Jeev has confirmed he will play in the 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin from October 29 to November 1.
He has taken up his place in the 16-man field having qualified as the highest ranked available player from Asia based upon the Official World Golf Ranking as of August 17 and via the new qualifying criteria - part of Volvo’s innovative ‘new look’ match play. He join Paul Casey, Anthony Kim, Retief Goosen, Camilo Villegas, Robert Allenby and Scott Strange who have already confirmed their entry into the 2009 Championship.
Indian Singh, who becomes the first player from the sub-continent to play in professional golf’s longest running match play championship said: “I resurrected my career by winning two Volvo-sponsored events in 2006, the Volvo China Open and the Volvo Masters, which got me inside the top 50 in the world and qualified me for the Majors and WGC events.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to Volvo who were completely understanding when I was unable to defend my Volvo China Open title in 2007 because I had the opportunity to play in my first Major, the Masters Tournament at Augusta, and I have never forgotten that.
“I view myself now as a truly global golfer and when I was advised that I qualified for the Volvo World Match Play Championship as the highest ranked available Asian player on the Official World Golf Rankings at the cut-off date immediately after the USPGA Championship, it left me with a big decision to make: to defend in Singapore or mix it with the world-class field in Spain.”
Per Ericsson, President & CEO of Volvo Event Management (Golf,) said: “This is tremendous news as Jeev Milkha Singh is a truly global ambassador for his sport and his country and everyone at Volvo is absolutely delighted not only that he has chosen to play at Finca Cortesín next month, but also his reasons for doing so.
“Loyalty and integrity are key components of Volvo’s philosophy and to have that reciprocated by one of the world’s leading golfers is very encouraging indeed. Jeev is a great role model for the thousands of young Indians who now see golf as a genuine career opportunity and as the first man from his nation in the 45-year history of this great event, he is a very welcome addition to what is fast becoming the best World Match Play Championship field for many years".
With a total prize fund of €3.25 million and a first prize of €750,000, a place in the Volvo World Match Play Championship could significantly enhance a player’s position in The Race to Dubai, with all 16 players chasing a place in the end-of-season showpiece.
This is the 45th edition of the World Match Play Championship and will be Volvo’s first time as Championship partners with IMG, having hosted the 21st and final Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama in 2008. The Finca Cortesín event is Volvo’s 120th title sponsorship in professional golf.
The Championship will be held in Spain for the first time in its history, moving from Wentworth Club, as 16 of the world’s best players go head-to-head in classic match play golf over the magnificent 7,439-yard course designed by Cabell B Robinson.
The winner of each group will qualify for the semi-finals which, along with the final, will be played over 36 holes in traditional head-to head-match play golf, considered by many to be the purest form of the game.
