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Wi to become three tour globetrotter

Charlie Wi is gearing up for a globe-trotting lifestyle after a superb one-stroke victory in Malaysia on Sunday which propelled him to the top of the Asian Tour UBS Order of Merit.

The US-based Korean secured a magnificent triumph over two-time defending champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand in the Malaysian Open which also made Wi the ninth player to surpass the US$1 million mark in career earnings in Asia.

With his biggest cheque of US$208,330, Wi overhauled Tadahiro Takayama of Japan and now leads the UBS Order of Merit with US$213,981. Takayama, winner of the Okinawa Open last December, slipped to second place with US$173,460.

Thongchai, a two-time Asian Tour number one, was bidding to become the first player to win an Asian Tour event three times in a row but still played his way into Asian golf history by becoming the first player to hit US$2 million in career earnings.

The former Thai paratrooper cemented his reputation as one of Asia's greatest players, taking his career haul to US$2.03 million from just 91 tournaments since turning professional in 1999. Thongchai picked up US$138,880 in Malaysia and moved up to third on the UBS Order of Merit.

Australian Gary Simpson was the other newcomer in the top-10, a superb sixth place finish in the event co-sanctioned with the European Tour shooting him up to eighth on the ranking.

However, the week certainly belonged to Wi, back in Asia this season after losing his US PGA Tour card last year. The 34-year-old, who earned his seventh title on the Asian Tour, is in a dilemma as he now has playing rights on the European Tour and also holds a card on the Nationwide Tour in the US.

While his original goal was to play his way back onto the US PGA Tour via the Nationwide Tour, Wi said his playing schedule will be altered dramatically after Sunday's success. And he is prepared to rake in the air miles in search of more glory.

"I was going to play all the way to Indonesia, Singapore and China (over the next few weeks) and Korea till May but now I don't really know," said Wi who totalled 19-under-par 197 in the 54-hole weather-shortened event.

"I'm going home and will see how my schedule will change. I've played in Europe before so it's not a new territory for me. There are certain tournaments that I would like to play there and some over here as well.

"I was scheduled to go to Christchurch (for a Nationwide Tour event in New Zealand) after Malaysia but I didn't want to force myself to go down there to play. It's not about quantity, it's about quality when you play. You only need two or three good tournaments to get your PGA Tour card and I'll get that opportunity during summer.

"I want to be a part of the Asian Tour again and that's why I'm here. You know, I'll get my chance to play on the Nationwide this summer and we'll see how that goes."

While disappointed that he failed to stamp his mark against the likes of Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh last year, Wi said his experience of 2005 was invaluable and helped make him a better player. In 23 events last year, he made 11 cuts, with a single top-10.

Wi said he had desperately wanted to make an impression against the world's elite and "probably got in my own way." "It was a difficult year. I looked at it in a positive way. I learned so much and with all that experience from last year really helped me to stay patient and helped me stay calm. It was a great experience last year. I was disappointed I didn't play better at the weekends at some tournaments (in the US) but it was part of growing up," said Wi.

"It's a learning curve out there and not many people keep their cards in their first year there. Look at India's Arjun Atwal, he's playing so great now. He knows that he belongs out there and he feels a lot more comfortable out there which is the biggest thing."

February 20, 2006