Mukesh, Feroz carry Indian hopes

Cheju Island (Korea), october 3: Bombay Presidency Golf Cup champion Mukesh Kumar and 1998 Indian Open winner Feroz Ali will lead India's ...

Cheju Island (Korea), october 3: Bombay Presidency Golf Cup champion Mukesh Kumar and 1998 Indian Open winner Feroz Ali will lead India’s challenge at the Johnnie Walker Asian Nations Cup tournament here from October 19 to 22.

Mukesh Kumar, who had a good outing at the Honda-Siel PGA Championship in Delhi over the weekend finishing fourth after leading the tournament midway through, and Feroz Ali will have a tough task at hands against defending champions Korea.

The hosts have put up a formidable team of Park Nam-sin and Choi Gwang-soo, who have collected five titles between them on the Korean circuit this year.

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The prestigious team title last year was won for the Koreans by Kang Wook-soon and Kim Wan-tae in Kuala Lumpur.

A total of 12 countries have entered the Asian Nations Cup, which will also act as the regional qualifier for the new-look EMC World Cup in Argentina this December.

The top three Asian teams will qualify for the World Cup and tee up alongside World No 1 Tiger Woods, who will partner David Duval for the United States.

Other nations likely to launch serious assaults at the Pinx Golf Club include Thailand, who have named the talented Thammanoon Sriroj and Chawalit Plaphol, and Taiwan, who has Lu Wen-teh and Chung Chun-hsing in the team.

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“With three spots available for the World Cup and a chance to tee up alongside Tiger Woods, the Asian Nations Cup is bound to be a great success as players battle for their country, rather than for individual glory,” said Shick Kim of Johnnie Walker.

Teams: Thailand (Thammanoon Sriroj, Chawalit Plaphol); Korea (Park Nam-sin, Choi Gwang-soo); India (Mukesh Kumar, Firoz Ali); Marianas (Michael N Castro, Lon P Lindsey); Nepal (Deepak Acharya, Toran Shahi); China (Sun Peng, Qi Zeng Fa); Fiji (Anasa Seruvatu, Mukesh Chand); Malaysia (Danny Chia, Rashid Ismail); Singapore (Poh Eing Wah, Lam Chih Bing); Taiwan (Chung Chun-hsing, Lu Wen-teh); Hong Kong (Danny Kan, Wilson Choy); Philippines (Robert Pactolerin, Tony Lascuna).