Angelo, Murakami join Asians in Euro Masters

MANILA, Philippines - Angelo Que and Artemio Murakami get another chance to compete against some of the world’s best players as they join a slew of Asian Tour stalwarts in the Omega European Masters beginning tomorrow at the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

The $2.8 million event is the first co-sanctioned tournament between the Asian Tour and European Tour to be staged on European soil with the Asian stars slugging it out with Europe’s finest in a four-day shootout at the Swiss Alps.

“This week will mark another wonderful milestone for the Asian Tour,” said the tour’s executive chairman Kyi Hla Han. “The Omega European Masters represents a significant development for the growth of the game and also signifies the giant strides that the Asian Tour has taken over the past few years.”

Que, the reigning Philippine Open champion, and Murakami, a former Asian Tour leg winner, are no stranger to such kind of a field, having played in the world’s majors, including the British Open and the US Open. In fact, Que is coming off a successful team-up with Mars Pucay in the World Cup elims last week where they placed second to clinch a second straight appearance in the World Cup in Mission Hills in China in November.

Murakami tees off at 1:30 p.m. at No. 10 in the company of Callum Macaulay of Scotland and Dutch Joost Luiten while Que will be in the group of Branden Grace of South Africa and Gary Lockerbie of England at 2:10 p.m. on No. 1.

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, the reigning and current Asian Tour Order of Merit number ones, respectively, will spearhead Asia’s challenge in the event.

Three weeks after Korea’s Yang Yong-eun claimed an historic triumph over Tiger Woods in the US PGA Championship, Han said Asian golfers will be looking to follow up on Yang’s exploits.

“We believe there are many more talented Asian Tour stars who have the ability, potential and desire to become Major champions in the near future,” said Han.

 Europe will be led by Ryder Cup members Miguel Angel Jiménez, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson along with Anders Hansen, David Howell, Scott Drummond, Andres Romero, Niclas Fasth and Paul McGinley.