Noh Seung-yul [Courtesy Asian Tour]
Title holder Noh Seung-yul of Korea will be in the company of Major champions Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, both of South Africa, for the first two rounds of the Maybank Malaysian Open.
The 19-year-old Noh, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, will face a tough challenge in his defence with Schwartzel starting as the firm favourite after his stunning victory at The Masters Tournament on Sunday.
Oosthuizen claimed his first Major title at the British Open at St Andrews and will be expected to contend at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club starting on Thursday. The trio will tee off the first round at 8.10am on Thursday and 1pm on Friday.
Two-time Maybank Malaysian Open champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand will play his opening two rounds with world number one and reigning PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer of Germany and Irish star Rory McIlroy, the world’s number nine.
Kaymer will be eager to bounce back from missing the halfway cut at Augusta National last week while McIlroy will also be on a mission to erase the bitter memories of losing the Masters Tournament with a closing 80 after leading the event for three rounds.
Thongchai, Kaymer and McIlroy will tee off at 1pm on Thursday and 8.10am on Friday.
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour number one, talented Italian Matteo Manassero and big-hitting Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who recently won his first Asian Tour tournament, will be another match to follow. They will play the first round at 8.20am, followed by the second round at 1.10pm.
Malaysia’s Danny Chia, seen as the best local hope to end its title drought, will play the first two rounds with Welshman Rhys Davies and South African James Kingston from 8.20am on Thursday and 1.20pm on Friday.
