Contenders resume the Order of Merit race

The Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit race is set to go down to the wire with a string of Asian stars grabbing the headlines this season.

Top of the list is China’s Liang Wen-chong who has accumulated US$438, 252 in total earnings but South African Anton Haigs, big-hittng Australian Scott Hend, Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat and Thongchai Jaidee, Simon Yates of Scotland and in-form Indian star Gaurav Ghei all have an equal chance at taking over the lead on the rankings.

With the players plotting to up their game in the coming months, a closer look at the top contenders after an eventful season so far.

LIANG WEN-CHONG
Liang Wen-chong is tipped as the hot favourite for the UBS Order of Merit crown thanks to his unmatched track record in the first half of the season. He made an immediate impact early this year with a triumph in Singapore and solidified his position with six other top-10 finishes, bringing his total earnings to US$438,252. Liang is currently in pole position but he realises that a solid second half performance is needed to secure his dream of becoming China’s first ever Asian number one.

ANTON HAIG
South Afican Anton Haig broke through in his rookie season in 2006 when he won the Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters. He sent shockwaves across the region when he won the tri-sanctioned Johnnie Walker Classic this season where he beat golf stars Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. It was a memorable win for Haig who not only birdied the 18th hole to get in a play-off with Richard Sterne and Oliver Wilson but enjoyed a 10-foot birdie putt on the same hole for his biggest win to-date. His form dipped shortly after his triumph but he has been making grounds in Europe. With the second half of the year starting this week, Haig will be on the hunt to get back on track.

SCOTT HEND
Hend is among the top players eager to get underway in the second half of the season. His game suffered on the US PGA Tour last year after sustaining a serious hand injury but he has recently regained his form on the Asian Tour this season. Straight after celebrating the birth of twin babies, Hend, a former US PGA Tour player, wasted no time stamping his mark in his maiden season with a runner-up result at the curtain raising event, the Pakistan Open in January. Hend was back in the leading fray at the Volvo China Open in April when he produced a similar performance before finishing third at the BMW Asian Open.

CHAPCHAI NIRAT
Chapchai Nirat chalked up a superb wire-to-wire maiden triumph at the TCL Classic where he defeated a stary field that included a three stroke win over Argentinean Rafael Echenique. He emerged as the third Thai player to win an Asian Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned event in his third season playing in Asia. He remained steady as he recorded two top-five finishes.

GAURAV GHEI
Gaurav Ghei of India has been one of the most consistent players this season where he claimed his third Asian Tour title at the Pine Valley Beijing Open. He posted two other top-10s that included a third place finish at the Macau Open and made the cut in 11 out of the 13 events competed so far. With his rate of consistency and hot putter this year, Ghei will be geared to get to the top of the rankings.

SIMON YATES
Scotsman Simon Yates is all smiles this season recording four top-10 finishes in the first half of the year that spiraled him up to sixth spot on the UBS Order of Merit. He finished tied seventh at the Asian Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned Maybank Malaysian Open and was joint third at the BMW Asian Open which featured stars from Asia and Europe. He recorded two more top-10s at the Macau Open and SK Telecom Open with earnings of US$214,330.

THONGCHAI JAIDEE
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee has a proven track record that has placed him as a contender this year. He is currently ranked 20th on the UBS Order of Merit but Thongchai, a two-time Asian number one, has won an event on the Asian Tour every year since 2000 and is tipped to continue his winning streak this season.

August 20, 2007

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