Asians criticize Zhang's Masters invitation

Two of the leading golfers on the Asian Tour have criticised the decision by Augusta National to invite China's Zhang Lian-wei to next month's U.S. Masters.

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and India's Jyoti Randhawa labelled Augusta's move as political after the elite club extended a special invitation to Zhang for the event that starts on April 8.

Zhang will become the first Chinese-born golfer to tee up in the Masters, the season's first major.

"I was very surprised to learn Zhang had been invited to Augusta and though he is a very good player I believe there is a lot of politics involved in the decision," said Jaidee.

"I am very happy for Zhang but I would have thought that maybe myself or Jyoti might have received an invitation before Zhang."

Randhawa also said Augusta's move had political overtones, saying: "I believe it's all do with politics between north America and China and if you looked at the individual merits of both Zhang and Thongchai Jaidee, Thongchai should have got the invite.

"But then Thongchai is from Thailand and Zhang is from a super power country.

"Thongchai should have got into the Masters ahead of Zhang and it is very good for Asian golf he was invited but it is a big surprise here in Asia that Thongchai was overlooked in favour of Zhang."

Jaidee has won three events this year. He also clinched the Asian Order of Merit title in 2001, was runner-up in 2002 and third last season.

Randhawa clinched the Asian money list title in 2002 and aside from four wins in Asia he played full time for a first season last year on the Japan Tour, winning the prestigious Suntory Open.

Zhang won last year's Singapore Masters crown and later in the year captured the China Open, his fifth win in Asia, to eventually be runner-up on the 2003 Order of Merit.