Bangkok: The Thailand Golf Championship will take centre stage from December 12-15 as some of the world’s best players gather at Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi just outside of Bangkok for one of the most highly anticipated tournaments of 2013.

Inaugurated in 2011, the Championship has already firmly established itself as one Asia’s most prominent and premier professional golf tournaments, which is becoming a hugely popular event for the players to attend. Over the last two years, the Thailand Golf Championship has also assumed a key role in the development of the sport both domestically and across Asia, offering a unique opportunity for the best domestic talent to compete against international stars from the likes of the U.S., Europe, South Africa and Japan.

Amata Spring Country Club, which was voted as number one course on the Asian Tour in 2011 and 2012 by its players, has welcomed some of the most recognizable faces in the world of golf as they come to compete at the Thailand Golf Championships and enjoyed the country’s hospitality offerings. Noted past participants include global stars Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Darren Clarke, Hunter Mahan, John Daly and Ryo Ishikawa.

Amata Spring Country Club is renowned as having one of the most immaculately kept courses in Asia and Englishman Westwood came through as the first winner of the prestigious Championship in 2011 that included a smoking round of 60 on the very first day of the competition. Last year, Schwartzel of South Africa improved on his second place finish the year before and wowed the crowd in a bogey-free total 263, 11 shots ahead of his nearest challenger. With further enhancements to the course including the lengthening of a few holes and numerous additions of bunkers, the third edition of the Thailand Golf Championship will be the most challenging and competitive yet in the history of the tournament.

An international cast looking to emulate Westwood and Schwartzel and become a winner of this prestigious tournament will be led by man-of-the-moment Henrik Stenson, who made history yesterday in becoming the first man ever to win both the Race to Dubai and the FedEx Cup in a most remarkable season.

Other confirmed first time participants include reigning US Open winner Justin Rose as well as one of the most colourful players on the tour, Rickie Fowler, who is travelling to Chonburi under the recommendations of the 2011 Masters Champion, Bubba Watson, the runner-up last year. The 35-year-old Watson is a big fan of not only the Thailand Golf Championship but the country as a whole, will attempt for a second time to win the coveted title alongside several tournament ‘veterans’ such as Schwartzel, Spanish star Sergio Garcia and Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa who are playing at Amata Spring for the third time.

Khun Sarath Ratanavadi, Executive Director of Thailand Golf Championship, is delighted to gather such a high quality field:

“We are delighted to welcome so many world class players to Thailand and having the likes of Stenson and Rose here is a real honor. The Thailand Golf Championship is growing in stature year on year, and has become a must attend event for the global stars of the game as well as the leading Asian players. Having these top players competing alongside the rising talents we have in the region provides a phenomenal opportunity and learning experience for the young stars of the future.”

Asian Tour Chairman Kyi Hlan Han added, “The Thailand Golf Championship is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar and the magnificent Amata Spring Country Club does a wonderful job in showcasing Thailand’s capabilities in terms of hosting a top international sports event and providing world class hospitality. We’re looking forward to another great tournament with a world-class field. ”

With a total prize fund of US$1 million, the prestigious Championship aims to help develop professional golf within the region and promote Thailand as an international sports destination and regional event hub. In 2013, the tournament will be broadcasted live to 200 countries and 800 million homes worldwide.