Date: November 09, 2008
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Villegas, Poulter coming to Perth

Two of world golf&aposs most exciting young talents will line up at The Vines for the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic in February. Colombian world No.7 Camilo Villegas and Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter, ranked 25, will join Englishmen Lee Westwood and Paul Casey and Australian veteran Greg Norman at the event. The flamboyant pair will add a touch of colour to the prestigious tournament, which returns to Perth for the fourth time since 1990. Villegas, 26, burst onto the international scene with two straight victories on the PGA Tour in September at the BMW Championship and the US TOUR Championship, securing him second spot behing Vijay Singh in the FedEx Cup. Thirty-two-year-old Poulter finished second behind Padraig Harrington at the British Open this year before leading the European team as the highest points scorer in the Ryder Cup in September. The Johnnie Walker Classic, tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Australasian Tours, will be making its fifth visit to Australia since it was first held there in 1997. In all, the Johnnie Walker Classic has been played in eight countries and 13 different golf clubs around the Asia Pacific region and was held for the first time in India this year. Past winners of the Johnnie Walker Classic include Tiger Woods (1998, 2000), Nick Faldo (1990, 1993), Norman (1994), Ernie Els (1997, 2003), Retief Goosen (2002) and Adam Scott (2005). The 2009 event will be played from February 19 to 22.