The players have arrived and the stage is set for the 2015 Venetian Macao Open, which begins on Thursday at the picturesque Macau Golf & Country Club.

The form Anirban Lahiri has displayed since he won here in Macao a year ago suggests there is a high probability he might repeat his feat to become only the second golfer since the great Zhang Lian-wei of China to win the tournament in consecutive years. A two-time winner on tour this season and a confidence boosting tied-5^th finish at the recent PGA Championship, the 28-year-old Pune native is playing the best golf of his life. The current Asian Tour Order-of-Merit leader said:

“I have been playing really well this year. Everything seems to have clicked and obviously the fifth place finish at PGA Champs gave me a lot of confidence. I am now back at one of my favourite tournaments and so I will be keen to do well again. History suggests it isn’t easy to win here multiple times, but the course suits my game and I think I have as good a chance as any.”

Lahiri, however, might not have it all his own way as a host of tour champions and upcoming talents from around the region will be hot on his heels and eager to dethrone the defending champion. The popular Scott Hend, winner in 2013 and runner-up last year, has always found his game on the fairways of the Macau Golf & Country Club. The Australian will pull out all the stops to regain the title he won so emphatically two years ago:

“There is something about the Venetian Macao Open that brings the best in me. I return year after year because it is such a fantastic tournament all round. The competition will be fierce again this year, and Anirban is enjoying even better form now than last year. Ernie (Els) will be back, Thongchai (Jaidee) is playing great, and we have Jin Cheng, who must be supremely confident after his Asia-Pacific Amateur win two weeks ago. This might be the toughest Venetian Macao Open yet.”

South Africa’s Ernie Els, who is playing the Venetian Macao Open for the third year in a row, has always expressed his liking for the course. Finishing in an impressive tied-3^rd in his debut in 2013, the South African will be fresh following a break from competitive golf last month:

“I had a bit of a break in September and played a tournament in Scotland a week ago, which got me into the competitive spirit again. It is a strong field once again this year in Macao but as always, I will give it my best shot and hopefully be in a position to win on Sunday.”

Chinese golf legends Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong were also in attendance at the Venetian Macao Open Meet-the-Players Press Conference today, and gave an assessment of their chances and expectations this week. Zhang, the only two-time champion in the history of the Macau Open said:

“I always expect to do well and have a chance to win in Macao. Macau Golf & Country Club feels as good as home course to me. I have so many fond memories, and while I am mostly competing on the senior tour now, this is one event on the main tour I aim to play in as long as I am still able to compete at a very good level. There are clear favourites here this week, but I hope maturity and experience that I have will put me in a good spot on the leaderboard this coming Sunday.”

Liang, the Asian Tour Order of Merit Winner in 2007, believes his game is returning following a solid run in Japan earlier in the year:

“I spent a fair bit of time in Japan in the middle of this year and had a good run, and that helped a lot with my confidence. I have been working pretty hard since then, and my game is definitely coming together. Practice has been going well so I am looking forward to mounting my challenge this week.”

The US$1 million tournament is once again organised by the Macao Sport Development Board of Macao SAR Government along with the Golf Association of Macau. Sanctioned by the latter and the Asian Tour, The Venetian^® Macao is supporting the iconic event as title sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.

The high quality field will also include four-time Major Champion Ernie Els, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee who recently won in Germany, as well as Chinese rising stars Li Hao-tong, Guan Tian-lang and Jin Cheng, the Chinese number one amateur golfer who is descending into Macao fresh from his Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship win.

Since its inauguration in 1998, many other world-class golfers have graced the fairways of Macau Golf & Country Club, including Lee Westwood (winner in 1999), Colin Montgomerie (winner in 2003), Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam and Mark O’Meara

For more details on the Venetian Macao Open, please visit: www.thevenetianmacaoopen.com.