Gleeson and Zhang to star in Macau Open

The 12th edition of the US$500,000 Macau Open will have title-holder David Gleeson and Zhang Lian-wei leading the elite field.

The popular event, which has established itself as one of the longest running tournaments on the Asian Tour, will be staged once again at the challenging Macau Golf and Country Club from September 10 to 13, 2009.

Former Macau Open champions Wang Ter-chang and Lu Wen-teh of Chinese Taipei, American Jason Knutzon and Kane Webber of Australia are expected to tee up in Macau with the aim of wresting the title from Gleeson.

"It is an honour for MSDB to support the Macau Open once again. The tournament has been staged successfully over the past 11 years and it has enabled us to extensively promote Macau as an exciting and vibrant destination," said Alex Vong Iao Lek, President, Macau Sport Development Board (MSDB).

"Each year, we have been treated to world-class golf by the stars on the Asian Tour and I am expecting another memorable week of golf with the likes of Zhang Lian-wei and David Gleeson competing in this year's championship," added Vong.

Into his 40s, China's trailblazer Zhang will aim for a record third victory at the Macau Open. He won the tournament in successive years in 2001 and 2002 and has registered no fewer than five other top-10 finishes in Macau.

"I always enjoy going to Macau as it feels like a second home for me," said Zhang, who is a five-time winner on the Asian Tour.

Title holder Gleeson celebrated a welcome return into the winner's circle with his wire-to-wire victory where he established a new tournament record of 18-under-par 266 last year.

"I'm looking forward to returning to Macau," said Gleeson. "It's not a course that is super enjoyable because it's a real test. But in that way, it's enjoyable because it's a good test. You always get good memories when you've played well there in the past.

"I was in Macau with the family for a couple of weeks during our summer break as it's a great holiday destination. I played nine holes several times with the club members, hitting tee shots on some of the tough holes. I enjoyed it."

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han paid tribute to the Macau Sport Development Board for its support of the Macau Open, which was inaugurated in 1998.

"It is terrific that we will be celebrating the 12th anniversary of the Macau Open this year. The Macau Open has become one of the most popular tournaments on the Asian Tour and our players enjoy coming to Macau as they compete on a very challenging golf course and the city is one of the most vibrant in Asia," said Han.

"I would like to extend our fullest appreciation to MSDB for its commitment towards the Asian Tour and our players. It is a wonderful reflection of their faith towards professional golf in Asia," added Han.

Past winners of the Macau Open include:
Japan's Satoshi Oide (1998), England's Lee Westwood (1999), Simon Dyson of England (2000), Zhang (2001 and 2002), Scotsman Colin Montgomerie (2003), American Jason Knutzon (2004), Wang Ter-chang of Chinese Taipei (2005), Kane Webber of Australia (2006), Lu Wen-teh of Chinese Taipei (2007) and David Gleeson of Australia (2008).

About the Macau Open
The Macau Open is celebrating its 12th anniversary this year. Supported by the Macau Sports Development Board, the tournament will be staged at the Macau Golf and Country Club from September 10-13. Former champions include Lee Westwood and Simon Dyson of England, Colin Montgomerie of Scotland, Kane Webber of Australia, two-time winner Zhang Lian Wei of China and last year's winner David Gleeson of Australia. The US$500,000 Macau Open is the 15th leg of this season's Asian Tour Schedule. The Asian Tour is the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia.