Mercuries Taiwan Masters

Defending champion Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei will be looking to reignite his winning form when he tees off in the US$500,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Thursday.

Following his breakthrough victory at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club's Tamsui course last year, Lu, rated as one of Asia's rising stars, has built on that success with a good spell on the Asian Tour this season. However, nothing would please him more than a successful title defence.

Among his chief rivals include the in-form Rahil Gangjee of India, who finished joint third at the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open on Sunday, compatriot Shiv Kapur, Australian Brad Kennedy and Thailand's Prom Meesawat, third on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit and the highest ranked player in this week's field.

Gangjee has hit a rich vein of form with two top-three outings from his last four starts and the slightly-built Indian is hoping to add a second title to his name following his maiden triumph in the 2004 Volkswagen Masters-China.

Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang will also be looking for revenge as he was pipped at the post last year by Lu. Several of Chinese Taipei's Japan-based players including Lin Keng-chi, Asia's number one in 1995, and Yeh Wei-tze will be back to help celebrate the Mercuries Taiwan Masters' 20th anniversary, where the title sponsor have marked the occasion with a US$100,000 increase to the total prize fund.

All eyes will be on the defending champion. “Since winning last year, I'm now more confident with my game. I feel everything has improved and I think I can win again. It's my home course and I am familiar with it, I know where to hit the ball. At Tamsui, you have to hit the ball very straight for sure,” said Lu.

The 27-year-old is hoping that good memories from last year's breakthrough will come flooding back on the golf course he started playing on as a teenager. “My win last year was one of the happiest moments in my career as it was on my home course,” he said.

“When I was 14, my brother and I started practising on the Tamsui course. During the event last year, I stuck to my game plan and although I was under pressure, I kept my focus. My coach Chen Yuan-chi had taught me how to handle each hole as they come.

“I wasn't ashamed of crying when the last putt went in as this was my biggest victory yet.”

With top-10 finishes at the Macau Open and Enjoy Jakarta HSBC Indonesia Open this year, Lu enters the week in pretty solid form as he enjoyed a tied 13th finish in the Korean Open.

Prom, who secured his maiden Asian Tour victory at the SK Telecom Open in Korea in May, and 17-year-old compatriot Chinarat Phadungsil, winner of the Crowne Plaza Open in China last month, will be amongst those pressing for the title, which has been won previously by Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit and last year's Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant.

Teenage prodigy Chinarat is enjoying a run of good form, finishing in the top half of the pack at the inaugural Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters and in Korea following his second Asian Tour triumph in China. Likewise, the burly Prom is playing well, posting a top-10 at the star-studded Barclays Singapore Open earlier this month and was tied 34th last week.

Past Mercuries Taiwan Masters champions in the fray include Wang Ter-chang, Lin Keng-chi and Lu Wen-teh, all from Chinese Taipei, and American Gerry Norquist. The 44-year-old Wang, 12th on the UBS Order of Merit and recently elected as a Board Member on the Asian Tour, will be looking to add a second title in as many months following his triumph in the Brunei Open.

Asia's victorious Visa Dynasty Cup captain Hsieh Min-nan, winner here in 1992, is also in the field.

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters is the 22nd leg of the Asian Tour Schedule.

September 27, 2006

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