Arizona-Bound Lin Looking To Grow His Global Profile
23/02/09

Arizona (February 23): Lin Wen-tang wants to make a name for himself globally and knows the best way of achieving his goal is to conjure a magical run at this week’s US$8 million WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. Lin, who finished second on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit last season, will become the first man from Chinese Taipei to play in the elite 64-man tournament at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana, starting on Wednesday. “Everyone has told me that this is a big event in America and I hope to play well. I want to show to the people what I’m capable of,” said Lin.

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All Set For Eagerly-Awaited Return Of The Tiger
20/02/09

Phoenix, Arizona (February 20): Eight months after limping away from the game, Tiger Woods has confirmed he'll return to competitive action at next week's WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. "I'm now ready to play again," said the 32-year-old world number one who has regained full fitness since undergoing knee surgery following his one-legged triumph in the US Open last June. US PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said: "We received confirmation today that Tiger Woods has committed to play in next week's Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona. We are delighted that Tiger is returning to competition and look forward to watching him compete next week."

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Japanese Teen Titan Ishikawa Says 'Hello' To America
19/02/09

Pacific Palisades, California (February 19): Ryo Ishikawa is ready to take centre stage this week. And the Japanese teenage phenomenon who is making his professional debut in America, knows he will not be short on support. The 17-year-old is the main drawcard at the US$6.3 million event at the Riviera Country Club. His performance will be monitored by tens of thousands of his fans at home in Japan on television, on the internet and in the newspapers. As was evident dueing last month's Royal Trophy in Bangkok, Ishikawa is very much the flavour of the month. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, he's big news.

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Sophomore Shanshan Can't Wait To Step Into HSBC Spotlight
18/02/09

Singapore (February 18): A year ago Feng Shanshan was a surprise member of the LPGA's rookie class, beginning a run of nine missed cuts in 10 events that suggested the then 18-year-old may have taken the step up to the world's premier women's golf Tour a fraction too early. A year later she's started her sophomore season focusing on her first victory. A sign of how enormously her career changed in the space of just a few months was the unusual announcement made by HSBC this week that, had she not qualified through her final position on the 2008 LPGA Money List, the world's local bank would almost certainly have saved one of its sponsor invites to the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore next month for the 19-year-old from Guangzhou. "It's not our usual business practice to discuss contingency plans or to make public our behind-the-scenes discussions but we made that statement to show how much we respect what Shanshan has done for women's golf in China and for the girls currently developing their game as part of the HSBC China Junior Golf Programme," said Giles Morgan, HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship.

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Singapore's Lam Looking To Regain Some Classic Form
17/02/09

Perth (February 17): Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing hopes a maiden appearance at the Johnnie Walker Classic this week will help ignite his stuttering start to the new season. The 32-year-old, winner of the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in December, is itching to get his game into gear at the £1.25 million event at The Vines Resort and Country Club after missing the cut in his first two events on the Asian Tour. Big-hitting Lam has always held a high regard for the Johnnie Walker Classic after watching the stars of the game perform at his doorstep when the event was staged at Singapore Island Country Club in 1993.

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Augusta National Opportunity Awaits For Asian Amateur Champion
16/02/09

Hong Kong (February 16): A coveted starting place in the US Masters will be on offer for competitors in the Asian Amateur Championship. At a press conference in Hong Kong, senior officials from Augusta National, the R&A and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) confirmed that the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship will be held at China's Mission Hills Golf Club from October 29-November 1. The Masters Tournament and the R&A will financially underwrite and provide support to the APGC in the running of the championship. In addition, the winner will receive an invitation to play in the 2010 Masters Tournament, and, together with the runner-up, will earn a place in International Final Qualifying for the 139th Open Championship at St Andrews.

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