They include three-time Major winner Ernie Els, PGA Tour star Anthony Kim and current world No 10 Henrik Stenson. They will be joined in the €2.2 million event by Miguel Angel Jiménez and the tournament’s 2008 champion and Ballantine’s ambassador, Graeme McDowell.
The Ballantine’s Championship, which is hosted on the island of Jeju from 22-25 April, is Asia’s fourth biggest golf tournament and, according to Ballantine’s, the largest sporting event in Korea.
This year’s tournament marks the 50th anniversary of Ballantine’s first involvement with the sport and to mark the half century milestone, Ballantine’s master blender Sandy Hyslop has created a 2010 Championship Blend. Only 20 bottles of this 36 year old blend have been created and, in what has become an annual tradition at the tournament, one bottle will be given to the new Ballantine’s Champion.