Johnnie Walker's Emerging Stars

China’s Liang Wen-chong, Irishman Rory McIlroy and Korea’s Lee Sung are amongst the nominations announced by Johnnie Walker for its prestigious Johnnie Walker “Keep Walking” Golf Awards which, with the cooperation of the Asian, European and Australasian Tours, recognize the performances of golfers during the previous season. Top performers Liang, Thai Chapchai Nirat and KJ Choi of Korea have been nominated for the Johnnie Walker Asian Player of the Year whilst McIlroy, German Martin Kaymer, America’s Tadd Fujikawa and Argentinian Andres Romero have been named as the three contenders for the Johnnie Walker Young Player of the Year Award. The three contenders for the Johnnie Walker Asian Rising Star Award, presented to the young Asian professional who has shown the most promise, talent and commitment to the game of golf over the past 12 months, are Lee, Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines and Malaysia’s Airil Rizman. The annual Awards, a highlight on the golfing calendar, were created over a decade ago by Johnnie Walker to recognize great progress achieved on the golf course and to inspire others to pursue their dreams and goals, in the spirit of Johnnie Walker’s “Keep Walking” message. “We are delighted to announce the contenders in the running to win our 2007 Johnnie Walker “Keep Walking” Awards, 10 golfers who have all demonstrated tremendous talent and determination, and have inspired us all,” commented Cristina Diezhandino, Acting Global Brand Director for Johnnie Walker, when the nominations were revealed. The winners of the three Awards, as voted by a panel of judges from the European, Asian and Australasian Tours, will be announced on Saturday, March 1, at the 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic. The US$2.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic, which takes place at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, from February 28 to March 2, boasts a star-studded field of international players, such as Vijay Singh, Australia’s Adam Scott, Englishman Ian Poulter, Scot Colin Montgomerie and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, and a host of Asia’s best golfers. India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal, Gaurav Ghei and recent Emaar-MGF Indian Masters winner SSP Chowrasia will spearhead the Asian challenge locally alongside Thais Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad Marksaeng and Thaworn Wiratchant, Korea’s Lee Sung, China’s Liang and Zhang Lian-wei and Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh. Past winners of the Johnnie Walker Asian Golfer of the Year include Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit in 1995, Kyi Hla Han, the current Chairman of the Asian Tour, in 1998, Korea’s KJ Choi (2002) and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh in 2006. Spaniard Alvaro Quiros is the reigning Young Golfer of Year, an Award that has previously been won by Luke Donald (2004), Adam Scott (2003), Justin Rose (2002) and Sergio Garcia (2001) whilst last year Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand was the inaugural winner of the Johnnie Walker Asian Rising Star Award.

Johnnie Walker “Keep Walking” Awards 2007

Nominations

Asian Golfer of the Year

· Liang Wen-chong (China)
The first player from China to lift the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit crown after a stellar season in 2007. Liang won the Singapore Masters, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, and registered eight other top-10s.

· Chapchai Nirat (Thailand)
Became only the third Thai golfer, after Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant to win on The European Tour with a wire-to-wire victory in the TCL Classic in China and to the last challenged for the 2008 Asian Order of Merit.

· KJ Choi (Korea)
Enjoyed a career year in 2007, winning twice on the PGA Tour (the Memorial Tournament and the AT&T National), playing in his second Presidents Cup and finishing 5th in the FedEx Cup. He also broke into the world’s top-10.
Young Golfer of the Year

· Rory McIlroy (Ireland)
In 2007 reached number one in the world amateur rankings and caught the public eye at The Open Championship at Carnoustie with his superb opening 3 under par 68. Turned pro in mid-2007 and made the cut in his first professional event, The Quinn Direct British Masters, and finished third in his second pro event, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, earning enough money to virtually assure his place in the top 115 and become the youngest Affiliate Member to secure his card in just two events.

· Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Became the first German to be named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year after a superb debut season in 2007 during which he recorded five top ten finishes which saw him finish a credible 41st on the European Order of Merit.

· Tadd Fujikawa (US)
Became the second youngest golfer ever to make a cut on the PGA Tour when this Hawaiian teenager – aged 16 at the time – made the cut in the Sony Open in Jan 07. He eventually finished T20th and turned pro later in the year although still at high school. Later in the year, won the 2007 Hawaii Pearl Open, Hawaii's the most lucrative local golf tournament. Born three months premature, doctors gave him a 50:50 chance of survival.

· Andres Romero (Argentina)
One of the most exciting talents to emerge from Argentina, Romero took the world by storm in 2007 when, just a week after coming agonisingly close to winning The Open Championship, he recorded a three stroke victory in the Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship of Europe. In two weeks he climbed from 114th to 29th in the World Rankings. The 26-year-old finished the year in 7th spot on the European Order of Merit.

Asian Rising Star of the Year

· Juvic Pagunsan (Philippines)
After a glittering amateur career, Juvic turned pro in 2006 and claimed his maiden Tour title in sensational style at the 2007 Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational. The slightly-built Filipino birdied the 17th hole and eagled the 18th hole during the final round to edge Indian Ghaganjeet Bhullar by one stroke. He also finished joint second in the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia.

· Airil Rizman (Malaysia)
Airil claimed his breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour at the Pakistan Open in 2007 at Karachi Golf Club, following a successful amateur career (16 titles). Prior to joining the Asian Tour, Rizman plied his trade on the Malaysian PGA Tour where he accumulated seven wins, topping the OOM in 2005. His win in Pakistan made him only the second Malaysian (after Danny Chia) to win on the Asian Tour.

· Lee Sung (Korea)
Lee Sung, the highest Korean finisher on the Asian Tour’s 2007 Order of Merit, was born deaf though this has not prevented the 28-year-old from carving out a career in professional golf. In fact 2007 was a breakthrough year for Lee as he secured his maiden victory in Asia at the Bangkok Airways Open on the holiday island of Koh Samui.