European Tours offers a total purse of US$2.5mil.
