Hong Kong, March 11: Defending champion Colin Montgomerie will be a man on a mission when he lines-up in next week’s US$1 million TCL Classic.
The Scotsman is running out of time in his bid to gain entry into next month’s US Masters, and the TCL Classic provides him with possibly his last opportunity to secure a coveted spot in the year’s first Major championship.
‘Monty’ began 2005 in 83rd place in the Official World Ranking, but has gradually worked his way up the list. Currently he lies in 56th spot, although only the top-50 receive automatic entry to the US Masters.
Therefore, Montgomerie is well aware that nothing less than victory at Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya, Hainan, from March 17-20 will be good enough.
On his prospects of making it to Augusta, Montgomerie said: “It is a tall order but I’m playing as well as I have done in years.”
Earlier, Montgomerie was quoted as describing his efforts to climb into the top-50 as like trying to “eat an elephant”.
“You can eat an elephant, but you have to do it bite by bite. You can’t do it all in one go. So I’m just trying to do that. I’m trying to chip away, chip away, to get back to a ranking that I feel comfortable with,” he said.
In his favour, Monty, as well as being the defending TCL Classic champion, will draw confidence from his fine record in Asia.
Indeed, his success in the inaugural TCL Classic at Dongguan’s Harbour Plaza Golf Club in 2002 was followed by victories in the Macau Open in 2003 and the Caltex Masters presented by Carlsberg in Singapore at the start of 2004.
Jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour and held in collaboration with the China Golf Association, the TCL Classic is shaping up to be one of the most memorable professional golfing events that China has staged.
Located on the southern-most tip of China, the field for the Hainan extravaganza will include no fewer than five players with Ryder Cup experience for Europe – Montgomerie, Irishman Paul McGinley, Englishman Paul Casey, Dane Thomas Bjorn and Welshman Ian Woosnam, who last week was confirmed as captain for Europe’s 2006 team.
Heading the Asian challenge will be Chinese number one Zhang Lian-wei.
Louis Martin, the Asian Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “By staging top events in China, we are confident that more young and exciting talents will emerge from China and follow in the footsteps of trail-blazer Zhang Lian-wei.
“On the Asian Tour, we have already witnessed the growing potential of Liang Wen-chong and Li Chao and I’m sure more young players will rise to the challenge in the years to come.”
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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