Chris DiMarco of America and home favourite Yong-eun Yang, one of a select group to have got the better of Tiger Woods in recent times, have added their names to the field for next month’s Ballantine’s Championship.
The pair will be joined in the €2 million showpiece - the first European Tour event to be held in Korea - by Ryder Cup winners Thomas Björn and Paul McGinley.
Yang became a national hero in his native Korea when he claimed a stunning two-shot victory over World Number One Woods in the HSBC Champions, played at China’s Sheshan International Golf Club in November 2006.
The 36 year old will now be seeking to claim some more notable scalps when the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship is staged from March 13-16 at Pinx Golf Club, on the picturesque island of Jeju.
The tournament is being headlined by Korean sporting idol and World Number Eight KJ Choi, British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland, and World Cup-winning Scot Colin Montgomerie.
For Yang, the event holds particular resonance because he was born on Jeju.
He said: “It’s fantastic news for Korean golf that The European Tour is coming to our country for the first time, and I’ll be going all out to deliver a home victory for the fans.
“The Ballantine’s Championship will be particularly special for me as it is being held on Jeju, and I’m looking forward to what promises to be a great week.”
Yang’s success in Shanghai came when he held off the challenge of a chasing pack which included Major winners Woods, Retief Goosen and Michael Campbell to win by two shots.
He has won four times on the Japan Golf Tour and also has a notable victory on home soil to his name, the Asian Tour's Korea Open in 2006.
American star DiMarco is a three-time runner-up in the Majors, and has recorded three victories on the US PGA Tour.
The 39 year old also won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship two years ago on his first European Tour start outside the Majors and World Golf Championships.
“I’m delighted to be part of the Ballantine’s Championship,” said DiMarco. “I’ve played in Asia before and really enjoyed the experience, so I’m very much looking forward to the tournament.
“It’s clear the organisers are putting together an extremely strong field, and hopefully I’ll be up with the leaders on the Sunday challenging for the inaugural title.”
