Ho Tram, Vietnam: Korean history-maker Y.E. Yang, Asia’s lone Major champion, will tee up at the inaugural US$1.5 million Ho Tram Open next month as he seeks to maintain his career resurgence.
The 43-year-old Yang, who is an Asian Tour honorary member, is amongst the region’s leading stars who have entered for the Asian Tour’s newest tournament which takes place at the award-winning Bluffs Ho Tram Strip course from December 3 to 6.
Other top Asian Tour golfers who have signed up for Vietnam’s richest sports event include reigning Order of Merit champion David Lipsky of the United States, two-time number one Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, Filipino star Angelo Que and India’s Arjun Atwal, who is also a former Order of Merit winner.
Big-hitting Australian Scott Hend, India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia, Danny Chia of Malaysia, Canadian Richard T. Lee and American Paul Peterson, all in the top-10 of the current Merit list, are also slated to feature in the Ho Tram Open, which is themed “Asia’s Grandest Stage”.
The Asian Tour continent will compete against some of the world’s top players, including Spanish star Sergio Garcia and Ryder Cup and EurAsia Cup captain Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland at the Ho Tram Open.
The powerfully-built Yang is famous for winning the 2009 PGA Championship where he upset then world number one Tiger Woods in a head-to-head final day duel. The Korean has one other victory on the PGA Tour and has won twice on the Asian Tour, the 2006 Korean Open and 2006 HSBC Champions in China.
In addition, he has also triumphed five times in Japan but his career took a turn which saw his world ranking plummet to 638th at the end of the 2014 season. However, Yang has shown signs of a revival where he has notched four top-10s this year, including a tied seventh finish at the recent UBS Hong Kong Open.
With The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip course winning the “World’s Best New Golf Course” award at the recent World Golf Awards ceremony in Portugal, many of Asia’s top contenders are looking forward to playing on the Greg Norman-designed layout.
Left-handed Peterson, who is seeking a maiden Asian Tour win, said: “I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip course which I believe just won a top golf award. I can’t wait to get there. It will be my first time visiting Vietnam and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve enjoyed a good season and hopefully I will play my best golf to challenge for the Ho Tram Open title.”
Atwal, India’s first Order of Merit champion in Asia and the first from his country to win on the PGA Tour, is also excited about his maiden trip to Vietnam. “It is great to have a new sponsor and a new tournament on our Tour. I understand it is a nice golf course and resort and I’m looking forward to it … it’ll be fun,” said Atwal.
“With some of the world’s top players like Darren, Sergio and Thomas (Bjorn) playing there as well, they will add value to the Ho Tram Open. It will give the Asian Tour players another opportunity to shows how strong the Asian Tour has become. It’ll be fun to watch.”
Complimentary tickets to watch the Ho Tram Open are available for download on the Ho Tram Open website www.hotramopen.com.
Since opening in October 2014, the links-style layout located two hours southeast of Ho Chi Minh City has been hailed by many of the world’s leading authorities on golf. In January, GOLF Magazine named it one of the world’s best new courses. In July, the Australian Financial Review called it “as pretty a course as you’ll find on the entire Asian continent.”
