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Practice makes perfect for Zhang and Liang

Posing for a group photograph of last year's China Tour winners ahead of Thursday's first round of the 2006 China Tour season was one of the few times that the godfather of Chinese golf Zhang Lianwei could not be seen working on his game.

As darkness fell on the Kangle Garden Spa course on Tuesday night Zhang was one of the only players left out on the course, dug into a bunker working with Liang Wenchong on perfecting the technique to get height on balls plugged deep in the sand.

"Neither of us have played here before, so we tried to practice everywhere on the course, even the bunkers," said the 40-year-old Zhang, who has joined a field of 80 other players for the US$100,000 Hainan Leg.

"We support each other, not only on the golf course, but also with our tournament experience," he continued. "Through practising together we can learn from each other, to gain even more knowledge of the game and off the course as well."

For Liang, who has been splitting his time between the Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Tour for the past couple of seasons, the novelty of working with China's first winner on the European PGA Tour seems as if it could never wear off.

"I enjoy practicing with Zhang," he explained. "The other players should try to take more chances to practice with Zhang, because we can all learn more from him, especially the experience of how to play international events. Zhang has been out there for so many years. I really appreciate when I have the opportunity to practice with him. We do share a lot of things that I couldn't learn by myself."

Having struggled on his own for so long, treading a path that no Chinese professional had trod before him, Zhang, who two years ago became the first Chinese player ever to tee up in the US Masters, seems more and more intent on securing his legacy before time eventually takes it's toll. In 28-year-old fellow Guangdong native Liang he has his logical successor, but it is his desire to see a wave of Chinese professionals succeeding that has lured Zhang away from his schedule on the European PGA and Asian circuits, to back the China Tour.

"We should both support our own circuit, especially as it was actually made for us. Since we are professionals, I think we should support each other," he declared.

Liang, who won his only start on the China Tour in 2005, was equally vocal in his support saying he hopes he will be able to appear again as the tour expands to six events this year.

"My 2006 schedule is 30 Japan Golf Tour events plus 10 Asian Tour events and I would love to join the China Tour if I can make the time in that schedule," he said.

"The China Tour is a stage for our own local players to learn how to produce their best in tournaments in order to do well in international events. This is a stage of laying your foundation of tournament experience. If they spend enough time here then they will have a chance to be competitive against world class players."

The first player to obviously benefit from the China Tour experience, two-time winner and 2005's overall champion Li Chao, emerged from the winter break last month to finish as the top Chinese player at the co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour TCL Classic in Sanya, which is also on Hainan Island.

"I'm happy about finishing 13 under par in the TCL Classic. That brings me a lot of faith for the opening of this year's China Tour," 25-year-old Li said.

Meanwhile, 2005's other China Tour winner, Qiu Zhifeng, welcomed the increase from three rounds, which is the norm in professional events in China, to the 2006 campaign's four-round tournaments.

"This is a chance for us to get used to the professional and international tournament system. Four rounds of golf is a totally different game. From head to toe it takes more energy. How to shape your game plan, how to keep your momentum into Sunday, it's different," he said, no doubt bearing in mind that temperatures in Hainan have been close to 30 degrees Celsius in the build up to the tournament.

April 5, 2006