Players from both sides of this year’s Hero Cup will tee it up at the Thailand Classic as the DP World Tour returns to the Southeast Asian Nation for the first time since 2016.
Guido Migliozzi and Antoine Rozner, who won the inaugural Hero Cup as members of Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe side, will compete alongside Great Britain & Ireland representatives Ewen Ferguson and Jordan Smith at Amata Spring Country Club from February 16-19.
The quartet have ten DP World Tour wins between them, with all four tasting victory at least once in 2022.
Most recently, Frenchman Rozner secured his third DP World Tour title at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in December, his victory earning him the final available place on team Continental Europe. His teammate in Abu Dhabi, Migliozzi, memorably won the Cazoo Open de France as he fired a final round 62 at Le Golf National for his third victory since joining the Tour in 2019.
“I can’t wait to play in Thailand for the first time,” said Rozner. “One of the best things about playing on the DP World Tour is the opportunity we get to visit new countries and experience new cultures and different golf courses. It’s a week we’re all looking forward to and I’ve heard some great things about the course.”
Englishman Smith secured a long-awaited second DP World Tour title in October, bridging a five-year gap since his first victory at the Porsche European Open, as he stormed to a 30 under par total to win the Portugal Masters.
“I’ve won in Asia in the past, albeit on the other side of the continent,” said Smith, who won the Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge on the Challenge Tour in 2016. “I’m excited to return to the Far East. A lot of us have played over there on the Challenge Tour in the past. It’s a part of the world which is very knowledgeable about golf and we’re looking forward to seeing the locals come out and support us.”
Smith finished 12th on the season-long DP World Tour Rankings in partnership with Rolex in 2022, with Ferguson ending the year just behind him in 17th position. Their performances last year earned them both call-ups to Tommy Fleetwood’s side in the Hero Cup, held at Abu Dhabi GC.
Ferguson, of Scotland, won his maiden DP World Tour title at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in March and then followed that with victory at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics in August.
The 26-year-old became the first Scotsman to record multiple victories in the same season since Paul Lawrie in 2012.
The quartet join local favourites Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the field at Amata Spring, as well as 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn and Ryder Cup hopefuls Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard and Robert MacIntyre.
Amata Spring previously hosted the Royal Trophy on four occasions, as well as the first edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand. The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was also held there for the second time last year.
Free general admission tickets for the Thailand Classic are available, with fans invited to register here.
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