Jakarta - Two-time Major champion Retief Goosen and three-time Tour winner Pablo Larrazabal will headline the Indonesia Open which tees off here Nov 28 to go on till Dec 1.
They will be joined by Asian Tour hero Thongchai Jaidee and local talent Rory Hie at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at Damai Indah Golf and Country Club.
South African Goosen has enjoyed a solid year after returning in January from a five-month layoff due a back surgery. A two-time winner at the US Open in 2001 and 2004, he has amassed over 40 professional titles since turning professional in 1990 and was in the top-10 in the Official World Golf Ranking for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007.
“I haven’t played too much this year due to an injury but I am back on the course now and believe my game is in good place. So I hope I will be among the leaders and perhaps have a chance of winning the title,” said Goosen, who has four Asian Tour titles to his name.
The 43-year-old Thongchai, who won the 2009 edition, is the No.2 in Asia behind Japanese Hideki Matsuyama. The Thai, the only man to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns, made the cut in his last two Majors at the Open Championship and PGA Championship and recorded a top-10 finish recently in Switzerland at the European Masters.
“I am very much looking forward to playing in Indonesia as the season comes to a close. I won here four years ago, the weather conditions suit me. I definitely have a genuine chance,” said Thongchai.
Spaniard Larrazabal is looking to finish his year on a high after impressive seasons in 2011 and 2012 when he recorded two European Tour wins and two runner-up finishes, respectively.
The local challenge will be spearheaded by Hie, ranked No.1 by the Indonesia PGA and was named Player of the Year for 2011 and 2012. The Balikpapan-born reached No.6 in the World Amateur Rankings and was the No.1 junior in the United States.
The $750,000 Indonesia Open was established in 1974 and boasts of a roll of honour that includes late American Payne Stewart, Frank Nobilo of New Zealand, Filipino legend Frankie Minoza, Australia’s Craig Parry, Chinese Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon, Myanmar’s Mya Aye and Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant, who are both Asian Tour Order of Merit champions.
