The Asian Tour will achieve yet another milestone in its glowing history when it celebrates its 300th tournament at this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open.
Since the days when professional golf was galvanized in 1995, the Tour has traversed the region and enjoyed numerous achievements which have made the golfing world take notice of the rise of the game in Asia.
It is truly appropriate that the 300th celebration will also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Open which starts on Thursday at its traditional venue, the famous Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, one of the pioneers of the Asian Tour, was amongst the first to hail the landmark.
“It’s a fantastic achievement,” said Singh, who claimed a stunning victory at the Barclays Singapore Open on Sunday and virtually sealed a second Order of Merit triumph.
“The Asian Tour has done a lot for me. I started out my career in Asia and I’ll never forget what it’s done for me. I would like to see the region grow. The more it grows, it’ll give the young guys greater opportunities to come through the ranks.”
“The Asian Tour has given me a lot. It’s been fantastic being associated with the Asian Tour,” added the Indian, who is a six-time winner.
Singh’s victory in Singapore saw him swell his season’s earnings on the Asian Tour to US$1.4 million, the first time that a player has surpassed the million-dollar mark in winnings in a year.
Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, one of three players who have won the Order of Merit twice, also congratulated the Tour for providing the platform to nurture young talents from the region.
Thongchai made his Tour debut in 1999 and has stamped his mark by winning over US$2 million, through eight victories across the region.
“Although I’ve played in less than half of the 300 events on the Asian Tour, it’s great that we are reaching 300 events in Hong Kong,” said Thongchai.
“I would like to congratulate the Asian Tour for achieving this wonderful milestone. I have always enjoyed being a part of the Asian Tour as it has been where I achieved a lot of success.”
Korea’s Charlie Wi cut his professional teeth on the Asian Tour in 1997 and while he has spread his wings onto the US PGA Tour, he acknowledges that his roots lie in Asia.
“I always try to represent the Asian Tour on the PGA Tour and letting them know that I’m from the Asian Tour,” said Wi.
“I’m a professional packer and traveler now. I’ve met a lot of good guys out here in Asia, I’ve learned a lot of good stuff here. My first big pairing was at the Singapore Masters in 2001 with Vijay Singh. Stuff like that gave me a lot of confidence and experience to compete,” said the Korean, a seven-time winner in Asia.
The UBS Hong Kong Open is the 27th leg on the Asian Tour schedule this year which boasts another record breaking season with 30 events with nearly US$40 million in total prize money on offer.
Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said the 300th tournament was a reflection of the continued growth of the game across the region.
Han added that the Tour has been a breeding ground for great champions like K.J. Choi, Ted Purdy, Shaun Micheel, Arjun Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh, Charlie Wi, Thongchai and Thaworn Wiratchant to emerge onto the international stage.
“It is a terrific milestone for the Asian Tour which reinforces our position and importance in world golf. Our players have achieved success both at home and abroad over the past decade and it’s all due to the support that we have received from our sponsors and partners.”
“Ultimately, it is our dream to see one of our players win a Major which is just a few putts away. KJ Choi has come close on several occasions and Jeev Milkha Singh and Charlie Wi finished tied ninth at the US PGA Championship this year,” said Han.
The Asian Tour will achieve yet another milestone in its glowing history when it celebrates its 300th tournament at this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open.
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