Published on February 28, 2022

A tough couple of years it may have been, but there’s no masking the refreshing bullishness of Gaganjeet Bhullar ahead of his welcome return to the Asian Tour spotlight this week.

Free from injury and illness and embracing life as a new father, the strapping Indian is eager to rediscover the form that caught the attention of the golfing world more than a decade ago.

Ahead of the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club, Bhullar, who turns 34 in April, has repelled all negative thoughts and believes a resurgence is on the cards.

“I’m coming out with a new mindset. New season, new mindset. It’s like starting from scratch,” said Bhullar, determined to put a roller-coaster period in his career in the rear view mirror.

In 21 starts last year, he managed just two top-10 finishes and missed no fewer than 11 cuts. Further frustration came at the start of 2022 when he contracted Covid and was prevented from participating in the back-to-back Singapore events that belatedly brought the curtain down on the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.

Although he arrives in Hua Hin languishing in 546th place in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Bhullar insists he’s back on the right path after a sobering fall from grace.

Consider that nine years ago, in March of 2013, Bhullar soared to 85th in the OWGR. Such was his career trajectory then that he was widely tipped to make it into the elite top-50.

It didn’t happen then, but Bhullar, older and considerably wiser now, is optimistic of scaling those heights once more.

He said: “By 2013 I’d reached a good level and wanted to get to the highest Tours. That didn’t happen. But I am still confident of getting to where I want to. I am hopeful of soon getting back to where I was with my game. I feel my best is yet to come.

“I haven’t set any goals, as such. All I want to do is to play … and play well. The rest will take care of itself. I’ve spent 15 years in pro golf and I am now ready for the next 15. All I need to do is to play well.”

Bhullar knows a thing or two about playing well. In terms of number of victories, he ranks fifth in the all-time list of Asian Tour winners (from 1995 to present).

With nine wins to his name he’s behind only Asian Tour legends Thaworn Wiractchant (18), Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Scott Hend and Prayad Marksaeng (both 10).

If he needed an added incentive to make it into double figures, then the arrival of a daughter, Farida, five months ago has done just that.

“I am loving fatherhood. My daughter has started recognising faces and voices. I’ve been waking up to her smile every morning – that was the positive of having been at home for last two months,” said Bhullar, who fondly recalls having his wife by his side when he last tasted Asian Tour success, at the Fiji International in 2018.

“That was great to fly back with the trophy … and I had my wife to share the moment. Now I want to win for my daughter,” said Bhullar.

 

 

 

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Three-time Asian Tour winner Andrew Dodt says “you really have to have all parts of your game on song” when playing Black Mountain Golf Club, venue for this week’s US$1.5 million International Series Thailand – the first of the groundbreaking new International Series events.

The talented Australian is more than qualified to comment on the course because he won the True Thailand Classic there in 2015.

“You have got to be good in the wind,” said the 36 year old.

“I have not been back since 2016, but from memory you have to be good in the wind. The mountain makes the wind swirl. You have holes that play up, you have holes that play down, and there are cross winds swirling around the mountain, so that’s tricky. And the greens get really firm. You really have to have all parts of your game on song.”

Dodt won the event, which was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and DP World Tour, by beating compatriot Scott Hend and Thai star Thongchai Jaidee by a shot.

“I remember playing really well on the final day, I played with Richard Green and Prayad Marksaeng. I was just really solid, I shot 67. Had a bit of fortune with Thongchai three putting the last, for me to win by one,” added Dodt.

“I remember I felt really good and calm all day. I holed some nice putts and hit a lot of great shots, and managed to come away with the trophy.”

Dodt finished tied 23rd in the Royals Cup at the weekend.

He added: “I like my game at the moment, maybe a little rusty. It’s just great to be back playing again. I have only played six events in the last two years. I am getting some momentum now and finding some form.

“I am 36, I know my game reasonably well now, if something goes wrong, I know how to fix it pretty quick, wish I knew that when I was 25.”

Hend, who won the True Thailand tournament the following year, is also competing in this week’s event.

Published on February 27, 2022

Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang claimed a magnificent wire-to-wire victory in the Royal’s Cup today to secure his second victory on the Asian Tour in the space of four months and fourth in total.

Chan closed with a four-under-par 68 to finish with an impressive winning total of 23 under for a three-shot win over Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and American Sihwan Kim.

Sadom also returned a 68 while Sihwan fired a 70, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.

Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Bio Kim from Korea, finished three strokes further back, in a tie for fourth after rounds of 66 and 68 respectively.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond closed with a 65 in a group of players tied sixth to suggest the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion is starting to rediscover his best form.

It looked like being a much closer finish to the US$400,000 event when Chan Shih-chang started the day with a one-shot lead over Sihwan before the American drew level with him on 21 under after nine holes.

But Sihwan bogeyed four in row from 10 before Chan took control with three birdies on the trot from the 13th to take a commanding five shot lead.

Sihwan and Sadom both made birdie on the last two holes to draw closer, but it was not enough to stop the impressive Chan, who won the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in November.

“It has been a great week, claiming the hole in one prize and winning again in Thailand. Amazing,” said Chan, who made a hole in one on the par-three 16th on the second day.

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much coming into this week. I didn’t play well in Singapore and Saudi. I just focused on my routine, tempo and concentrated on every shot out there. I got off to a good start and that helped a lot. I just kept riding on that good form. That ace kept me going as well. I was able to play my best game out there this week. I think that’s the key. I got my swing back and that led me to win this week.”

Chan Shih-chang has now claimed three titles on the Asian Tour in Thailand as he also won the King’s Cup in 2016 – suggesting an affinity with the country and its Royal family.
“It was a pretty tough stretch [on 10, 11 and 12] there were I missed a three footer, four footer and five footer,” said Sihwan, who was also in the final pairing on Sunday at the Blue Canyon event and SMBC Singapore Open before finishing joint fourth and fourth respectively.

“I couldn’t get it going and you have to make those to get the momentum going. That shut my round down but I did well to get it back at the end. I am pretty satisfied overall. I will get some good rest and go at it again next week.”

Sadom won the SMBC Singapore Open last month and was one of the favourites this week but never really got close to the runaway winner.

Said Sadom: “Today it was a tough course for me, it was windy, and I felt a lot of pressure. I feel like when I play in my home country there is a lot of pressure. I tried to only think about my game, just play and be happy and do my best.

“I think everything was good today, it was just my putting that was so-so. The greens are difficult, and I couldn’t commit to my lines, but I think I did my best. I thought I would have a chance to catch up with Chan today, but he was playing too well.”

The Asian Tour heads to the International Series Thailand next week at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin. The inaugural US$1.5 million event is the first of 10 new International Series of events – a ground-breaking series of upper-tier elite tournaments.

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Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat, popularly known as “Coconut”, has kindly agreed to document his season for us through a regular diary that will give us some insight into the life of a Touring professional. In the first of his entries, he looks back on his near miss in Phuket, where he tied for second, his on-going battles with a shoulder injury and being inspired by playing with Paul Casey. 

January/February

First up, I’d like to thank the Asian Tour for giving me the opportunity to write a diary this year. It’s gonna be fun and I’m looking forward to it.

So, where do I start? Well, it’s really all about my shoulder injury.

After coming off a shoulder injury last year I was really happy to play well at the Laguna Phuket Championship before the year ended. I had a chance to win but I let it slip away. I can’t complain, it was the second event back after the long break and finishing second was a real boost.

At the two events in Singapore in January, I finished tied 23rd and tied 24^th, so it was a grind. I had been working on my swing, and new swing thoughts, particularly trying to deal with my body changing from the injury. I was trying to get back to where it was and trying to get back in physical shape.

There’s been a bit of change in the swing caused by tightness from the injury. I’ve been trying to stretch it out but after the injury a lot of stuff doesn’t move the same. So, it’s been a lot of body work and it’s been working ok.

The injury last year started with a stiff neck; nothing was torn but it turned into a shoulder injury, on the right side, so I took three months off.

When the Phuket events came around, I wasn’t 100%, but luckily it went ok.

Fortunately, going into Singapore my putting was much better. I had done a lot of work on my putting and my game was fine, but it wasn’t sharp enough to get a top-10 or win but it’s still progress.

I still do some rehab even though there’s no more injury. What I have now is just tightness and strength that hasn’t come back to normal. It’s been a lot of body work, working a lot on my stretching to prevent another injury.

During time off I normally do some cycling, but I haven’t been able to do that because of the shoulder. I do road cycling, although that doesn’t exactly help the shoulder. But I’m raring to get back on the road again. I’m craving for cycling.

After the two Singapore events I went to Phuket for a week. I spent a couple of days at Laguna Golf Phuket and then mostly just relaxed by the beach to chill out.

Starting the new season at the Saudi International I obviously wanted to play well. It’s such a big event. You want to try to make the weekend and then climb up the leaderboard on moving day, but with the wind it was a tough week. It was a very strong wind which we usually don’t have on the Asian Tour. I mean a 40 to 50 yard wind is just something different. I think I learned a lot from it, and I enjoyed the week there, it was really good.

It felt great playing in an event with all the top players. I played with Paul Casey on the Saturday and just to play with him and see his shots, it just tells me that I have to go back and work on a lot of stuff. Because seeing world class golf up close, it just tells you where you’re at. You learn a lot from them because you want to be up there with them. You want to try to be at the same level, but it tells you that you’re not there yet.

I was practicing behind Tyrrell Hatton one day and watched him hit it so solid. Playing with Paul gave me a lot of tips from seeing it up close. I think I learned a lot because I’m a guy that observes. I kind of watched him play as well, and I just enjoyed it. It was very exciting, it’s very nice to see those guys up close.

When I got back from Saudi I took five days off completely and then got back to my normal off-week routines with doing some practice, gym work and cycling. Unfortunately, after getting back into it, I started feeling a twinge in my left shoulder which is not the one that was injured last year.

I was trying to make a little bit of a swing change, and maybe that combined with the workouts and physio treatment brought the injury on. I started feeling it last Sunday, and the next day I woke up feeling really stiff. By Tuesday I knew I had to withdraw from this week’s Royal’s Cup in Kanchanaburi. That was really disappointing.

But as I write this, I’m feeling a bit better, so I’m hoping to be able to play in next week’s International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin. That promises to be a really exciting new event, which is great for the Tour.

I will let you all know how it goes in next month’s diary.

 

 

Published on February 26, 2022

Chan Shih-chang continued to shoot the lights out in the Royal’s Cup today after carding a five-under-par 67 to lead the Asian Tour event on 19 under.

American Sihwan Kim is a stroke behind after firing a 66 at Grand Prix Golf Club, while Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand is two shots further back following a 67.

Yesterday, Chan finished with a hole in one on 16 and an eagle on 18 to open up a two-shot advantage and he was equally as ruthless today on the front nine going out in four under to lead by four at the turn from Kim. However, the American rallied with a strong back nine to ensure Chan did not start to run away with the US$400,000 event.

“My front nine was really solid today,” said 35-year-old Chan Shih-chang.

“I knew I was leading by four after the turn. Heading into the back nine, I was just thinking to make more birdies so that I can widen the lead. If I can do that, it will be more comfortable for me tomorrow. But still leading by one now, not thinking much to be honest. I just want to continue playing like how I did so far and see how it goes tomorrow.”

The Chinese-Taipei golfer won the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at the end of last year for his third win on the Asian Tour. He is also a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour with the last of those coming in 2018 on home soil.

Chan Shih-chang has actually missed the cut in three out of the four events played since Blue Canyon so victory on Sunday will be an impressive turnaround in form.

Kim is in search of his first win as a professional and is going about it in the right way having not dropped a shot in the tournament yet.

“I am enjoying playing this course and I’m playing really well but there is still one more day to go,” said Kim, a former top amateur having won the 2004 US Junior before later attending the prestigious Stanford University, at the same time as American Michelle Wie.

“Made some nice putts on the back nine so just need to keep that going tomorrow.”

The American was in contention in both Phuket and the SMBC Singapore Open before recording top four finishes, and has not missed a cut on the Asian Tour since its restart after COVID-19 late last year.

Sadom will no doubt be a threat tomorrow having claimed Singapore’s National Open last month.

Said the 23 year old: “[On being 16 under] It is pretty good to play this course many under par. It was a pretty strong wind today and the greens are very difficult if you miss them, so I’m very happy with the result. I think today was windier than the first two rounds.

“In the first two rounds my driving was very good, I only missed one fairway for two days. Today it was not good, and I hit only eight fairways. But my putting was good today and it helped me a lot. I feel good, just focusing on my game and try to play my best.”

Korean Bio Kim returned a 68 and is in sole possession of fourth place six behind Chan, in what is the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.

Published on February 25, 2022

Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang sensationally took the halfway lead in the Royal’s Cup today after acing the par-three 16^th and eagling the closing hole, a par five, at Grand Prix Golf Club.

The three-time Asian Tour winner, who led after day one with an eight-under-par 64, fired a 66 to lead on 14 under by two from Thailand’s Jakraphan Premsirigorn and American Sihwan Kim, who shot 62 and 65 respectively.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, winner of the SMBC Singapore Open last month, is a stroke further back after shooting 67, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.

Chan started poorly and went out in one over, seemingly out of the running, before his phenomenal closing stretch of holes which also included birdies on 14 and 15.

The 35 year old holed out with a seven iron from 173 yards on the 16^th, for which he won a Toyota Camry 2.5 HEV Premium. It’s the second time he has made a hole in one in a professional tournament. He says on the first occasion in Chinese-Taipei many years ago he won a watch, and added it’s the seventh time he has made an ace.

“I really wasn’t expecting to ace the 16th,” said Chan.

“I did hit it to within one foot on the par-three 12th for birdie but my tee shots haven’t been that straight today. So, I really wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t see the ball go in. I heard a sound and I thought it just hit the flagstick but then I heard Berry’s [Henson] group and the caddies cheering on the 17th tee. This back nine 29 is my new personal best. Also, 14-under for two days is my lowest so far.”

He won the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in November, which was the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 20-month break caused by the pandemic, but he’s struggled to find his form until this week.

Chan Shih-chang eagled the 18^th after two brilliant shots to reach the green was followed by an eight foot putt.

He added: “The turning point came heading into the back nine. It was less windy in the afternoon too so that was an advantage. I was just aiming to shoot two under today because I didn’t start well and I wasn’t confident with my putting. Didn’t expect the ball to go in on 16, really.”

Jakraphan shot the lowest round of the week so far after making nine birdies and one eagle. Preferred lies were played so it could not stand as a course record.

“My putting was really great today,” said the Thai golfer, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2013 in Malaysia.

“When I hit the ball on the green, I made every birdie putt and when I missed the green, I can still make par. I had a backache coming into this week so today is very satisfying.”

Kim has come close to winning over the past few months, including finishing fourth in the Blue Canyon event and tied fourth in Singapore’s National Open.

But he says he’s not putting pressure on himself to claim what will be his first win as a professional.

“I try not to think about. I try and go day by day, shot by shot. Playing pretty well right now so hopefully that will continue on and hope for the best,” said the American.

‘In golf you have just got to be patient. You could be three or four behind, but catch a hot back nine on the last day, so you can’t get frustrated.”

Sadom says he has put his win in Singapore well and truly behind him as he focuses on winning more titles.

“I have changed already, now is a new season, I think only about the present now,” said the 23 year old, who is familiar with the Grand Prix course as he practised here with the Thailand national squad several years ago.

“You really have to play well off the tee to score well here and I did that today. It feels good.”

He moved into contention again thanks to six birdies and just one bogey.

“I have missed only one fairway over the first two days. I had a lot of chances to make birdie even though this course is difficult,” he added.

Published on February 24, 2022

Chan Shih-chang took the lead on day one of the Royal’s Cup today, recapturing some of the form that saw the Chinese-Taipei golfer win the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at the end of last year.

Chan fired an eight-under-par 64 at Grand Prix Golf Club, in Kanchanaburi province, to lead from Justin Quiban from the Philippines, who shot 65.

Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren plus Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Thitipan Pachuayprakong, returned 66s, in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.

“I found back the same feeling I had when I played well in Phuket last year, which was nice,” said Chan.

“I hope it stays that way in the next few rounds. I haven’t been home since going to Singapore [in mid-January]. Went to Dubai to practice for a week after the events in Singapore, and then headed to the Saudi International, went back to Dubai again after Saudi before coming here. It’s been a long stretch on the road but looking to finish it off with a good result these two weeks in Thailand.”

The 35 year old is a three-time champion on the Asian Tour and a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour.

Chan’s first win on the Asian Tour came here in Thailand at the King’s Cup in July of 2016 before he claimed the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf in Japan, two months later.

His victory in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship last November is arguable the most significant for the Chinese-Taipei golfer as the event was the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 20-month hiatus caused by COVID-19.

Chan began his round today on the 10^th and went out in five under and reached eight under for 13 holes before making his only bogey of the day on hole five. However, a birdie on his final hole saw the Chinese-Taipei golfer restore his impressive total.

Quiban turns 26 on Saturday and celebrated early with a fine round today.

“I just followed my game plan from the beginning. Tried to hit as many greens as I can. I was actually rolling my putts real good, reading the greens real good. Even the speed,” said the Filipino.

He nailed eight birdies and dropped one shot.

He added: “Ever since I played in the States last year for eight months just doing mini tours my game has been great, even when I played in the Asian Tour Phuket Series last year, played well, made both cuts.”

Hellgren, who attended Florida State University and roomed with American Brooks Koepka for two years, went round bogey free with four birdies on his front nine and two on his back, on the last two holes.

The Swede is playing his first season on the Asian Tour having played predominantly on the Challenge Tour in Europe.

He’s not missed the cut in all five events since the Asian Tour restarted at the end of last year.

“I played some interesting golf today. Made a couple of good saves. It was fun out there, I liked it,” said the 31 year old.

Having played in the wind for the past few weeks the Swede said he had started hitting a low fade as opposed to his normal draw, which he finally went back to today

He said: “I think my form has not been very good over the past few weeks, but I have managed to play the weekends. The last two weeks after Saudi we sat down and said we need to change things up, we need to start hitting the ball straight again, maybe even a draw. I have been playing a full fade for the past six weeks.”

The “we” he refers to includes his coach Robert Ericsson, who is currently at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, venue for next week’s International Series Thailand.

Hellgren has been attached to the club since winning an event there in 2014.

“I love it there, play there every winter. Normally two or three months every year but now I am going to have Black Mountain as my base as I want to focus on the Asian Tour,” he added.

Asked if he keeps in touch with four-time Major winner Koepka he said: “Still keep in touch, he sent me some messages when I was in Saudi.”

Newly crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim from Korea and American John Catlin, a four-time Asian Tour winner, were in a large group of players who returned 67s.

Catlin, back in Asia after three events on the DP World Tour, produced a typically accomplished round.

“I have tightened a few things up and it went well today. Off to a good start, three more days to go,” said the American, a three-time winner in Europe since 2020.

“I like playing in Asia, I like my chances of playing better and winning here. It’s a lot of travelling but it’s kind of a necessary evil.  It’s part of the job I signed up for, you just go wherever the events are.”

Catlin’s most recent win on the Asian Tour was the 2019 Thailand Open.

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In an outstanding development for the Asian Tour, the United States Golf Association (USGA) have announced that the 2020-21 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner has earned a place in the elite field for this year’s US Open.

This means newly-crowned Merit list champion Joohyung Kim will have the pleasure of recalibrating his schedule to include a trip to what will be the 122nd United States Open Championship – to be played at The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts, June 16-19.

“This is amazing news,” said the 19-year-old Korean.

“I have had a great start to the year, but things just got better!”

Kim, who is competing in this week’s Royal’s Cup in Thailand, wrapped up the Merit title last month after finishing joint second at the SMBC Singapore Open, the final event of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.

After earning US$108,125 at Sentosa Golf Club he topped the list with earnings of US$507,553 having played in all eight events on the schedule.

Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “This is tremendous news. The Asian Tour truly appreciates this recognition from the USGA. Joohyung Kim is clearly the number one player on the Asian Tour right now and without doubt deserves this honour.”

Kim became the second youngest winner of the Merit title after compatriot Seungyul Noh – who was also 19 when he won in 2010 but is a month younger.

His path to the top was helped by winning The Singapore International the week before Singapore’s national Open.

Published on February 23, 2022

Shiv Kapur says his preparations for this week’s Royal’s Cup in Thailand, the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, have been impressive if a little different: he’s been skiing in Bulgaria!

“I am quite relaxed actually,” said Shiv Kapur ahead of this week’s US$400,000 event, which tees-off tomorrow at Grand Prix Golf Club, in Kanchanaburi province.

“I have had unusual preparation; I went skiing last week, and it could not have been different weather. I had a pretty hectic start to the year so I thought it would be nice to kick back and relax and come in with a different mindset.”

Shiv Kapur has a second home in Bulgaria, part owns a bar there at Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort and has been doing a Pro Am in the country for the past five years.

“Bulgaria is like a second home for me,” he adds.

The Indian star has been in excellent form since the Asian Tour restarted at the end of last year and he has not missed the cut in five starts.

However, he is still looking for his first Asian Tour victory since winning an earlier version of this week’s tournament at the very end of 2017. It was called the Royal Cup and as it featured only 30 Asian Tour players it did not count towards the Order of Merit.

Like this week, the trophy back then was bestowed by the King and Kapur is fully aware of its significance.

“Any time when you win the Kings’ trophy in Thailand, it’s very special. I remember having my whole family there, my daughter was quite young, and my parents were also there that week,” said the 40 year old.

“I remember having a battle with Prom [Meesawat] down the stretch. I was lucky to come out on top that time. We have had some great battles in the past from my junior days to my amateur days and to come out on top was pretty special, and it was a great way to end that 2017 season for me.”

That proved to be the finest season of his career so far as he also won the Yeangder Heritage in Chinese-Taipei and the Panasonic Open India.

He now has four Asian Tour titles to his name and is determined to add to that total this year.

Said Kapur: “I put in a lot of effort during the time off. I have been in the gym, even though it may not show, trying to get fitter and stay injury free. I have done some pretty good work on my game. Haven’t had the wins, put myself in position, but not been able to close at the weekend, that would be something I would like to change. I am treating this week like it’s a new season, that’s why the break last week. It’s important to feel mentally fresh as well.”

He also has his coach Shane Gillespie caddying for him this week, as he will for next week’s International Series Thailand, and The DGC Open in New Delhi later in March

“I am feeling mentally refreshed, recharged batteries and ready to go again,” said Kapur.

“I am feeling good about my game. I think there is a lot of good work we have put in already in the last 24 hours. And I am quite excited for the week.”

Published on February 22, 2022

The driving range at the Hong Kong Golf Club was bristling with activity. The sense of anticipation was palpable. It was the eve of the 1986 Hong Kong Open, the showpiece event on the Asian Circuit. High-profile participants were beating balls, ironing out last-minute flaws in their swings.

Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam and Paul Way, heroes of Europe’s momentous Ryder Cup victory five months earlier, were all busily at work. But it was a fresh-faced, diminutive golfer from Myanmar who was the centre of attention … and the individual I’d been tasked with tracking down for an exclusive interview for the South China Morning Post (SCMP), writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor.

Swinging effortlessly, Kyi Hla Han drew gasps of admiration from the watching galleries, spellbound at the control and pureness of the striking as golf balls soared high into the Fanling sky.

Every few minutes he halted his practice regimen to receive a long line of well-wishers, patiently queuing up to offer a welcoming word, a hand shake or a friendly back slap. The affection was heart-warming and genuine.

The South China Morning Post report, by Spencer Robinson, in 1986

Just 24 hours earlier, Kyi Hla was among thousands of disgruntled travellers stranded at Manila airport, caught up in what became known as the People Power Revolution, a non-violent campaign that brought more than one million civilians onto the streets of the Philippines’ capital and would lead to the end of Ferdinand Marcos’ 20-year reign and the restoration of democracy in the country.

Having finished 16th in the previous week’s Philippine Open, Kyi Hla couldn’t wait to get to Hong Kong and continue the positive momentum he was building up. However, with the uprising that was spreading across the streets of Manila, roads were blocked. On the Monday of Hong Kong Open week, the day he was due to fly, all flights out of the Philippines were cancelled.

Despite the chaos around him, Kyi Hla kept a cool head and managed to cajole a taxi driver to deliver him to the airport on Tuesday. His hopes were further raised when Philippine Airlines announced that four flights would be allowed to leave the country. The next challenge was to get onto one of them.

Using his charm and persuasive powers, he managed to gain an audience with the new president of the national carrier, who had taken over when his predecessor fled the country in the wake of the political crisis.

Standing on the range at Fanling that late February morning in 1986, Kyi Hla, a glint in his eye, recounted: “I told him I was a professional golfer who was supposed to be playing in Hong Kong and pleaded with him to get me out of the Philippines in time. Fortunately, he was also a golfer. He called over one of his staff and told her to arrange for me to get on the flight!”

Han’s Manila Escape Act was the back-page headline in the next day’s SCMP, accompanied by an endearing black-and-white image of the then 25-year-old, wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and sweater along with a warm, enigmatic grin that the golfing world would get to know so well over the following 35 years.

In action at Fanling in 1989 (Photo by Chu Ming-hoi/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)

Over that period of time, Kyi Hla’s star shone brightly as he lit up fairways around the globe with his sublime shot-making. From Bali to Bangkok, Manila to Melbourne, Shanghai to Singapore and Taipei to Tokyo, he rarely failed to thrill the galleries that came out to cheer him.

Most notable on his playing CV were victories in the 1994 Singapore Open and 1999 Volvo China Open, the year he topped the standings in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, earning him a maiden Major appearance at St Andrews in the 2000 Open Championship. Along the way he rubbed shoulders with all-time greats such as Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player, Greg Norman and Vijay Singh. Never did Kyi Hla look out of place alongside any of them.

As he would discover later in his role as Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, the competition and power battles in boardrooms around the world were no less daunting or intense. Fighting for the rights and recognition of Asian players, on occasions he found himself pitting his wits against heavyweight Tour commissioners Tim Finchem and Ken Schofield.

Through it all, Kyi Hla Han essentially remained the same easy-going, kind, caring and humble character. Neither did he ever lose sight of his good fortune in being able to carve a glittering career from a sport at which he excelled and loved; nor did his passion or spirit of generosity in sharing time and laughter with family and friends ever wane.

To be included on the invitation list for the gatherings he and his wife, Marlene, regularly hosted at their beautiful Singapore home was an honour and a privilege. Good friends, good food and good wine were always in plentiful supply. My son, then in his late teens, still fondly remembers his introduction to Myanmar beer, personally given to him by Kyi Hla at one New Year celebration.

The outpouring of love and affection that greeted the sudden and cruelly premature passing of Kyi Hla last weekend is testament not only to his standing as one of the Asian game’s iconic figures spanning the best part of four decades, but also the esteem in which he was held, evidenced by social media postings from many who may never have met him but were well aware of his achievements.

Kyi Hla Han was a bona fide giant of golf in the region, as articulated so movingly by Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and CEO, and television commentator and Asian Tour board member Dominique Boulet, a golfing contemporary and one of Kyi Hla’s closest buddies.

The 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic.

Given the reverence in which Kyi Hla is held by so many of the current generation, it’s fitting that the Asian Tour should ensure his legacy will thrive with the creation of a Kyi Hla Han Future Champion Award in his honour to aid the development of juniors and the sport of golf in Asia.

A devoted husband to Marlene and father to Natasha and Kaitlyn, Kyi Hla Han’s passing leaves a huge gap in the lives of all those blessed to have known him and spent precious time in his company. He will never be forgotten.