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Bourdy, Jimenez join stellar cast for Hong Kong Open

Defending champion Gregory Bourdy of France and two-time winner Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain will join a stellar line-up at the UBS Hong Kong Open this month. Bourdy and Jimenez will join another former champion - Scot Colin Montgomerie - at Hong Kong's oldest professional sporting event.

Also confirming they would be playing in the tournament, which is jointly sanctioned by the European Tour and Asian Tour, were England's Ian Poulter and John Daly from the United States.

The field for the US$2.5 million tournament will also include Europe's Ryder Cup stars from Northern Ireland, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy.

Last year, Bourdy became the first Frenchman to win the Open when he parred the final hole to score a two-stroke victory. His nerveless finish denied crowd favourite McIlroy a shot at winning the tournament for the second successive year and he had to settle for the runner-up slot.

'I'm returning to try to win again. But it will be a tough title to defend because there will be a high-quality field with some of the best players in the world turning up,' Bourdy said.

Jimenez, a winner in 2004 and 2007, was also part of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor. 'All the players enjoy coming to Hong Kong,' he said. 'I have won there twice, so naturally I have a lot of good feelings for the tournament.'

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