Every year the Venetian Macao Open attracts some of the biggest names in the game and this year is no exception
Ernie Els

Four-time Major champion Ernie Els will come to Macau to challenge for the title for his third consecutive year. Having never actually managed to take the top spot, could this finally be the South African’s ‘third time lucky’? “I am looking forward to playing at the Venetian Macao Open, which is now a regular stop on my fall schedule. The course is in great condition and the weather is always pleasant during that time of year so it tends to bring out the best in a lot of golfers, myself included. I have been practicing well and I stand a great chance to bring the trophy back to South Africa for the first time,” says the 45-year-old Johannesburg native, who is an Honorary Member and International Ambassador of the Asian Tour.
Anirban Lahiri

Last year, Indian golfing star and current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Anirban Lahiri fought off strong competition from the likes of Ernie Els and Scott Hend to win the championship in nail-biting fashion by just one stroke, taking home US$162,000 in prize money in the process. This year he is returning to defend his title in what is sure to be an exciting showdown. “The past few years at the Venetian Macao Open have been fantastic and I’m looking forward to it. It’s one of my favourite courses on the Asian tour and I seek to play well there every time. It’s not easy to win, but I feel like I’m playing well, so we never know. I’m playing a lot of golf coming into Macau, so my game will be quite sharp. After that it depends on how the course and conditions are. The course is such that if you can find opportunities, you will be able to do well. I would say the most challenging holes or stretches are on the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th.”
Scott Hend

Six-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend won the title in 2013 and came agonisingly close to repeating that feat again last year. The 42-year-old Australian won by three shots over Anirban Lahiri two years ago, but was dethroned by the same player after a thrilling final-day shootout that saw him settle for tied second place in the Asian Tour last season. Hend comes into this year’s event with four top-10 finishes this season. “I am glad to have the opportunity again this year to have another crack at the title. It won’t be easy with Anirban playing so well lately, and of course, Ernie, who is a four-time Major champion. With all that experience, you can never count him out. I always have a great time in Macau. The course is always in fantastic condition as well and it just makes playing at Macau more enjoyable. I’m coming straight from Europe, so I guess the main thing is that the weather will be warmer so I will need to prepare for that. I’m just going to come in and practice and see what the conditions and wind are like. I will just enjoy and try to relax when I play.”
Zhang Lian Wei

Zhang Lian Wei is the only player to have won the Venetian Macao Open twice in its 16-year history, and was the last champion from China when the Zhuhai native triumphed over Zimbabwe’s Nick Price in a dramatic five-hole play-off in 2002. Zhang went on to create history by becoming the first Chinese golfer from his country to win a co-sanctioned Asian Tour and European Tour event and the first to compete in The Masters Tournament. His trailblazing success put China firmly on the world map of golf and his legacy has become an inspiration to many hopeful talents back home. The five-time Asian Tour winner considers the Venetian Macao Open one of his favourite events. In the tournament’s history, he has only missed one appearance due to injury and has made the cut in every other edition. “The Venetian Macao Open has a special place in my heart. I always play well here and will keep coming back as long as the organisers will have me. There is something about the tournament, the course and the whole experience, that brings out the best in me. To make the cut everytime in Macau is something that I am very proud of and I am looking forward to keeping this record going this year. The competition will be very tough once again, but it is an honour to be competing with these champions, so I will make sure I make the most of it.”
Liang Wen Chong

Liang Wen Chong is a veteran golfer from Zhongshan who is widely considered to be one of the best golfers in Mainland China. The 37-year-old is the only player from China to have broken into the top-100 in the Official World Golf Ranking and he recorded a maiden win in Japan in June. He competed in the Venetian Macau Open for the first time in 2012 and thinks that the course is “a pretty interesting venue”. “The course is not a long one, but is very challenging. It is not very wide and there are quite a lot of slopes on the course because it is both on the hillside and the seaside. Adding sea wind to the formula, the natural environment is going to pose quite a challenge to the contestants,” he comments. Liang also reckons that one of the most impressive features of the course is hole Number 17. “Players strike the golf ball downhill from Number 17 which has a pretty remarkable view as players can overlook the sea and half of the course, including hole Number 18”.
Pan Cheng Tsung

Taiwanese player Pan Cheng Tsung is making his debut at The Venetian Macao Open this year. The 23-year-old hopes to achieve a good result in order to gain an entry ticket to the Rio Olympics next year. “I have heard a lot about Macau and the Macao Open is also a very big tournament in Asia, so I am looking forward to every aspect of it.” Pan has made steady progress since turning professional earlier this year. He recorded his first professional win in July, propelling him into the world’s top 600 for the first time. “The amateur scene is very tough, but this is a different world altogether in terms of the intensity, level of play, and concentration that is required. Getting to number one on the amateur rankings was a huge achievement for me and it will be a dream come true if I can reach number one in the professional rankings, too. While practice can make perfect, nothing beats playing against the best professional players in the world in a competitive environment. Being among the world class field at the Venetian Macao Open is exactly what I need to keep improving, so I am very thankful to be granted a sponsor’s invite and I hope I make the most of it.”