Liang looks to putting tip for Singapore success

A putting tip from the legendary Bobby Locke that has been handed down through a generation of coaches could be the key to success for Asian number one Liang Wen-chong in next week’s Barclays Singapore Open.

Liang currently leads the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit after a standout season but the Chinese ace concedes that a better hit-rate on short putts would have resulted in a fuller trophy cabinet.

He has now opened up to his coach Kel Llewellyn about the problem and Liang will employ a new putting action during the US$4 million tournament that has attracted a host of big name players to the Sentosa Golf Club from November 1-4.

"His long putts are very good but he sometimes has a problem with short putts and that is because of too much follow through," said Llewellyn, who has been working with Liang for seven years.

"I am emphasising that the ball is to be hit not to be stroked. On short putts it is very easy to hit the ball right or left. So I am actually taking the follow through out of his short putts, concentrating more on the hit.

"You see Tiger Woods, he is fantastic – no follow through. I like (my players) to keep the putter on the grass after impact with short putts. Things like keeping the eyes still, soft hands and breathing control. We talk about all these things.

"My putting knowledge came from Bobby Locke and the great Australian (golfer) Kel Nagle. I learned a lot in a session with Locke and he was the best ever."

Llewellyn, a highly rated coach who has guided the fortunes of thousands of Asian professionals and amateurs during the past three decades, watched Liang at three recent Asian Tour events and noticed that short putts remained his Achilles heel.

"I followed him to the Iskandar Johor Open, Brunei Open and Midea China Classic. He hit a lot of shots close to the flag. His shot making is very much improved but he never holed anything. He hardly holed a putt – he was in a position to win all three of those events.

"I said to him earlier ‘do you want to talk about putting – the technique and the way you think about putting, things you need to know’.

"The last time we met he opened up to the idea. I explained to him that ‘as you improve shot making and hit more shots close to the flag it is actually without knowing it putting more pressure on your putting’. We talked about putting under pressure, things like that."

Liang leads the merit list race with US$469,708 in earnings thanks to victory in the Singapore Masters, a joint sanctioned event between the Asian and European Tours in March and seven other top-10 finishes in 15 tournaments. He leads Johnnie Walker Classic winner Anton Haig of South Africa by just over US$42,000.

The 29-year-old Liang knows that the UBS Order of Merit could be turned on its head at the Barclays Singapore Open with the winner receiving a colossal cheque for US$634,000 and every player in the top eight picking up more than US$100,000 and he has asked Llewellyn to the tournament to keep an eye on his swing.

"I am not too sure about the real reason why I am there," said Llewellyn.."I think maybe he feels more secure when I am around. I am a bit reluctant to be talking too much technique during the tournament. I am there to follow him around and watch his moves. I think for reassurance he wants me there. He is a big-hearted fellow, maybe he wants me there to see him win or something like that. I am not sure."

World number two Phil Mickelson of the United States, two-time defending champion Adam Scott of Australia, last year’s runner up Ernie Els, who picked up a million pounds sterling for his recent victory in the World Match Play Championship over his home course at Wentworth, prolific winner Vijay Singh of Fiji and Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju who is coming off a successful season with two wins on the PGA Tour, are the main draw cards for the Barclays Singapore Open.

October 27, 2007

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