Olazabal and Harrington to contest US$ 1.5 million BMW Asian Open 2002

José Maria Olazabal and Padraig Harrington are the latest in a long list of golf superstars to join the field for the US$1.5 million BMW Asian Open 2002 on November 21 - 24 at the Ta Shee Golf and Country Club in Taiwan.

The two players' participation was announced by Mr Ingo Wirth, Tournament Director for the BMW Asian Open at the official Media Cup Press Briefing today (17th October 2002) at the scenic Ta Shee golf and country club. The two players will appear in the BMW Asian Open, the starting event of this year's European Tour. 

Olazabal who figured prominently in last year's BMW Asian Open returns to try and go one better in 2002, while Harrington is fresh from the elation of Europe's Ryder Cup victory in September. The two join defending champion Jarmo Sandelin, 2002 British Open Champion Ernie Els, big hitting American John Daly, Asian star Thongchai Jaidee and a host of others at the BMW Asian Open.

Ingo Wirth, Tournament Director BMW Asian Open, helped officiate the press briefing saying, "BMW is proud to run Asia's richest golf tournament for a second consecutive year in Taiwan. World-class golfers like Ernie Els, John Daly, José Maria Olazabal, Jarmo Sandelin and Padraig Harrington complete the already excellent field of players from the Asian PGA Tour and the European Tour. Bringing the finest golf to Taiwan is showing again BMW´s strong support of its golf engagement as well as the overall commitment of the company to the Asian region."

Two-time US Masters winner Olazabal, ranked 31st in the world, will be keen to finish what he started at last year's BMW Asian Open, which ended with a spectacular down-to-the-wire finish as Sweden's Jarmo Sandelin held off Olazabal and Jaidee for a one shot victory. The son of a former greenkeeper at Real Sebastian in Spain, Olazabal will look to continue his fine form last year in Asia when he finished tied-2nd at the BMW Asian Open and won the Hong Kong Open. 

Harrington is enjoying a career high world ranking number 6 after winning the Dunhill links Championship in Scotland. His recent form has included performances at this year's Masters (tied-5th) and US Open (tied-8th), and a major role as part of the winning Europe team at the 34th Ryder Cup in 2002. 

A veteran of Brookline in 1999 (where he played three matches and gained one and a half points including a singles victory over Mark O'Meara), Harrington played four matches in 2002 winning two, including a 2&1 victory with Colin Montgomerie over Phil Mickelson and David Toms and a 5&4 singles victory over Mark Calcavecchia, helping Europe take the Cup.

In addition to Olazabal and Harrington, this year's BMW Asian Open includes, German star Alex Cejka, winner of the recent Trophy Lancome in France, fellow countrymen Sven Struver and Tobias Dier, Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain and Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty also joining Els, Sandelin and Daly. The competition would already be entertaining enough, but Asia's best golfers have also confirmed their attendance at the BMW Asian Open.

Last year's runner up, Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee will be looking to go one better this year and take home the silverware, while Korean golfing sensation Charlie Wi and current Order of Merit leader Arjun Atwal will be eagerly anticipating the four day competition against the world's best. Taiwan will be looking to a mix of experience, in TC Chen and one of their potential stars of the future, Kao Po Song, who will be playing his first event as a professional on home ground. With this international coterie of world-class golfers on hand, the stage is set for another thrilling finale at the BMW Asian Open in 2002.