Singh candidate for UBS Special Achievement Award

Jeev Milkha Singh’s magical 2006 season notched another well-earned accolade today when he was unveiled as one of five candidates for the Asian Tour’s inaugural UBS Special Achievement Award.

The announcement comes as Singh rose to a career-high 47th on the Official World Golf Ranking overnight, courtesy of successive victories at the Casio World Open and the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup on the Japan Golf Tour in the last two weeks.

The barnstorming Indian star has also clinched the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit title with next week’s season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia still to play and posted victories in Asia and Europe during his stunning season.

The new award, inaugurated as part of UBS’s title-sponsorship of the Order of Merit, highlights an individual whose performance, either over the last 12 months or cumulatively, has contributed to the development of golf in Asia. It may be an individual performance or a career-long contribution that has had a positive impact on the game and deserves special recognition.

Appropriately, Singh is joined by some of Asian golf’s biggest stars on the prestigious list of nominees. Heading the challengers is one of Asian golf’s most respected figures, Boonchu Ruangkit, along with fellow Thais Thongchai Jaidee and Chinarat Phadungsil and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat.

Boonchu is clearly the sentimental favourite, with the contribution of the player who struck the first shot on both the Asian Tour and its predecessor, the Asian PGA circuit, undeniable. His recent victory at the Champions Tour Qualifying School reiterated the 50-year-old’s playing talent and his ability to continue forging a new path for Asian Tour members.

In addition to Singh and Boonchu, the remaining contenders have also made considerable cases for recognition – Mardan’s outstanding home victory at the OSIM Singapore Masters earlier this year, Thongchai’s 2006 debut at the US Masters and opening of his junior academy and Chinarat’s maturation into one of Asia’s rising young stars headlining their cases.

Said Oliver Bertschinger, Head of Sponsorship Asia Pacific, UBS: “The growth of golf in Asia in recent years has seen – and continues to see – many significant contributions being made by many different people and the UBS Special Achievement Award is designed to draw attention to those that have been particularly valuable.

“Although not restricted to players, it is appropriate that five of the Tour’s finest, including Jeev, Boonchu and Thongchai, are being acknowledged for their contributions to Asian golf in the award’s first year,” added Bertschinger.

The five players on the award shortlist were nominated by the Asian Tour, with the final selection to be made by a panel of six members of the regional golf media and the sport’s administration. The vote will be conducted by secret ballot, with the winner revealed at the Asian Tour’s UBS Awards Gala dinner in Bangkok next Sunday.

UBS, one of Asia Pacific’s most significant supporters of golf, joined forces with the Asian Tour as the naming rights sponsor to the UBS Order of Merit in January this year in one of the region’s most significant sporting partnerships. The agreement also saw the formation of the UBS Special Achievement Award, which will be presented for the first time next week.

Candidates for the 2006 UBS Special Achievement Award:

Boonchu Ruangkit (Thailand)

Boonchu is not only one of Asian golf’s greatest players, but also one of its finest ambassadors. Winning his second Thailand Open title in 2004, after his first came in 1992, made him the second oldest winner in Asia at the age of 47, but his role goes far beyond mere results. Considered a role model to the generation of Thai players that has come to the fore in recent years. Boonchu also recently finished first at the Champions Tour Q-School to reiterate his playing talents.

Chinarat Phadungsil (Thailand)

Only 17 and an amateur when he won his first professional tournament last year, Chinarat’s star is definitely shining after performing with maturity and mental skills beyond his years in 2006. His youth belies his will to succeed as he showed this year when he won his second professional tournament in a play-off at the Crowne Plaza Open. At the age of 18, he represents the new, young players who inspire all those who dare to dream.

Mardan Mamat (Singapore)

Mardan made history in 2006 by becoming the first Singaporean to win a European Tour-sanctioned tournament at the OSIM Singapore Masters. Also the first from his country to win a Tour event on home soil, Mardan led from start to finish and held off defending champion Nick Dougherty in a thrilling duel for a popular on the final day.

Jeev Milkha Singh (India)

After a winless drought belying his talent, Jeev scored his first victory in seven years at this year’s Volvo China Open. That kick-started a magical season, which has seen him win events on the Asian, European and Japan Tours (twice) and post an incredible 14 further top-10 finishes. He concludes the 2006 season first, third and 16th on the final money lists in Asia, Japan and Europe respectively, an unprecedented achievement for an Asian golfer.

Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand)

Thongchai enjoyed yet another career high when he was invited to play in the US Masters in April, joining six consecutive seasons in the Order of Merit’s top-three (including current 2006 position) on his resume. He made history in July as the first Thai to play in all four rounds of the British Open and finished 54th on the European Order of Merit. Thongchai also recently started a youth academy in Thailand as he helps develop the game of golf in Asia.

December 5, 2006

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