Els confirmed for CIMB Classic

Kuala Lumpur - Major-winners Ernie Els and Bubba Watson and Spain's Sergio Garcia will join American star Phil Mickelson and a host of other big names at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, organisers said on Thursday.

Brandt Snedeker, Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley will also compete at the $7 million, October 24-27 event in Kuala Lumpur which is the only US PGA Tour tournament held outside the Americas.

Organisers said the field will be the strongest ever seen in Southeast Asia - although one notable absentee is Tiger Woods, who headlined the tournament last year.

"This is a stellar field and the strongest ASEAN (Southeast Asia) has ever seen," said CIMB Group chief executive Nazir Razak in a press release.

The CIMB Classic will be one of the richest golf events held in the region this year alongside the WGC-HSBC Champions, the BMW Masters and the World Cup in Australia.