International stars praise Asian golf development

The world’s stars gathered for this week’s Barclays Singapore Open predict that the standard of the Asian game will keep growing, with Choi Kyung-ju being tipped to become the first Major champion from the region.

Top names like American Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood of England, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell and Vijay Singh of Fiji have been regular visitors to Asia over the past decade and they are impressed with the developments.

Mickelson said: “I didn’t realise how many good players were here in Asia. I noticed it on the driving range, I noticed it on the putting greens and I noticed it when I played with Chapchai Nirat that he is a world class player.

“He can easily play the PGA Tour and do very well. He should be playing in the World Golf Championships and the Majors as I feel he is so talented. I think there are number of players like that who have impressed me as golf has become so global and there are so many good players on a global players. I haven’t been made aware of how good the golf is good in Asia. These players are strong.”

Westwood echoed the same sentiments. “You only have to look at the improvement of Asian players around the world,” said Westwood, a regular visitor to Asia.

“I mean Jeev Milka Singh was top 50 in the world, Thongchai Jaidee and Zhang Lian-wei have always played well overseas and KJ Choi has always been fantastic on the US Tour. It shows you that there are a lot of good golfers in Asia. It is a good breeding ground for talent and there is no reason why the Asian Tour can't go from strength to strength.”

Golf in the region is indeed flourishing, with the Asian Tour offering a record 28 tournaments with an unprecedented US$27 million in total prize money.

Campbell knows only too well of the leaps in standard seen in Asian golf. The former US Open champion began his career in Asia and echoed Westwood's sentiments.

“There has been a huge improvement in Asian Tour players in the past 10 years," he said ahead of the Barclays Singapore Open. "One of the factors is that a lot more top golfers are coming over here to play and as a player you have to play with the best to improve.

“That is why we have seen more success from Asian players. The tournaments they play in are becoming stronger and so are the players.”

Like Campbell, Fijian star Singh kick-started his career in Asia and has followed developments in the region while cementing his position as one of the world's greats in the United States.

The three-time Major winner, back in Singapore for the first time since 2001, said he had been highly impressed with Asian golf's "giant steps."

"The depth of the game in Asia has definitely improved as compared to before," he said.

"We have been seeing quite a few good young Asians coming through, but we need to see more."

November 2, 2007