Ed Shryung, Managing Director of United Distillers and Vintners Asia Pacific, announced today that ERNIE ELS and VIJAY SINGH will join TIGER WOODS in this year’s JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC to be played at Ta-Shee Golf and Country Club November 9 – 14 1999.
ERNIE ELS from South Africa, winner of the 1997 JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC and two-time winner of the US Open Championship in 1994 and 1997, will be renewing his rivalry with TIGER WOODS who came from eight shots back in last year’s JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC in Phuket to draw level on the 72nd hole then beat him at the second extra hole in the sudden-death play-off for the title.
Ernie, currently ranked No. 6 in the World has an enviable record in the JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC: tied 9th in 1993; 6th in 1996; winner in 1997 and of course 2nd last year after his dramatic finish with TIGER WOODS.
Ernie also won the JOHNNIE WALKER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in 1994 and this year has had victories in the Alfred Dunhill PGA Championship, on the European Tour and the Nissan Los Angeles Open on the US PGA Tour.
Ernie has further cause to celebrate this year with the birth at the end of May of his first child, Samantha.
VIJAY SINGH from the Pacific Island of Fiji won his first ‘major’ last year at the US PGA Championship with a second victory at the Sprint International the following week to go to top of the US money list although he finally finished in second place behind David Duval. Vijay, whose name means ‘victory’ in Hindi then won the JOHNNIES WALKER SUPER TOUR in Asia. Vijay, currently ranked No. 7 in the world with twenty six official tour victories spread across Asia, Europe, Africa and the United States where he won the Honda Classic in March.
The JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC has always attracted the world’s best golfers. Seven of the previous eight championships have won major championships – NICK FALDO in 1990 and 1993, GREG NORMAN in 1994, FRED COUPLES in 1995, IAN WOOSNAM in 1996, ERNIE ELS in 1997, and TIGER WOODS in 1998. IAN PALMER winner in 1992 is the only exception, winning by one shot on the final green from another major winner BERNHARD LANGER.
The 1999 JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC with prize money of £800,000 (NT$ 42 million) will be the first event in history to be triple sanctioned by the European, Australasian and Asian PGA Tours.
Johnnie Walker has made a significant contribution to golf in Asia not only with the flagship event the JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC recognised the world over for its style and excellence in showcasing the world’s top golfers throughout Asia but also with the Johnnie Walker Super Tour, the Johnnie Walker International Club Championship, and Johnnie Walker’s support of the Asia PGA Tour.
