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Liang puts himself back in Order of Merit race
 Chinese star Liang Wen-chong insists his game is still work-in-progress after enjoying a second victory on the Asian Tour on Sunday.
The tenacious Liang, the reigning Asian Tour number one, posted a thrilling one-stroke victory at the Hero Honda Indian Open at Delhi Golf Club to move up to fifth place on the Order of Merit.
A run of big-money events towards the end of the season could easily see Liang overcome the US$324,000 difference between him and current leader Mark Brown of New Zealand but the 30-year-old Zhongshan golfer is thinking of only one thing at the moment, which is to keep improving on his game.
“This is an important win for me,” said Liang, who earned US$158,500 to raise his season’s tally to US$416,090.
“It proves that my game is heading in the right direction. I started making changes since my win last year and this shows I’m doing the right thing.”
Last year, he became China’s first Asian number one following one victory at the Singapore Masters and eight other top-10s.
Liang is now hitting form at a crucial time of the season where he finished tied third at the Panasonic Open in Japan last month before enjoying his Indian success which was due largely to a record-shattering 12-under-par 60 in the opening round.
He has another chance to chip into Brown’s lead at this week’s US$500,000 Midea China Classic on home soil but is also very well aware that that more than US$12 million is still on offer until the end of the season.
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, who finished fourth at the Hero Honda Indian Open, consolidated his second place on the Order of Merit, adding US$49,300 to his season’s collection which now stands at US$589,994.
Brown, winner of two titles this season, leads the race to become Asia’s number one where his collection of US$740,767 is just over US$150,000 ahead of Singh, the Order of Merit winner in 2006. The Kiwi is skipping this week’s event.
Australian rookie Darren Beck, who had made only US$8,000 from eight previous starts this season, was the biggest mover at the weekend.
He finished second behind Liang and his runner-up cheque of US$108,500 took him to 30th place on the rankings which virtually secured his card on the Asian Tour next season.
“This has practically secured my card which was my goal this year so I’m really happy. I’m delighted with my performance in Delhi. I’m surprised to have done well but it’s because I’ve been focusing on my mental game over the past few weeks. I felt confident and wasn’t nervous which had been my main problem previously,” said Beck.
Thai star Thaworn Wiratchant will defend his title at the Midea China Classic which starts at Royal Orchid International Country Club in Guangzhou on Thursday.
Nine events remain on the Asian Tour where the top-65 players will secure their playing rights for 2009 and also qualify for the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in Bangkok in December.
ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT – TOP-20 (click here for full Order of Merit):
1. Mark BROWN (NZL) 740,767
2. Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 589,994
3. S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 439,930
4. Arjun ATWAL (IND) 430,201
5. LIANG Wen-chong (CHN) 416,090
6. BAE Sang-moon (KOR) 405,182
7. LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 306,329
8. Scott STRANGE (AUS) 283,340
9. Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 260,043
10. Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 241,117
11. Kane WEBBER (AUS) 233,833
12. Scott HEND (AUS) 221,730
13. Taichiro KIYOTA (JPN) 220,831
14. NOH Seung-yul (KOR) 217,778
15. Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG) 214,239
16. Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) 207,937
17. LU Wen-teh (TPE) 207,109
18. Adam BLYTH (AUS) 183,644
19. Digvijay SINGH (IND) 152,781
20. Scott BARR (AUS) 142,277
October 13, 2008
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