Omega Masterscrans tees off Thursday; Noh and Siddikur excited
The Omega Masterscrans is all set to tee off on Thursday at the stunning Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in the Swiss Alps, a perfect platform to gain points for amateurs. One player bent upon making his mark at this event is the Korean teen star- Noh Seung-yul. This nineteen-year-old turned professional in 2007 and after his win at the Midea China classic, he was named as the Asian Tour rookie of the year.
Bangladesh’s upcoming golf star- Siddikur is also eyeing glory and can’t wait to try out his skills against the best. Presently at no. 1, Seung-yul has a good feeling of keeping up his position. He will be playing against the Australian Marcus Fraser, who is currently ranked second. Also in the competition are European and Asian players. One South Asian player who is especially keen on succeeding in Europe is Bangladesh’s Siddikur. He is extremely excited since this is his first European tour.
In addition, Jeev Milka Singh and Gaganjeet Bhullar; both from India, Thonhchai Jaidee of Thailand, Rikard Karlberg of Sweden and Filipino Angelo Que will also be competing for the two million pounds showpiece. Seung-yul hopes to emerge as the youngest Asian tour number one. With so many excellent players to compete against, he is fully aware of the need to constantly remain on top of his game. In 2010, Noh also won the Maybank Malaysian open that was co sanctioned with the European tour. This victory made him the second youngest winner ever on the European tour after Danny Lee.
Noh Seung-yul also has almost US$500,000 in his bank. He is ahead of the Ballantine championship winner– Fraser by six thousand dollars. The Australian, Andrew Dodt comes in third place with more than US$180,000. According to Noh, this event is more than just a battle. His confidence was hoisted when he finished 28th at the USPGA championship at Whistling Straits. This was the second time he made it into the weekend at a major. Seung-yul tied at 40 at the US open in June.
Meanwhile, another international amateur is also in the spotlight, whose craze for golf has taken him from Dhaka to Crans Montana. Being a new cap in the Asian tour, Siddikur is part of the 35 man team and is enjoying every minute of it. He has made his way from an unknown competitor to a Bangladeshi hero. What started as small shifts with caddies, Siddikur can now compete side by side with golf legends such as Greg Norman from Australia, and Ryder cup stars such as Miguel Angel Jimenez and Italian Edoardo Molinari.
Even though all this is new for him, he still doesn’t feel pressured and is actually enjoying the excitement. The golf course being considerably above sea level can pose a challenge for Siddikur since it is different from what he is used to playing on. Open Champion Louis Ooshtuizen and Australian Greg Norman will also headline the field at. With so much young spirits and amazing amateur skills, this tournament will definitely be an exciting one to follow.
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