MACAO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Open 2025 will be held in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) from Oct. 16 to 19 at the Macao Golf and Country Club, organizers announced Monday.

The one-million U.S. dollar tournament will feature 144 players, including China's Liang Wenchong and Kelvin Si Ngai, defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand, and Britain's Lee Westwood, who won the Macao Open in 1999.

See Lei, acting vice president of the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR government, co-organizer of the event, said the Macao Open has grown into a flagship event on the Asian Tour since its inauguration, showcasing the city's ability to host major international sporting events.

Launched in the late 1990s, the tournament has remained a fixture on the Asian Tour and is among its most popular and longest-running events, said Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour.

"This great venue has always been a very popular hunting ground for Asian Tour members, and I hope one of them will follow in the footsteps of last year's champion, Rattanon Wannasrichan, and add their name to this legendary trophy," he said.

The Macao Open has attracted some of the world's leading players since its inception in 1998. ■