Garcia signs up for S'pore Open
Spain's No. 1 golfer Sergio Garcia will make his SMBC Singapore Open debut at Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong Course next year.
The 36-year-old, who has won nine times on the US PGA Tour, 11 times on the European Tour and five times on the Asian Tour, will be one of the star attractions.
It has been more than a decade since Garcia last played in Singapore. His last appearance was in a Skins competition in 2002, along with Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington.
The US$1 million ($1.34m) SMBC Singapore Open, from Jan 19-22, will be his first start in a Tour event here.
"I have great memories of playing in Singapore, so the chance to go back there and play in the SMBC Singapore Open is one that I am really looking forward to," said world No. 11 Garcia, who is also a five-time Ryder Cup champion.
"The SMBC Singapore Open has certainly established itself as one of the top events in Asia, regularly attracting the world's best, so it is an ideal way for me to start 2017."
While the Spaniard has not managed to win a Major since turning pro in 1999, he has 22 top-10 finishes at the Majors, which includes a tie for fifth place in both the US Open and The Open Championship this year.
Garcia's most recent win was at the AT&T Byron Nelson in May on the US PGA Tour.
The popular Spaniard will be keen to add the SMBC Singapore Open trophy to his five titles in the region - the 2002 Kolon Cup Korea Open, the 2008 Champions Tournament, the 2012 Iskandar Johor Open, the 2013 Thailand Golf Championship and the 2015 Ho Tram Open.
Singapore Golf Association president Ross Tan said: "It will be a treat for everyone in Singapore to see Sergio Garcia compete in the SMBC Singapore Open.
GLOBAL STARS
"He is one of the few global stars not to have played in the tournament, so we look forward to welcoming him and adding another feather in the cap for our Open."
South Korean Song Young Han won this year's SMBC Singapore Open, beating two-time Major champion, American Jordan Spieth, by one shot.
The 51st edition of the tournament will again be jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation and will be the season-opening event on both the Asian and Japan Tours.
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