Campbell to contest 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic
IN: News | Australasian PGA | Johnnie Walker Classic (2006) | General | 07 Sep 2005
Former Johnnie Walker Classic winners Michael Campbell and Nick Faldo will headline a stellar field to contest the 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic at the Vines Resort and Country Club in Perth, Australia. Joining these former champions in Perth from February 9-12 next year will be Thomas Bjorn and Colin Montgomerie - both runners-up at past editions of the Johnnie Walker Classic.
The 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic will be the 15th edition of Asia Pacific's most prestigious event with Perth the host city for the third occasion. The Vines Resort and Country Club, one of Australia's premier golf venues, will stage the event for the first time. Lake Karrinyup hosted the Johnnie Walker Classic in 2002 (won by Retief Goosen) and 2003 (won by Ernie Els).
Michael Campbell provided possibly the most popular story in world golf this year with his victory in the US Open at difficult Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Campbell became only the second New Zealander after Bob Charles to win a major championship when he held off Tiger Woods to win by two strokes. Campbell, currently ranked 16 in the world, showed soon after he was hungry for more majors by tying for fifth at the British Open and sixth at the US PGA Championship. Cambo, as he is known on Tour, is a former winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic having won in Taiwan in 1999 and, this year tied for third behind Adam Scott in Beijing.
Nick Faldo has won the Johnnie Walker Classic twice in his illustrious career and has been an outstanding supporter of the event. A holder of six major titles (three British Opens and three US Masters), Faldo produced a fine performance at the British Open this year finishing in a tie for 11th place at St Andrews.
Thomas Bjorn, presently ranked 20, came extremely close to winning his first major title recently at the US PGA Championship. The Dane pushed eventual winner Phil Mickelson to the wire at Baltusrol finishing in a tie for second just a shot shy of the American. He has also tied for second at the British Open twice. Bjorn won his eighth European Tour title this year at the Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters in England and has posted seven top-10 results. Last year, he tied for second in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand behind Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Colin Montgomerie, ranked 23 in the world, is a seven-time former winner of the European Tour Order of Merit and has won 28 times in Europe. He has won at least once in the world every year since 1993 with his last European Tour victory coming at the 2004 Caltex Masters in Singapore. The Scot has posted eight top ten finishes this season including a second-place finish in the British Open. He has also finished second twice in the US Open and once in the US PGA Championship.
They compete for the biggest prize in Golf in Australia, with a total purse estimated for 2006 of £1.25m (over AUD$3 million) and a winner's cheque of £208,333 (over AUD$500,000).
Commenting on the announcement, Ben Anderson, Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director said, "This is great news for The Johnnie Walker Classic and is a true reflection of its standing as one of the most competitive, international and high profile tournaments in the world."
Source - IMG
