Thursday, July 31, 2004, Bangkok:- Riche Monde (Bangkok) Ltd. and IMG jointly announced today that the JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC, Asia Pacific’s most prestigious and richest golf event, will return to the Alpine Golf and Sports Club, Pathumthani, Bangkok on January 29 to February 1, 2004.
Ernie Els, the world number two and two-time winner of the JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC will be at the Alpine Golf and Sports Club to defend the title he won in such convincing fashion earlier this year in Perth, Western Australia.
Els’ win by 10 shots was a record 29 under par, the lowest four-round winning total in the event’s history, and also a European Tour record. With five wins already in 2003, including the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in July, Els will be aiming to be the first player to record a hat trick of JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC victories.
The JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC is well known for the high quality of golfers that the event attracts, with five of the top ten players in the world competing at the 2003 event in Perth.
Since 1990, THE JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC, jointly owned by Riche Monde (Bangkok) Ltd. and IMG and currently tri-sanctioned by the European, Australasian, and Asian PGA Tours, has established itself as Asia Pacific’s premier golf tournament. Past winners include Nick Faldo (twice), Fred Couples, Michael Campbell, Greg Norman, Els (twice), Retief Goosen and the world number one Tiger Woods (twice, both times in Thailand).
The 2004 JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC will offer a record prize money of £1 million making it by far Asia’s richest golf tournament. It will be the fifth time the tournament has been contested in Thailand and the second at the Alpine Golf and Sports Club.
Stephen Morley, Global Brand Director of JOHNNIE WALKER, commenting on the decision to return to Bangkok said: –
‘JOHNNIE WALKER has been associated with golf almost since its creation in 1820 and we are proud that, almost 200 years later, the tradition continues. Thailand is an important market for Johnnie Walker, and we are thrilled to be announcing the event’s return.’
The organisers wish to thank the Thai Government, in particular the Minister for Sports and Tourism, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for their efforts and support that were critical to bring the event back to Thailand for the 5th time. The Minister of Sport and Tourism, Mr. Sontaya Kunplome said:
‘We are proud that Thailand will again host the JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC. The event will highlight Thailand to the world as a safe, beautiful and world class tourist and golfing destination and will give the Thai people a chance to watch, first hand, some of the best golfers in the world like Ernie Els.’
The JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC will be televised live in Thailand and broadcast to a potential 232 million homes in 23 countries around the world with news coverage in a further 72 territories worldwide.
For Enquiries:
Helen Heady, Media Coordinator for the Johnnie Walker Classic in Europe and Asia, on + 44 (0) 20 8743 7797 or +44 (0) 7966 491 509.