The prestigious Barclays Singapore Open 2009 needs a big name golfer to win it, Eugene YS Han explains why.

Sorry KJ Choi. Apologies to Gaganjeet Bhullar. And pardon me Lam Chih Bing, but my money is on either Phil Mickelson or Padriag Harrington to lift the Singapore Open trophy come Sunday.

Why? Because Asia's richest nation Open - US$5 million to be exact - needs a marquee name to lift the coveted trophy. In one of the most unexpected golf seasons ever, all the majors this year have been won by the unknowns, the unexpected and quite frankly the unheralded.

Hence we desperately need a big name golfer to lift this trophy come November 1. A high-profile last day final pairing of Mickelson and Harrington will definitely pull in the crowds and create the most dramatic finale to this tournament - ala the famous ‘Duel in the Sun'. Mind you considering the present Singapore conditions, it will literally be a duel in the baking sun.

If Mickelson can conquer the infamous heat or if Harrington can overcome his current slump in form, perhaps we'll see a famous AND top-ranked player lifting the trophy.

Mickelson now plays in selective tournaments because of his family's much-documented health problems. I'm sure he'll be doubly determined to make sure every trip he makes, every tournament he participates in, is worth the trouble and worth the precious time away from his family.

If Lefty wins, it would be his first victory on South East Asia soil. It would be Paddy's first in Asia if the Irishman wins. Either way, it will be a great advert for the Singapore Open. This way it'll not only increase the profile of this tournament, it'll also attract even more, high-ranking players for the next few installments.

It's not a slight to the rest of the field. It's not a blatant attempt to please the sponsor or the paying public. It's just a personal wish to see a global star finally win in Singapore.

* ESPNSTAR.com's Ian Griffiths and Eugene YS Han will be at the Serapong Course in Sentosa during the course of the event. Catch the Barclays Singapore Open LIVE on STAR Sports starting from Thursday, October 29 at 1330 HKT.

* Send in your comments to hanys@espnstar.com