Johor Bahru, Malaysia, August 28: World number five Vijay Singh of Fiji will headline the Iskandar Johor Open at Royal Johor Country Club from October 30 to November 2.
 
Johor Chief Minister Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman announced Singh’s participation at the official launch of the event today by its patron Tunku Abdul Majid Idris Sultan Iskandar, who is also the Malaysian Golf Association president.
 
The Iskandar Johor Open will also raise its prize fund to US$500,000 (RM1.65 million), which is a significant increase from the US$300,000 inaugural tournament last year.
 
The championship, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Malaysian Golf Association, is supported by the Johor Government and Iskandar Regional Development Authority - the regional authority charged with transforming south Johor into an economic dynamo by 2025.
 
The return of the Iskandar Johor Open will also see the Asian Tour reach a new milestone with a record 30 tournaments and nearly US$39 million on offer this season.
 
Ghani was delighted that the Iskandar Johor Open has attracted Singh, a three-time major champion. The big Fijian has a close association with Malaysia as he was based at Royal Johor during the 1980s and claimed his first international victory in Malaysia in 1984.
 
“The impressive field of top-notch players will make the Iskandar Johor Open a world-class event in the making,” said Ghani.
 
“The event is a wonderful platform to further promote and develop professional golf in the country. And our aim is to create a world-class tournament which will help expose Iskandar Regional Development Authority to the world,” he added.
 
Singh, a former world number one, will arrive in Royal Johor in sizzling form as he won The Barclays Classic in New Jersey on the US PGA Tour last week and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational earlier this month. He has claimed 57 professional titles since joining the play-for-pay ranks in 1982.
 
The last time Singh made an appearance in Malaysia was in the 2001 Malaysian Open where he beat Irishman Padraig Harrington in a play-off for the title. He went on to win the Singapore Masters in the following week. His last tournament win in Asia was the 2007 Korean Open.
 
Joining Singh at the Iskandar Johor Open will be defending champion Artemio Murakami of the Philippines. The 25-year old is a rising star, especially after making his debut in the 2008 US Open at Torres Pines.
 
Malaysia’s leading professionals will also chase for glory. Amongst those in the fray include 22-year old Ben Leong, who has dazzled the golfing fraternity by winning three consecutive titles recently, including a maiden Asian Tour win at the Worldwide Selangor Masters earlier this month where he defeated Thai star Thongchai Jaidee.
 
Airil Rizman, winner of the Pakistan Open on the Asian Tour last season, has also confirmed his participation in the Iskandar Johor Open.
 
Iskandar Regional Development Authority, the title sponsor, is confident that the international television exposure through the Asian Tour’s alliance with ESPN STAR Sports will push the Iskandar Johor Open onto the world’s golfing map.
 
“This will also be a boon for foreign direct investments and tourism in Johor,” said Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive officer Dato Ikmal Hijaz Hashim.
 
Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han lauded the return of the Iskandar Johor Open.
 
“We are proud and honoured to sanction the Iskandar Johor Open. With the return of the prestigious event and a record US$500,000 on offer this year, the Asian Tour will for the first time offer an unprecedented 30 tournaments which is a new record in Asian golf history.
 
“It is also tremendous that Vijay, who is an honorary member of the Asian Tour, will compete in the Iskandar Johor Open and his presence will certainly add to the prestige of this emerging tournament,” said Han.
 
The championship will be played over 72 holes (four rounds) of stroke play at Royal Johor Country Club. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the leading 65 players plus ties. Admission is free for spectators.
 
News and updates on the tournament will be available on the official tournament website – www.iskandarjohoropen.com – which was also launched today.
 
The inaugural Iskandar Johor Open attracted 156 players from 25 countries last year. Murakami came from two shots off the lead and produced a near flawless closing 68 to take the title by one stroke from compatriot Antonio Lascuna and Scotsman Simon Yates for his maiden win on the Asian Tour.