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By Chia Han Keong
ASIA'S richest national golf open just got richer. The Barclays Singapore Open will increase its offering for this year's edition to US$5 million ($7.1 million). Its US$4-million prize purse last year was already the biggest for a national open in Asia.
This brings the tournament, in terms of prize money, on a par with the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, which will take place a week before the Singapore Open. The Barclays Singapore Open will be held from Nov 13 to 16.
Already, familiar golf stars have signed up. World No. 2 Phil Mickelson, who played in last year's tournament, will be back. So will South Africa's Ernie Els, two-time Open champion Adam Scott, South Korea's K. J. Choi and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke.
What about the defending champion, Argentina's Angel Cabrera?
'We have sent him an invitation,' said Mr Bob Tan, chairman of the Open's steering committee. 'We are awaiting his reply.'
Sadly, the wait for the biggest golf star of all, Tiger Woods, will have to continue for at least another year. The world No. 1 is recuperating from a season-ending knee surgery, and is also expecting the birth of his second child.
He is unlikely to play competitively until early next year.
Nevertheless, the Sentosa Golf Club is sparing no expense to make its Serapong Course a top-class venue to test the world's best golfers.
Said vice-captain Low Teo Ping: 'We aim to have the world's best at their best. So we have made improvements to the course so that it would provide a tougher challenge for the top players.'
Indeed, while it has shortened its rough from 110mm in height last year to about 70mm, it has also made its greens faster. Mr Peter Downie, its director of golf, explained: 'Last year, golfers were content just to play safe and chip the ball out of the rough onto the adjacent fairways.
'Now, they can attempt to hit the greens from the rough, although the quicker greens means the ball may roll off into one of the bunkers or water hazards that guard the hole.'
The club also removed two bunkers which previous participants had found unfair, and added one at Hole 11 to protect the hole. Last year's event saw a record turnout of 31,702 spectators over four days, a 50 per cent increase from 2006.
Organisers advise spectators to use public transport, instead of driving into Sentosa. Ticketing details will be released at a later date.
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