November 12, 2007 – A stellar line-up of players from North America, Europe and Asia has been assembled for the 2007 edition of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
The US$2.25 million showpiece is headlined by two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen and 2003 Masters winner Mike Weir, who are joined by fellow PGA Tour stars KJ Choi, Stuart Appleby and Trevor Immelman.
Top contenders from the European Tour include Ryder Cup stars David Howell and Paul McGinley, 2006 UBS Hong Kong Open winner José Manuel Lara, and former Hong Kong champions Miguel Angel Jiménez and Simon Dyson.
Nine of the top 10 players on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit are present, led by current No.1 Liang Wenchong.
Six-time Major winner Nick Faldo is making a rare playing appearance as he takes on an “ambassadorial” role as a guest of UBS.
Weir, Appleby and Immelman will all be making their Hong Kong debuts when the Open is staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling on November 15-18.
“It’s always exciting to take on a new challenge and I’ve heard great things about the UBS Hong Kong Open and the galleries at Fanling,” said left-hander Weir.
“The Open has had some great champions down the years, but never one from Canada, so I’ll be doing my best to be the first.”
Goosen, winner of the US Open in 2001 and 2004, will be making his second appearance in Hong Kong.
“I’m relishing the chance to return to the Hong Kong Golf Club after making my debut at the UBS Hong Kong Open last year,” said the South African.
“It’s a challenging course that tests every aspect of a player’s game and puts the accent firmly on accuracy.”
Choi, the world’s top-ranked Asian player, is enjoying a storming year with two PGA Tour victories – taking his career total to six – and five other top-10 finishes.
The Korean is familiar with Fanling and will be keen to go one better than his previous best finish in the UBS Hong Kong Open – joint runner-up in 2005.
The UBS Hong Kong Open, promoted by Parallel Media Group, is again jointly sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.
The Open was first staged in 1959 – making it the territory’s oldest professional sporting event – and has been held every year at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Korea’s Kang Wook Soon was the last Asian player to win the Open, in 1998, since when European golfers have won the past eight editions.
