Sentosa, November 12: Australian Adam Scott will be aiming to cement his
place in the history books by claiming an unprecedented third title at the
US$5 million Barclays Singapore Open starting on Thursday.

The Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong course has been a favourite hunting ground
for Scott after triumphing in Asia's richest national Open in 2005 and 2006
before falling short of his hat-trick bid when he finished third last year.

With another world-class field assembled which includes Phil Mickelson,
Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, K.J. Choi and 18 of the top-20 players from
the Asian Tour's Order of Merit, Scott knows he needs to produce his best
golf to prevail.

"It's been a happy hunting ground for me here," said Scott today. "Whenever
you come back to a place where you've played well, you get good vibes. I'm
certainly looking to turn my game around a little bit and it's good to have
the positive feelings.

"The first year, I really felt like the course fits my eye well. I hit a lot
of good shots then and it was a really tough set-up. Ever since, I've always
felt confident coming here. Whenever you win a tournament, not only do you
get the good feelings, you have the pride to want to play well. My goal is
to win this week."

Scott won tournaments in Qatar and the United States earlier this year but a
series of injuries and illness have blighted his past few months and his
world ranking has slipped to 17th after starting out the year in seventh
place.

But with a chance to become the first man to win three Barclays Singapore
Open titles, Scott wants to end his year on a high note at a venue which
feels like his second home. Last week, he came out from a two-month break,
finishing sixth in Shanghai.

"I was a bit rusty but I was happy with finishing sixth. It's the first time
in a while where I put some consistent numbers on the board," said Scott.

The dashing Aussie paid tribute to the growth of the Barclays Singapore Open
and Asian Tour. "I first played here in 2005 and it's grown so much in four
years. It's incredible," he enthused.

"Just looking at the infrastructure around the ninth and 18th green, it's as
good as any tournament in the world now. Looking at the quality of the
field, this is a great event. Asian Tour events are growing, there is no
doubt about that. I think after the US and European Tours, this has got to
be the next biggest Tour. There is a lot of talent coming out as well," he
said.

Choi, a graduate of the Asian Tour, was delighted to be a part of the Tour's
showpiece event at Sentosa and hopes to put up a strong challenge to
underline his status as one of the world's finest players.

An early season win at the Sony Open in Hawaii which was his seventh PGA
Tour success has failed to translate into more victories but Choi likes what
he sees at Sentosa.

"All parts of your game need to work well here. I have to play my A-game to
win. I haven't won on the Asian Tour outside of Korea. It will look good on
my resume to win," said Choi.

Like Scott, the Korean star also praised the rapid rise of the Barclays
Singapore Open. "I never imagined that a US$5 million event would be held in
Asia. I never imagined something like this would happen. It's a big step
forward. The depth has gotten deeper, a lot better than it was a few years
ago."

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, Asia's number one in 2006, knows that victory at
the Barclays Singapore Open will seal a second Asian Tour's Order of Merit
crown where he currently trails leader Mark Brown of New Zealand by over
US$137,000.

He has enjoyed another stellar season with wins in Europe and Japan but
victory at the Asian Tour's flagship tournament will cap his year on a high.

"I've been playing rock solid and my injuries are getting better. The course
is in excellent condition and I'm looking forward to this week. I like how
the course sets up as you have to think a lot," said Singh, who will play
alongside merit leader Mark Brown and Ernie Els in the first two rounds.

"We've got two guys fighting for the Order of Merit which makes it exciting
and adds to the pressure."

Singapore's hopes of producing its first local winner at the Barclays
Singapore Open will rest on the experienced Mardan Mamat, a two-time winner
on the Asian Tour.

He is trying to treat the event like any other in hope of diverting the
pressure.

"I have to concentrate on what I have to do, take it one shot at a time. The
crowds always want the local players to play well. I always tell myself that
I can always win again. I've won twice already and once you've broken the
jinx, you can do it again. I'm not pressuring myself so much. If I can
finish in the top-10, I'll be happy," he said.