Spotlight - Review of 2009
ONEASIA’S FAMOUS FIVE
The launch of OneAsia in 2009 heralded a new era for the sport in Asia and Australia.
Although the inaugural season consisted of just five tournaments, OneAsia created a buzz throughout the world of golf.
With fields comprised of established stars and up-and-comers alike and tournaments played out in front of huge crowds in China, Korea and Australia, the goal to unite the Asia-Pacific region moved towards realization.
Greg Norman, whose views are highly respected because of his vision and knowledge of the game, was among those to welcome the formation of OneAsia.
“That is a logical step. Asia has really got to be the place to be. From what I see in the United States, the women are being dominated by Asians. So the media interest with that flows back. Y. E. Yang winning the PGA championship automatically flows back,” the former world number one said during the Australian Open, the fourth leg of the OneAsia Tour.
“They (OneAsia) can really expand out to something like 12 to 20 tournaments and it is never going to conflict with the United States. So I think it is a tremendous opportunity.”
The Volvo China Open at Beijing CBD International Golf Club will be remembered as the tournament where the opportunity knocked first.
The US$2.2 million event, co-sanctioned by the European Tour, featured an international field including top Asians Thongchai Jaidee and Chapchai Nirat of Thailand and local hero Liang Wen-Chong.
Australia’s Scott Strange, who plied his trade in Asia before moving onto the European Tour, closed with a 68 for a total of eight-under-par 280 and a one-stroke victory over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain.
Next up was the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open which boasted the best line-up in Asia that week led by a trio of young guns - Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, tipped by many as a future number one, precociously talented teenager Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and Kiwi-Korean Danny Lee.
There were massive galleries at Woo Jeong Hills Golf Club and they witnessed two local players upstage McIlroy, Ishikawa and Lee to take first and second place.
Twenty-three-year-old Bae Sang-moon, a three-time winner on the Asian circuit, held off a late challenge from Kim Dae-sub to successfully defend the title he won in 2008.
All eyes were on draw card Liang for the third leg of the OneAsia Tour, the US$500,000 Midea China Classic at Royal Orchid International Golf Club, Shunde, Guangzhou.
And the Chinese number one did not disappoint with a four-shot victory over his mentor Zhang Lian-Wei, much to the delight of the local fans. The Antipodean flavour of OneAsia was evident with Australians Peter Wilson and Matthew Millar tied for third with Michael Long of New Zealand.
OneAsia then went Down Under for the climactic conclusion to a much-talked about first season.
And two superstars of the sport claimed the titles, Australia’s Adam Scott winning the Australian Open and Robert Allenby lifting the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
Scott, who had won 14 times worldwide but never on home soil, thrilled the crowds at the spectacular New South Wales Golf Club as he overcame final day jitters to beat countryman Stuart Appleby by five strokes.
Allenby, fresh from a victory at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, put together back-to-back 66s at the weekend for a four-shot victory over compatriots John Senden and Strange.
The huge talent pool that exists in Korea was underlined with Han Min-Kyu taking the first round lead with a blistering 62 at Hyatt Regency Coolum. He slipped away on Saturday and Sunday but his first day effort was proof that lesser-known Asian players can produce the goods given the opportunity.
Strange’s joint runner-up finish saw him clinch the inaugural OneAsia Order of Merit title with total prize money of US$505,783.
While Strange scooped the overall honours, the fantastic four of Bae, Liang, Scott and Allenby blazed the trail for OneAsia during a riveting debut season which showed that local stars winning in front of local crowds is the future of golf in the region.
