Hong Kong, March 4: Irishman Paul McGinley and England’s Paul Casey will add further sparkle to the glittering array of talent on show at this month’s US$1 million TCL Classic.
Confirmation that the two Pauls will compete at the Yalong Bay Golf Club from March 17-20 brings to five the number of European Ryder Cup stars who will appear in the 72-hole stroke play event.
Joining them in Hainan, China will be Scotsman Colin Montgomerie, Dane Thomas Bjorn and Welshman Ian Woosnam.
For 38-year-old McGinley and 27-year-old Casey, the TCL Classic will offer an early opportunity to impress Woosnam, who this week was appointed captain of the 2006 European Ryder Cup team.
The presence of the Ryder Cup quintet ensures that the TCL Classic field is among the strongest ever assembled for a professional tournament in China.
Chinese number one Zhang Lianwei will also grace the fairways of Yalong Bay in the event that is jointly sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.
But Zhang and his Asian colleagues will have to be at their best if they are to prevent a European success to follow the triumph of Montgomerie in the inaugural TCL Classic at Dongguan’s Harbour Plaza Golf Club in 2002.
In addition to their Ryder Cup exploits, McGinley and Casey have both played starring roles in helping their respective countries to victory in the World Cup – McGinley in 1997 (in partnership with Padraig Harrington) and Casey in 2004 (alongside Luke Donald).
Father-of-three McGinley, with three European titles to his name, ensured his place in the Ryder Cup history books by holing the winning putt in the 2002 Ryder Cup Matches at The De Vere Belfry.
A close follower of Formula One motor racing, the Dublin-born McGinley turned pro in 1991. His best season came in 2001 when he placed eighth on the European Tour Order of Merit.
Already this year he has shown his liking for Asia, finishing joint fourth in last month’s Carlsberg’s Malaysian Open.
While McGinley has been a regular visitor to the region in recent years, for Casey it will be a rare sortie to the Far East.
Currently ranked 43rd in the world, Casey stamped his indelible mark on the world game last year and is now plying his trade predominantly on the US PGA Tour.
In addition to winning the World Cup and making an impressive Ryder Cup debut at Oakland Hills last year, he also tied for sixth on his debut in the US Masters at Augusta National.
Having joined the ranks of the professionals in 2000, Casey quickly found his feet among the play for pay brigade, winning his maiden title at the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship in 2001 and going on to finish 22nd on the Order of Merit, a performance that won him the 2001 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.
T.C.L. Industries Holdings (H.K) Limited (TCL) is one of the best-known conglomerates in China today, specialising in consumer electronics, mobile technology and home appliances. TCL are the first Chinese brand to title sponsor a tournament on the European Tour.
For further information, please contact Tan Kheng Im or Steven Chung at tel: +852 2621-6000 or fax: +852 2621-6003.
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