Dhaka: Rising Thai star Jazz Janewattananond will spearhead a strong cast comprising 20 Tour champions when he returns to the scene of his memorable Asian Tour breakthrough for the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open next week.
Placed second on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, Jazz is tipped to shine again when he challenges for his fourth title and a second victory this season at the US$350,000 event, which he had previously won in 2017.
Jazz will feature in the cosmopolitan 150-man field from 24 countries alongside former Order of Merit champions Jeev Milkha Singh of India and China's Liang Wen-chong, as well as Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng, a 10-time Asian Tour winner, at the Kurmitola Golf Club.
The full-field Asian Tour event, which has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2015, will also welcome the return of all its past champions when it celebrates its fifth consecutive edition from April 3-6.
Singapore's Mardan Mamat completed a wire-to-wire victory for his fifth Asian Tour title in the inaugural edition while Thitiphun Chuayprakong of Thailand won by two shots the following year for his maiden trophy.
Jazz's victory in 2017 was particularly sweet for him as it came shortly after the young Thai had lost his Asian Tour card when he did not finish inside top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and failed to regain his playing rights at the Qualifying School.
Sweden's Malcolm Kokocinski became the third straight player in the tournament history to claim his Asian Tour breakthrough at the event, where he triumphed by three shots last year. He had enjoyed a superb run on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) prior to securing his first Asian Tour win.