Co-sanctioned Malaysian Open returns to Saujana
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2007 Malaysian Open | Preview | 07 Feb 2007
The Maybank Malaysian Open sees the European Tour return to Asia for the first time in 2007 with a further six co-sanctioned events to take place between now and the end of the season on that continent.
This year’s tournament will again be played at the Saujana Golf and Country Club after last year being hosted by the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. The Saujana Golf and Country Club is a Ronald Fream designed layout near the old airport in Kuala Lumpur in fact there are two courses at the facility both designed by Fream who was one of the most prolific designers of courses in Asia through the 80’s and 90’s.
The defending champion would have been Charlie Wi but Wi was able to regain his USPGA Tour card late last year at the Tour School and he will instead be playing at Pebble Beach this week. The last time the event was played at this venue was in 2005 when Thongchai Jaidee beat Jyoti Rhandawa by a shot when winning the second of his two Malaysian Opens.
The field is bolstered by the appearance of Lee Westwood, Michael Campbell and Thomas Bjorn with Westwood in perhaps the best form of all three although Bjorn has made the cut in his last eleven starts in events around the world. Campbell continues his rollercoaster ride of form in recent starts mixing near misses with missed cuts.
Westwood won this event in 1997 and seems at ease playing in Asian conditions.
Thongchai Jaidee is a two time winner of the event and deserves to be the favourite ahead of his more credentialed opponents. Jaidee has won twice at Saujana and has played very well over recent weeks in the Middle East.
India’s Jyoti Rhandawa was a very impressive 7th last week in Dubai and as mentioned earlier did finish second to Jaidee at Saujana two years ago.
Darren Clarke has played in several events of late but as could be expected give his personal circumstances his mind is still likely elsewhere. In order for him to win it would take a Herculean mind over matter effort to do so and while many would love to see it happen it might yet be a little too early.
Late last year Jeev Milkha Singh was in spectacular form and was the most successful golfer in the world over a two month period in November and December. He has not been able to continue that success in 2007 but he is good enough player to find winning form this week.
Thailand’s Prom Meesawat was a find last week at the Dubai Classic when he finished 7th and he has played well at Saujana previously. He is still very much on a learning curve being just 21 but he is clearly a player of some potential.
China’s Liang Wen Chong finished inside the top ten when the event was last played at Saujana and he has played very well in recent weeks including when third last week in the Philippines and when 9th in a field stronger than this in Qatar two weeks ago.
There are plenty of Australasians in the field due to the co-sanctioning of the event and many of those are Australasians who play the Asian Tour and will get a chance to tee it up. Terry Pilkadaris, Marcus Fraser, Brad Kennedy, Mathew Millar, David Bransdon, Terry Price, Gary Simpson, Kane Webber, Scott Barr, Adam Blyth, Tony Carolan, Gavin Flint, Marcus Both, Adam le Vesconte and Richard Lee all get their opportunity.
Photo – Anthony Powter
