IRISH Ryder Cup stars David Feherty and Christy O'Connor Jnr are being lined up to bolster the field at next month's US$250,000 Hongkong Open golf tournament.
Both men will be playing in Singapore in the first week of February and are keen to remain in Southeast Asia for the Kent Open at Fanling from February 11-14.
They are discussing terms with the Hongkong Open promoters, who are also continuing their efforts to secure Spanish superstar Seve Ballesteros and numerous other big-name players who are committed to playing in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Singapore - a PGA European Tour event.
American all-time great Tom Watson has already confirmed that he will return to Fanling to defend the Should O'Connor appear at Fanling it would mean the possibility of a re-match with South Korea's Park Nam-sin. Paired together in the Alfred Dunhill Cup finals at St Andrews in October the players finished tied. However, Park was controversially disqualified on a technicality after being reported to tournament officials by the Irishman.
Both O'Connor and Feherty are hoping to feature in Bernard Gallacher's European team that will attempt to win back the Ryder Cup at The Belfry in September.
O'Connor Jnr made his Ryder Cup debut in 1975. Following a 14-year absence he returned in 1989 and scored a notable singles victory over Fred Couples to help his team to a 14-14 tie which was good enough to retain the trophy. Feherty, meanwhile, had to wait until the 1991 contest at Kiawah Island to make his first Ryder Cup appearance, when he beat then US Open champion Payne Stewart.