Kim the standout in Malaysia
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2009 Malaysian Open | Preview | 12 Feb 2009
The Malaysian Open restarts the European Tour this week when the Asian and European Tours join forces at the Ronald Fream designed Saujana Golf and Country Club outside of Kuala Lumpur.
The European Tour has had a one week break following its journey through the Middle East while the Asian Tour will play the second event of its 2009 schedule following the Asian International last week.
Tournament invitee Anthony Kim is the standout player in the field, his world ranking of 11 having him as one of only two players from inside the world top 50 in the field. Kim’s presence adds a new dimension to the event and signals the increasing preparedness of the 23 year old to play internationally on a more regular basis. He played in China and Korea late in 2008 and following this week’s event will play in Perth at the Johnnie Walker Classic.
Kim missed the cut at the recent FBR Open but did finish runner up at the Mercedes Benz Championship a few weeks earlier at his previous start before an injury set him back briefly.
Kim will not have everything his own way however with a field that includes the very much inform Louis Oosthuizen, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hedblom and the other player from the top fifty Oliver Wilson.
Wilson finished runner up in the HSBC event in China late last year and has continued to play solidly enough since. Although he could manage only 52nd in this event last year he often plays well on foreign land and could confirm his status in the tournament this week.
Oosthuizen arrives in Malaysia off the back of four consecutive top ten finishes against fields much stronger than this. Two of those have been runner up placings. Oosthuizen is on the verge of breaking into the world top 50 (he is currently 51st) and a win this week would have him on track to play at Augusta for the first occasion in two months time.
Thongchai Jaidee is another who should do well. The two time winner of this event at this venue has started his 2009 season slowly but if he can recapture the form he displayed late in 2008 then he should be a factor.
Peter Hedblom was beaten in a playoff last year in this event, admittedly at another venue, but won at Saujana in 2007. He has not played well of late but clearly enjoys his time in Malaysia and that might be enough to get his season moving forward.
The Australasian presence is strong and includes Scott Strange, Mark Brown, Marcus Fraser, Wade Ormsby, David Gleeson, Mitchell Brown, Andrew Dodt, Scott Hend, Kane Webber, Adam Blyth, Marcus Both, Terry Pilkadaris, Neven Basic, Stephen Leaney, Scott Barr, Gavin Flint, Rick Kulacz, Darren Beck and Tony Carolan.
