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Noh going for maiden victory in Brunei

Korean young gun Noh Seung-yul will be on a mission to secure a maiden Asian Tour triumph at the Brunei Open next month.

Noh has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his rookie season and will be keen to take on the challenging Empire Hotel and Country Club in his bid for glory at the popular US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

The 17-year-old has a tough task at hand as he must contend with defending champion Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei, former Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant and former Brunei Open winners Terry Pilkadaris and Wang Ter-chang.

Noh, who learned the game on the beaches of Seoul, has stolen the limelight in the first half of the Asian Tour season with four top-10 finishes, including three runner-up outings.

Having come close to a first win, Noh realises that he is a short putt away from breaking his duck and he hopes to take advantage of the immaculate playing conditions that are associated with the par-71 Jack Nicklaus-designed Empire course.

For a teenager, Noh has great mental strength and he has shown his will to compete during the heat of battle.

“My coach told me to block everything out and said that when I’m playing, it is just me and the golf ball, and nothing else. This has been my approach and it happens subconsciously when I am playing,” said Noh, who attributes his strong mental game to his coach Choi Myung-ho.

He has enjoyed life on the Asian Tour and knows that he has become a better player due to the stiff competition.

“The Asian Tour has many strong players so that is why I have even surprised myself with my performances in the first half of the year. It has given me the drive and motivation to pursue greater and better things in the remaining months,” he said.

At the inaugural SAIL Open in India, Noh finished second behind Mark Brown of New Zealand, who is the current Asian Tour’s Order of Merit leader. He repeated his feat at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok and Maekyung Open on home soil where he lost in a play-off after entering the final round as the leader.

At the co-sanctioned Volvo China Open, Noh produced a top-10 finish which has further boosted his confidence.

He hopes to one day emulate his idol K.J. Choi, a multiple winner on the Asian Tour and US PGA Tour.

“I have started off my pro career well and I am hoping for a win. This is a stepping stone for me as I hope to follow in the footsteps of K.J,” said Noh.

Brunei Shell Petroleum is the main sponsor of the Brunei Open for the second time where it was the title sponsor during the inaugural event in 2005. Brunei Tourism, under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, The Empire Hotel and Country Club, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and Brunei Darussalam Golf Association are part of the support team once again alongside Cross Creek and Asian Tour partner Srixon.

Profitable Group, an international company which encompasses a range of activities from the highly commercial to the philanthropic, will for the first time to be the presenting sponsor for the Brunei Open 2008.

July 24, 2008