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New
Delhi, India, February 18, 2008
China’s Liang Wen-chong,
Irishman Rory McIlroy and Korea’s Lee Sung are amongst the
nominations announced today (February 19) by Johnnie
Walker for its prestigious Johnnie Walker “Keep Walking”
Golf Awards which, with the cooperation of the European,
Asian and Australasian Tours, recognize the performances
of golfers during the previous season.
Top performers Liang, Thai Chapchai Nirat and KJ Choi of
Korea have been nominated for the Johnnie Walker Asian
Player of the Year whilst McIlroy, German Martin Kaymer,
America’s Tadd Fujikawa and Argentinian Andres Romero have
been named as the three contenders for the Johnnie Walker
Young Player of the Year Award.
The three contenders for the Johnnie Walker Asian Rising
Star Award, presented to the young Asian professional who
has shown the most promise, talent and commitment to the
game of golf over the past 12 months, are Lee, Juvic
Pagunsan of the Philippines and Malaysia’s Airil Rizman.
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The annual Awards, a highlight on the golfing calendar, were created
over a decade ago by Johnnie Walker to recognize great progress
achieved on the golf course and to inspire others to pursue their
dreams and goals, in the spirit of Johnnie Walker’s “Keep Walking”
message.
“We are delighted to announce the contenders in the running to win
our 2007 Johnnie Walker “Keep Walking” Awards, ten golfers who have
all demonstrated tremendous talent and determination, and have
inspired us all,” commented Cristina Diezhandino, Acting Global
Brand Director for Johnnie Walker, when the nominations were
revealed.
The winners of the three Awards, as voted by a panel of judges from
the European, Asian and Australasian Tours, will be announced on
Saturday, March 1, at the 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic.
The US$ 2.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic, which takes place at the
DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, from
February 28 to March 2, boasts a star-studded field of international
players, such as Vijay Singh, Australia’s Adam Scott, Englishman Ian
Poulter, Scot Colin Montgomerie and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, and a
host of Asia’s best golfers.
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal, Gaurav Ghei
and recent Indian Masters winner SSP Chowrasia will spearhead the
Asian challenge locally alongside Thais Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad
Marksaeng and Thaworn Wiratchant, Korea’s Lee Sung, China’s Liang
and Zhang Lian-wei and Taiwanese Lu Wen-teh.
Past winners of the Johnnie Walker Asian Golfer of the Year include
Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit in 1995, Kyi Hla Han, the current
Chairman of the Asian Tour, in 1998, Korea’s KJ Choi (2002) and
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh in 2006
Spaniard Alvaro Quiros is the reigning Young Golfer of Year, an
Award that has previously been won by Luke Donald (2004), Adam Scott
(2003), Justin Rose (2002) and Sergio Garcia (2001) whilst last year
Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand was the inaugural winner of the
Johnnie Walker Asian Rising Star Award.
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