Golf: Clarke to play in Australian Open
Posted: 14 October 2008 1555 hrs

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SYDNEY : Five-time European Ryder Cup team member Darren Clarke will join leading Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott in this year's Australian Open, organisers said Tuesday.

Clarke, who won the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai and the KLM Open in the Netherlands this year, leads the foreign contingent for the 93rd Australian Open at Royal Sydney from December 11 to 14.

The 2006 US Open champion and this year's World Golf Championship winner Ogilvy, ranked 18, and world number 17 Scott lead a strong home field which includes former champions Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Peter Lonard and defending champion Craig Parry.

Ogilvy, a runner-up at Royal Sydney in 2006, said at Tuesday's tournament launch here that he is keen to capture his first Australian Open title.

"It's the one I want to win. This year I want to go one better and walk away with the title. The competition will be especially fierce between the Australians," Ogilvy said.

Golf Australia said it has increased its Asian exemptions this year and one invitation has gone to 17-year-old Japanese player Ryo Ishikawa.

Ishikawa made history on the Japan Golf Tour by becoming the youngest ever winner of a men's regular tournament, lifting last year's Munsingwear Open KSB Cup at the age of 15.

Ishikawa shattered the previous record held by Spain's Seve Ballesteros, who won the 1977 Japan Open at 20 years and seven months.

- AFP /ls