Sentosa, November 1: As the fourth year of the Barclays Singapore Open reaches its conclusion today, Barclays, World Sport Group and Sentosa Development Corporation announce their commitment to continuing the success of  “Asia’s Major” until at least 2012.

“This is a fantastic event for Barclays”, said Robert Morrice, Chairman & CEO Asia Pacific, Barclays PLC, “and we are excited about growing the tournament with an increased field of players from around the world as a cornerstone of our brand strategy.”

The agreement includes:
 
1. The purse will remain at least US$5million;
2. Increasing the field size from 156 to 204 players, including 75 players from each of the European Tour and Asian Tour; 32 invitees from the region and 7 from the SPGA and the SGA;
3. The event will move to Week 46 of the annual golf calendar for 2010;
4. The first two days of the Barclays Singapore Open will be played across The Serapong and The Tanjong courses at Sentosa;
5. The event will remain co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

“The larger field will give more Asian golfers the opportunity to compete at the highest level at a world class event, which can only be good for the further development of golf in this region”, commented Seamus O’Brien, Chairman & CEO of World Sport Group.  “This could not have happened without the commitment from Barclays and Sentosa Development Corporation.”

“We are proud to remain the home of the Barclays Singapore Open and delighted to have the opportunity to showcase both our championship courses to the world,” said Mike Barclay, CEO of Sentosa Development Corporation.   “Some of the best players in the world have complimented the look and feel of the Tournament, comparing it to a Major set up. This event has shown that Sentosa Golf Club can deliver one of the best championship courses in Asia, if not the world.”
 

Sentosa, November 1: England’s Ian Poulter held off a brave challenge from Liang Wen-chong of China to claim a thrilling one-stroke victory at the Barclays Singapore Open on Sunday for his first triumph in two years.

The Ryder Cup star battled to a one-over-par 72 at the Sentosa Golf Club to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the star-studded US$5 million event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour for the first time.

It was Poulter’s eighth career European Tour win, which was worth US$833,330, and his first since winning the 2007 Dunlop Phoenix Open in Japan. However, the flamboyant Englishman needed to overcome a mid-round wobble with four bogeys over six holes to end his title drought.

Sentosa, November 1: Graeme McDowell is hoping to complete a Barclays double in today’s final round at Sentosa Golf Club.

The Ulsterman won the 2008 Barclays Scottish Open and moved into contention for the US$5 million Barclays Singapore Open with a four-under-par 67 in the third round which was completed on Sunday morning.

He lies a shot behind colourful Englisham Ian Poulter who recovered from a disastrous six holes on Saturday with four birdies against two bogeys when the rain-hit third round resumed on Sunday for a 72 and an 11 under total of 202.

Sentosa, October 31: Ian Poulter provided a Halloween treat for the crowds at the US$5 million Barclays Singapore Open on Saturday morning to open up a five-stroke lead but failed to repeat the trick in the afternoon’s weather-hit third round.

The Englishman’s misfortunes allowed unheralded Kodai Ichihara of Japan and Thomas Levet of France to draw level atop the leaderboard on eight-under-par at the Sentosa Golf Club, with the field bracing for a marathon Sunday.

Poulter returned in the morning to complete a brilliant second round of seven-under-par 64 where he added five birdies to his remaining 15 holes but he gave up his lead by dropping four shots over six holes of the third round before play was suspended at 5.36pm.

Sentosa, October 31: Three time Major champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland has heaped praise on the Barclays Singapore Open, which he refers to as “Asia’s Major.”

On his personal tour diary, which appears online, the back-to-back British Open winner says that the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club is one of the best championship layouts in world golf.

“This event has been referred to as Asia’s Major, as the course and the tournament are set up like a Major,” he wrote. “This is one of the best courses that we play all year and the way the course was set up last year was brilliant; I really don’t think they could have set it up any better.