Two cars and gold bar on offer for perfect shot at the Masters

TWO cars and a solid kilo-bar of gold are up for grabs in next week's US$1.1 million (S$1.68 million) Clariden Leu Singapore Masters 2007.

The four-day golf tournament at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club will be offering them as hole-in-one prizes on the Masters course.

The cars - a Skoda Superb and a Geely CK - are sponsored by Group Exklusiv, distributor of the two makes, as well as owner of Laguna National.

An ace by any of the 204 participating golfers at the 201-yard par-three 17th will see him winning the Czech-made Skoda.

However, the organisers have not decided whether the fifth (192yd) or the eighth (180yd) hole will offer the China-made Geely.

In addition, Swiss private bank Clariden Leu, which was announced as the event's title sponsor yesterday, is dangling a 1kg, US$20,000 gold bar as the prize for acing the 12th hole (206yd).

The bank, formed two months ago by the merger of five Credit Suisse Group companies, replaces last year's sponsor OSIM International.

Prior to OSIM, Caltex was the title sponsor for five years since 2001.

Branch manager of Clariden Leu Singapore, Urs Brutsch, declined to reveal the value or tenure of the sponsorship.

However, he said: 'We certainly hope this will be a long-term relationship. We'll analyse after the tournament and then decide on the strategy going forward.'

The Clariden Leu Singapore Masters 2007, co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours, will include Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke, David Howell and Lee Westwood.

Asian stars, such as Japan's Shingo Katayama and Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant, will also be teeing off.

The Republic's charge will be spearheaded by defending champion Mardan Mamat.

The other Singaporeans are Lam Chih Bing, M. Murugiah, Bill Fung, Lim Kian Boon, Lim Kian Kee, Poh Eng Wah, Mohd Ashiek, Patrick Tang, Khalid Yusoff and Poh Eing Chong.

Starting next Thursday, the first two rounds will be played at both the Masters and Classic courses.

But the weekend action will be confined to the Masters course.

For the record, the odds of achieving a hole-in-one are 42,000 to 1.

Richard Johnson's ace in 2002 remains the only one in the Masters' history.

Then, the Swede struck his four-iron tee shot to perfection at the 17th to win a Volkswagen Beetle.

'Basic skill is a must,' said Laguna National and Group Exklusiv executive chairman Peter Kwee, 'but luck plays a very important part.'