The stage is set for a showdown at the inaugural Fiji International being played at the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course. A quality field has assembled to contest the tournament which gets underway at 6.35am this morning local time, with a two tee start.
Groups to watch….
7.25am 10th Gareth Paddison (NZ), Peter O’Malley (AUS), Liang Wenchong (CHN)
7.35am 10th Vijay Singh (FIJ), Brendan Jones (AUS), Paul Gow (AUS)
7.45am 10th Brad Kennedy (AUS), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN), Scott Strange (AUS)
11.55am 1st Craig Parry (AUS), Bi-O Kim (KOR), Anirban Lahiri (IND)
12.05pm 1st Nick Price (ZIM), Matthew Griffin (AUS), Mark Brown (NZ)
12.15pm 1st Nick Cullen (AUS), Dinesh Chand (FIJ), Wu Ahsun (CHN)
To check out all the Round 1 tee times click here.
Nick Price hoping for a Vijay Singh win….
The winner of 50 Professional tournaments worldwide including three Major championships, Price is the oldest player teeing it up this week however is sure to be one of the biggest drawcards behind Vijay Singh.“I’m just happy to come along, support Vijay’s role a little bit and maybe get a little more global interest for the tournament,” said Price. “Fiji is a place I’ve always wanted to come to and obviously being friends with Vijay as long as I have, we’ve often spoken about it.” Price will be concentrating on his game but in a testament to his gracious character he hopes the nation’s hero and his friend takes out the title. “Vijay being here; this is the first time he’s played a tournament in this country for a long time so that’s huge. He’s the one all eyes are on this week and I’d love to see him win it, I really would. I’d love to win it but let’s put it this way; I’ve got a great future behind me. My game is not what it used to be. I’ll be happy if I make the cut and play well this week.”
Lahiri arrives in Fiji after long journey….
For Indian star Anirban Lahiri the world is not necessarily getting smaller after a marathon journey to this week’s inaugural Fiji International from the US PGA Championship. He arrived at Natadola Bay Golf Course in Fiji yesterday from Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky a day behind schedule because of a 24-hour layover in Los Angeles caused by bad weather. “The flight was a little bit bumpy. I was hoping to be here the same time Tuesday. There were a lot of weather issues in America,” Lahiri, who missed the cut by two shots last week. “We ended up missing our connecting flight to Fiji on Monday night. We flew overnight and landed this morning so I am just glad that I am here.” The stunning coastal view from the clubhouse was a welcoming sight for the Indian after his never ending journey. “It is so beautiful. I am just waiting to get out on the golf course. I am feeling good. I am glad that I am here. At least I will get a full round in and be ready for tomorrow.”
Broadcast live around the world….
The Fiji International is Fiji’s first internationally broadcast golf tournament which which will be beamed into 400 million homes in 30 countries. Presented by an experienced commentator line up including Jack Newton, Grant Dodd, Brendon Julian and Brett Ogle, the Fiji International will be broadcast over four days from Thursday 14 to Sunday 17 August. In Australia the telecast will be live on FOX SPORTS 3HD and FOX SPORTS 3 from 10.00am to 3.00pm AEST Thursday and Friday and 9.00am to 2.00pm AEST Saturday and Sunday. In Fiji the tournament will be shown live on FBC TV from 12pm for the first two rounds and 11am on Saturday and Sunday.
Stay up to date….
Now available to download for FREE from the iphone store, the PGA Tour of Australasia app features include live scores and player score cards, tee times, hole by hole statistics, tournament schedules, course overviews, latest news and information videos, photo galleries and more. Head to the app store and search for ‘PGA Tour of Australasia’ in the iphone app store.
About the Fiji International….
Being played for a US$1 million prize purse the Fiji International will be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia.
Proudly supported by the Fijian Government, the Fiji International is expected to produce a multi-million dollar boost for the Fijian economy, in addition to flow on benefits including the growth of the game in the region.
Designed by Singh, the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course is renowned for its sparkling backdrop of coral reefs and the Pacific Ocean that line 15 out of the 18 championship holes.
For further information visit www.fijiinternational.com.
Australia's Golf News Leader, Inside Golf gives you in-depth coverage of Australian golf news, golf events, golf travel and holiday destinations, Australian and international golf course reviews, the hottest new golf gear and tips and drills to improve your golf game. Written by award-winning journalists, Inside Golf also features interviews with Australia's top professional golfers, the game's rising stars, industry leaders and golf equipment manufacturers. You can even win great golf prizes and equipment. It’s all in Inside Golf. FREE at Australian golf courses, driving ranges and golf retailers across Australia. 
