Phuket (March 24, 2006): Over 100 senior professional players – some past winners of the Asian Circuit and European Tour - will vie for honours in the inaugural US$100,000 Phuket Asian Senior Masters beginning here tomorrow at Phuket Golf & Country Club.
Leading the casts of the golden oldies is US-based Malaysian Stewart Ginn, who is currently playing in the Champions Tour. The bearded Stewart whose last top podium-finish was at the Asian Senior Tour in Malaysia last September flew into this resort town beaming with confidence.
“I’m not going to put a number as to how I’m going to finish, but I’m certainly looking at another win in Asia,” said Ginn, adding that the field is very strong with past winner on the then Asian Circuit, also aiming to win here.
At least 50 percent of the players who will be at the starting block were past winners at the Asian Circuit and the European Tour.
2004 Australian senior PGA Champion John Clifford and Randall Vines, Taiwan’s Hsieh Min Nan, who skippered Asia twice to beat Japan in the Dynasty Cup (Asia’s version of the Ryder Cup-style tournament), M. Siodina of the Philippines, Thailand’s Suthep Mesawat, T. Watanabe of Japan, Canada’s Edward John Malaysia’s M. Ramayah, who is currently playing in the Japan Senior Tour and Singapore’s Peter Teravanen are among the past winners in Asia and Europe.
Hsieh, who finish seventh in the pro-am individual scores yesterday, said he was here to enjoy playing golf and prolong his competitive career in the game.
He humbly said: “I’m not really in a winning mood. I came to play to reminisce with my old friends. I’d be happy if I were to win here.”
However, the scenic Phuket Golf & Country Club will pose a real test to the seniors with his uphill-downhill layout. The serene layout with its silence broken only by the screeching sounds of the locusts during mid-day has very sleek greens and could punish the seniors if they were on the wrong end of the greens.
“I think the fittest will go strong here, but for the older pros like me, it would be smart play or exercising good course management,” said Hsieh.
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