The Big Easy Swings Back into Macau

José Tavares, President of Macao Sport Development Board of Macao SAR Government (MSDB) said he was delighted with the return of the three fan favourites.

"Ernie, Anirban and Scott have provided us with so much excitement over the last few years, and helped put the Venetian Macao Open on the world stage in terms of sporting events. The buzz they create as a result of their battles on the course here in Macao is something we can’t wait for and we look forward to hosting them once again this year,” said Tavares.

With the continued commitment of title sponsor - The Venetian Macao, the tournament’s prize purse sees a third consecutive increase, taking it to the all-important US $1 million mark - a rise of US $100,000 on 2014, making it one of the most lucrative tournaments on the Asian Tour.

Mike Kerr, CEO of the Asian Tour, added: “The Venetian Macao Open brings together the best players on the Asian Tour and legends such as Ernie Els, which is a testimony of the caliber and stature of the event. Since 2012, when the Venetian Macao began their support of the tournament, it has gone from strength to strength and the event is now a highlight of the Asian Tour calendar and a favourite amongst the players, fans, sponsors and partners alike. The Asian Tour's top players such as Scott Hend and Anirban Lahiri have now made the Venetian Macao Open a regular destination for them, and it will be exciting to see them battling for the title again with Ernie this October.”

Since its inauguration in 1998, the tournament has been contested by some of the best golfers in the world, including Lee Westwood (winner in 1999), Colin Montgomerie (winner in 2003), Scott Hend (winner in 2013), Anirban Lahiri (winner in 2014), Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Mark O’Meara, and Chinese stars Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong.