Hong Kong Golf This Week

The stars of the Asian Tour will tee off at this week’s UBS Hong Kong Golf Open with every intention of ending their season on a high note.

As the third last ranking event that counts towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the US$2.5 million showpiece at the Hong Kong Golf Club will be crucial to many players who are looking to elevate their position on the ranking.

With the Order of Merit crown now reduced to a two-man race between Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and China’s Liang Wen-chong, attention will be turned towards the other contenders in the star-studded field that includes Asian Tour winners such as Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, Australia’s Scott Hend and India’s Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh.

Hong Kong Golf Victory will be worth US$416,660 for the winner and will have a huge bearing on the Order of Merit battle as the 2009 Asian Tour season heads towards an exciting finish. Two more events, the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open and King’s Cup in Thailand, will be played following the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open.

A three-time Asian Tour winner, Chapchai produced good early season form and wrote his name into the record books with a 32-under-par winning total in the SAIL Open in India earlier this season.

The burly Thai, nicknamed “King Kong” by his fellow pros, however struggled with his game in recent months but has since regained his form with a second place finish at the Iskandar Johor Open last month.

With the Asian Tour season drawing to a close, the 26-year-old will be eager to ride on his return to form and enjoy his early success again. (AsianTour.com)

Hong Kong Golf Sensation

http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/2702402/Tiger-Woods-could-be-set-to-battle-it-out-with-a-15-year-old.html

TIGER WOODS could be set to battle it out with a 15-year-old kid at next year's Masters and the 150th Open at the home of golf.

Teenage Hong Kong golf sensation Jason Hak is among the favourites to land this week's inaugural Asian Amateur stroke-play championship at China's Mission Hills.

With the title will come invites to Augusta and final qualifying for The Open at St Andrews.

Hak was just 14 when he shot two rounds of 70 at last year's Hong Kong Open to become the youngest player ever to make the cut in a European Tour event.

And golf guru David Leadbetter believes young Asians like Hak are set to dominate the sport.


Golf in Asia is on a high following South Korean Y,E. Yang's US PGA win in a head-to-head with Woods two months ago.

He is the first Asian to win a major while Chinese 17-year-old An Byeong-hun won the US Amateur crown.

Yang's countrymen, Chang-Won Han and Meen-Whee Kim are also expected to push Hak hard along with Steven Lam from Hong Kong.

The 16-year-old led qualifying for next month's Hong Kong Open by 12 shots.

Leadbetter, who coached major winners Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Nick Price, said: "I think we are going to see the next great wave of male golfers emerging from Asia.

"I have been amazed by the technically sound swings of their young players.

"They also show a great work ethic and discipline and display a calm temperament and they always give the impression that nothing is impossible."

From GolfinHongKong.com

Veteran Fung Relishes ‘DREAM’ Achievement

From UBS Website

Golden oldie William Fung will make his UBS Hong Kong Open debut at the age of 52 after winning the domestic qualifying tournament today (16 October).

The veteran teaching pro finished two shots clear of the field at the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course to book his place in next month’s US$2.5 million showpiece.

“It’s a dream come true,” said an emotional Fung. “I can’t believe it. I thought this was my last chance to qualify and now I’ve done it. I’m very happy.”

Fung can look forward to teeing it up with some of the world’s best players at the UBS Hong Kong Open, including Asia’s first Major winner Yang Yong Eun, defending champion Lin Wen Tang and current European Tour Race To Dubai leader Rory McIlroy.

With four places in the main draw up for grabs in the two-day qualifying tournament, Fung carded a one-over-par 73 to finish on one-over 145, two strokes clear of fellow pro Lokky Lee (74).


A three-way playoff decided the remaining two places, with Chris Tang (76) and Derek Fung (73) beating Roderick Staunton (71) at the first extra hole after the trio had finished on 148.

The 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open will be staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling from 12-15 November.

The tournament – Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 – will once again be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

The qualifying tournament was held in conjunction with the Hong Kong leg of the UBS-supported Faldo Series Asia.

Talented 16-year-old Steven Lam blitzed the field with an 11-under total of 133 and was followed home by Liu Lok Tin as both players booked their places in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club, hosted by six-time Major winner Nick Faldo, next March.

Lam has already qualified for the UBS Hong Kong Open as winner of the Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship last January.

An exemption will also be granted to the winner of the Hong Kong Open Amateur Championship at Discovery Bay Golf Club on 3-6 November.

The UBS Hong Kong Open International Qualifier will be held at the Palm Resort Golf and Country Club in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on 20 October.