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Norquist, Jeev lead the challenge

Joy Chakravarty

An exciting contest is in store for golf enthusiasts at the Hero Honda Masters '99, to be held at the Delhi Golf Club from October 28 to 31.

As many as 19 past winners, sharing 33 titles between them on the Asian PGA Davidoff Tour, will be among a full field of 144 professionals battling for the title.

Leading the champions' gallery will be American Gerry Norquist, winner of five titles on the APGA Tour. Norquist shot into fame when he won the 1999 Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur, a joint sanctioned event of European and Asian PGA Tour. That gave the American a two-year exemption on the European Tour and has helped him to the second place in the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit this year.

A close second to Norquist will be India's very own representative on the European Tour, Jeev Milkha Singh. The Chandigarh pro, who is sponsored by Hero Honda, won the Lexus International last week in Thailand, thus taking his tally of titles on the Asian PGA Tour to four. Jeev's last victory was in record-breaking fashion when he won the Philip Morris Asian Cup in Korea and shattered the Asian record of aggregate score with 26-under par.

Third in the title race and hoping to catch up with Jeev during the Hero Honda Masters week is Nico van Rensburg. The South African is in good form this season and has already won the Volvo Masters of Malaysia which gave him his third title on the Tour. Rensburg had earlier won the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Open and the 1995 Merlion Masters.

Seven winners in the current season will showcase their skills. Apart from Norquist, Jeev and Rensburg, the others are India's Arjun Atwal (Wills Indian Open), Korea's Anthony Kang (Casino Filipino Philippine Open), South Africa's James Kingston (Maekyoung Daks Open) and Sweden's Stephen Lindskog (Qualifying School).

Among the Indian winners who have confirmed for the tournament are Jeev, Atwal, Gaurav Ghei (1995 Gadgil Western Masters), Feroz Ali (1998 Wills Indian Open) and Jyoti Randhawa, the defending champion.

Winners and their titles:
1. Gerry Norquist (USA): 1999 Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open, 1998 Volvo Asian Masters, 1997 DFS Galleria Guam Open, 1996 Omega PGA Championship, 1995 Royal Perak Classic
2. Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind): 1999 Lexus International, 1996 Philip Morris Asia Cup, 1995 Asian Matchplay Championship, 1995 Philippine Classic
3. Nico van Rensburg (RSA): 1999 Volvo Masters of Malaysia, 1998 Kuala Lumpur Open, 1995 Merlion Masters
4. John Kernohan (USA): 1995 Qualifying School, 1996 Cannon Singapore Open, 1996 Hugo Boss Foursome
5. James Kingston (RSA): 1999 Maekyung Daks Open, 1998 Thailand Open
6. Christopher Williams (RSA): 1998 Volvo Masters of Malaysia, 1998 FedEx PGA Championship
7. Clay Devers (USA): 1995 Vietnam Open, 1997 Tugu Pratama PGA Championship
8. Arjun Atwal (Ind): 1999 Wills Indian Open
9. Jyoti Randhawa (Ind): 1998 Hero Honda Masters
10. Feroz Ali (Ind): 1998 Wills Indian Open
11. Gaurav Ghei (Ind): 1995 Gadgil Western Masters
12. Anthony Kang (Kor): 1999 Casino Filipino Philippine Open
13. Stephen Lindskog (Swe): 1999 Qualifying School
14. Rodrigo Cuello (Phi): 1997 Omega PGA Championship
15. Paul Foley (Aus): 1996 Hugo Boss Foursome
16. Robert Huxtable (USA): 1998 Fila Open
17. Park No-seok (Kor): 1997 Philip Morris Asia Cup
18. Eric Rustand (USA): 1996 Pakistan Steel Masters
19. Kwon Young-suk (Kor): 1995 Kenmore Pakistan Masters