The year Asian golf came of age

Yang Yong-eun celebrates after winning the HSBC Champions Golf tournament at the Sheshan golf club in Shanghai on Nov. 12. PHOTO: AFP

Asian came of age this year with success for Asian Tour players around the world and increasing numbers of top name stars attracted by what the region has to offer.

Asia no fewer than nine European-sanctioned events, with the Tour enjoying another season of stellar growth.

Tiger Woods again headlined the US$5 million HSBC Champions tournament, Asia's richest event held in China where the golf boom continues apace.

Top players such as Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Adam Scott, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey and Jim Furyk all came to Asia as the trickle of big names turned into a flood.

Scott back-to-back titles at the lucrative Singapore Open, outlasting Els in a play-off, while Goosen lifted the Volkswagen Masters trophy.

But the shock of the year was South Korea's Yang Yong-eun securing his biggest career victory by holding off Woods and a host of big names to clinch the showpiece HSBC Champions.

Other Asians also got in on the act, with Mardan Mamat of Singapore winning the Singapore Masters and Charlie Wi of South Korea taking the Malaysian Open -- both European-sanctioned events.

And Asian stalwart Thongchai Jaidee secured a first top-10 in a World Golf Championship event at the American Express Championship in Ireland.

The name to emerge this year though was Jeev Milkha Singh, who masterfully compiled four victories across three Tours while securing the Asian Tour's Order of Merit title.

Mired the middle of a seven-year winless streak early in the year, the Indian seemed destined for another year of frustration as injury again overtook ability.

However, despite being in 319th position on the world ranking and coming off three missed cuts in four weeks heading into April, victory at the Volvo China Open set a magical season in motion.

More a dozen top-10 finishes in Asia, Japan and Europe followed through the summer and beyond, before a victory at the European Tour's season-ending Volvo Masters truly grabbed the world's attention.

He broke into the world's top 50, ending the year at 47.

It was also a year that saw APGA chief executive Louis Martin, who helped to shape the current Tour, depart to pursue golf course design opportunities with Els.

Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, assumed his responsibilities and was buoyed by another successful golfing year.

"We are delighted with how our players have performed this season, both at home and abroad," he said.

"It is also fantastic that our younger players have been winning in Asia," he added, pointing to Thai youngsters Chinarat Phadungsil and Prom Meesawat, India's S.S.P. Chowrasia and Korea's Park Jun-won.

"They are exciting prospects and have great futures ahead," he said.

As the Tour has grown sponsors have been jumping on board and the year was also productive on the money front.