Asian Development Tour welcomes two Vietnamese events
The Asian Development Tour (ADT) will welcome two events from the VGA (Vietnam Golf Association) Tour onto its schedule this year – the Lexus Challenge and the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters – signifying the expanding relationship with the Asian Tour and the Southeast Asian nation.
The Lexus Challenge, which is now in its fourth year, will be held at The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram from March 13-15 while the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters will be staged from May 29–June 1. A venue for the latter event will be announced in due course.
Both events will be jointly sanctioned by the ADT and the Vietnam Golf Association and be part of what is expected to be one of the strongest schedules in the history of the ADT.
Two tournaments in Thailand, the ADT–All Thailand Partnership Trophy and the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, were recently confirmed – with more schedule announcements to follow soon.
Chen Guxin of China won on the ADT in Vietnam in 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Said Ken Kudo, Associate Director, Partnerships, Asian Tour, said: “This is tremendous expansion for the Asian Development Tour, one that allows us to perfectly synchronise the Tour’s mission to aid the development of up-and-coming golfers while also visiting and promoting new, emerging golf markets.
“We thank Lexus, Nam A Bank, the Vietnam Golf Association and The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram for making this possible and we are now full-steam ahead with preparing for these two events – which will each feature fields of 138 players, with 70 from the ADT.”
The total prizemoney for both events will be US$85,000.
At the most recent ADT events in Vietnam, China’s Chen Guxin triumphed at the 2022 BRG Open Golf Championship, while Australian Aaron Wilkin won the event last year.
The 2023 ADT season came to a memorable conclusion last December when Thailand’s Denwit Booribonsub won the Aramco Invitational.
That allowed him to top the ADT Order of Merit and secure his Asian Tour card for 2024, something that the top-10 players on Merit list are all rewarded with.
Remarkably, just two weeks later Denwit went on the claim the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund – the final event of the Asian Tour’s season. It is the first time that a player achieved that double and was another example of the terrific pathway offered by the ADT – the Asian Tour’s burgeoning feeder circuit. Last year it featured 12 events offering overall prizemoney of US$1.38million.
The new year is expected to see a significant increase in the number of events and total prizemoney.
The International Series 2024 tees off at Muscat’s iconic Al Mouj Golf with some of the biggest names in the game after it was confirmed that the International Series Oman will return to the Asian Tour schedule on 22-25 February 2024.
A number of Major winners, LIV Golf stars and the cream of the Asian Tour will tee it up in the US $2million Oman tournament, the season opener on the 2024 schedule of The International Series, ready to test themselves on the Greg Norman-designed course which was joint winner for the Asian Tour Players Choice Course of the Year award in 2023.
South African Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel will line up alongside their Stinger GC teammates Dean Burmester and Branden Grace, while Chilean superstar Joaquin Niemann has also brought his Torque GC team of Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz and Carlos Ortiz to the challenging Al Mouj Golf.
Indian sensation Anirban Lahiri of Crushers GC and highly rated Hong Kong youngster Taichi Kho are also in the field alongside a host of Asian Tour stars including last year’s Order of Merit high fliers Miguel Tabuena, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Travis Smyth and Phachara Khongwatmai.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “Our return to Oman emphasises our growing appeal as a brand. The International Series is recognised as an elite-level golf event that brings together world-class talent from across the globe, along with the cream of the Asian Tour to compete for elevated prize purses at incredible golfing destinations.
“Over the past two seasons we have created a truly international schedule, providing a pathway to the LIV Golf League for players from all over the world while also offering a platform for players from the region to experience golf at its highest levels.
“The renowned hospitality of Oman proved extremely popular with the players last year, and it is a real pleasure to return to the Gulf state again in the new season.”
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour said: “The Asian Tour has a strong bond with golf in the Middle East and our efforts in the region are evident through the growing interest in golf across the region, with emerging talent coming from many different countries to play International Series events.
Takumi Kanaya with the trophy at last year’s International Series Oman. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
“Oman has proven to be very popular amongst our members as well as marquee international players. The spectacular yet challenging golf course is a true test for the competitors and the hospitality we experience in Oman is second to none. We are all looking forward to returning.”
Mundhir al Barwani, Chairman of the Oman Golf Association, said: “The 2023 event exceeded all our expectations and, through the exceptional field of players assembled, showcased Oman to a global audience. We were delighted to hear that the players themselves enjoyed the experience of visiting the Sultanate, the hospitality of the Kempinski Muscat, and the magnificent course at Al Mouj Golf.
“Events such as these are critical to our endeavours to grow the golf industry and support tourism, investment, and employment in the Sultanate. We also value the opportunity to expose our regional elite amateurs to such a high level of competition, and hope that having Omani players participating will help to inspire the next generation of golfers.”
Mubarak Hill, GM of Al Mouj Golf, said: “It is an honour to welcome back The International Series and get the schedule underway again for a second successive year. The tournament brings some of the biggest names in world golf to Oman, and showcases our incredible course, world-class facilities and of course the hospitality that Oman is known for.
“Thanks to the hard work and commitment of our team here at Al Mouj, we can give the world just one golfing example as to why Oman is one of the best destinations to visit in the Middle East, with its wonderful culture, landscape and leisure experiences.”
The International Series was first introduced to the Asian Tour calendar in 2022 as a set of 10 elevated tournaments that support playing opportunities and drive greater engagement, thanks to a landmark US$300m investment with LIV Golf.
World-class destinations on this year’s schedule also include Macau, Morocco, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with further dates and venues still to be announced. In previous seasons, tournaments have been staged in Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, China, England, Scotland, Egypt and Thailand. For more information on the International Series Oman, click here.
Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg led 35 jubilant and relieved players through at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School today with their Tour cards safely secured.
Broberg, three off top spot at the start of the day, eagled the par-five 18th at Springfield Royal Country Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, to fire a six-under-par 66, and beat Japan’s Shogenji Tatsunori by two shots.
The Swede, who also eagled the second and the 12th, finished the five-round boiling cauldron of competition on 18-under.
Tatsunori closed with a 67, two ahead of Justin Warren (68) from Australia, Spain’s Carlos Pigem (72) and Justin Quiban (73) from the Philippines.
Shogenji Tatsunori. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Quiban started the day with a one-stroke lead.
Broberg is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, the most recent coming at the 2021 Dutch Open, and his experience and quality were on display from the start, when he birdied the first, eagled the second and made another birdie on the next. He only made two bogeys.
“It feels pretty good. I played great today, I made three eagles today and putted really well,” said 37-year-old Broberg – a professional since 2010.
“I just tried to finish it off today, you know what I mean? It’s just hard to tell, I tried to be like more like relaxed, like a practice round, and just hit some good shots and then make some putts.
Justin Warren. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s been great being here in Hua Hin. I’ve been staying with Rikard Karlberg [at Black Mountain] and his wife and kids, so I’m missing my family now. so I want to go home to prepare for the upcoming events.
Twenty-five-year-old Tatsunori topped the money list on Japan’s challenge Tour last year – where he won twice – and is ecstatic about his next challenge.
He said: “I just wanted to make the cut at each stage. I never thought I would come second. My putting made this possible, it was so good and I always stayed very calm and relaxed. I will divide my time between the Asian and Japan Tours this year.”
Some of the other notable names to earn their cards were American John Catlin, Koreans Jeunghun Wang and Wooyoung Cho, Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and Australian Sam Brazel.
Chinese golfer Ye Wocheng also earned his card through the school for the second year in a row.
Catlin, a four-time winner in Asia and three-time champion in Europe, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have my playing status back in Asia. I wasn’t able to fulfil my quota of events last year so had to come back to school here. This Tour is where it all started for me. My game is actually in good shape, and I am excited about the year ahead.”
Carlos Pigem. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The American, who bases himself in Hua Hin for much of the year, closed with a 72, to end on 10 under in a tie for 15th.
Four players ended in a sudden-death play-off for the 35th card: Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura prevailed on the fourth extra hole over Chilean Matias Dominguez, with Nick Voke from New Zealand and Japan’s Taihei Sato eliminated earlier.
Some well-known names who did not make it through today were Indonesian Naraajie Ramadhanputra, Thais Kosuke Hamamoto and Panuphol Pittayarat, and Korean Yu Bin Jang.
The Asian Tour’s first event of the new season, the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open, tees-off in just over three weeks at The Mines Resort and Golf Club, from February 15-18.
It’s one of 20 events that the Tour recently unveiled, with a significant number of important tournaments to be added.
Once finalised it is expected that the schedule will surpass last season – which saw 23 events staged with total prize money of US$35 million.
Justin Quiban shot one of the lowest rounds of the week, a fourth-round seven-under-par 64, to take a single shot lead heading into tomorrow’s final round of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School, in Hua Hin, Thailand.
He impressively toured Lakeview Resort and Golf Club shooting an eagle, six birdies and dropping just one stroke to reach 15-under.
The Filipino is one ahead of Spaniard Carlos Pigem, who fired a 67, and three in front of Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and Kristoffer Broberg from Sweden, after rounds of 67 and 66, respectively. All played at Lakeview but will play tomorrow’s decisive round at Springfield Royal Country Club.
Carlos Pigem. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Korean Jeunghun Wang (70), Canada’s Jared Du Toit (66) and Shogenji Tatsunori from Japan (68) are tied for fifth on 11 under, while American John Catlin, one of this week’s favourites and a four-time winner on the Asian Tour, came in with a 69 and is in a group of players a further shot back.
Overnight leader Junggon Hwang from Korea slipped back after a 72 and is 10 under.
They are all on track to secure one of the 35 Asian Tour cards on offer tomorrow which earns them rite of passage onto this year’s highly-lucrative and season- long Asian Tour schedule which starts next month at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open.
“Great round today,” said Quiban, who ended 86th on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit, to lose his card.
“I am in a strong position. The goal is to get the card and the higher I finish the better my ranking. Lots to play for, it’s a big day tomorrow.”
Danthai Boonma. Picture by Paul Lakatos.
He birdied four out the last six holes.
His best performance last year was joint 14th in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard and he will be looking to improve on that this season.
Pigem was bogey free today and made four birdies to be on the threshold of regaining his card he lost in 2018.
He played on the Asian Tour from 2013 for six years, winning the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in 2016, before competing in Europe and is excited to be back in the region.
Boonma is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and looking to get back to playing at that level. He won the World Classic Championship in 2015 and the Bangladesh Open in 2022.
An eagle, like Quiban on the par-five eighth, along with six birdies and four bogeys allowed him to move into a strong position with just one round to go.
John Catlin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The top-70 players (and ties) today have made it through to tomorrow’s final round.
Some of the surprise casualties to not make the cut are Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, a seven-time winner in Europe, Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat and Rory Hie from Indonesia.
Korean Jeunghun Wang continued his calm and calculated return to the top of the game by taking the second-round lead at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School today.
He shot a four-under-par 68 at Springfield Royal Country Club to lead on 10-under-par, by one from Japan’s Taichi Nabetani – who shot an eight-under-par 63 at Lake View Resort and Golf Club. The two courses are being used for the first four days before the final round is played at Springfield on Saturday.
Australian Sam Brazel fired a 67 at Lakeview while Stefano Mazzoli from Italy shot the same score at Springfield to end the day in a tie for third on seven-under.
Taichi Nabetani. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Jose Toledo (66) from Guatemala, Filipino Justin Quiban (68), and Japan’s Taihei Sato (69) all played at Lakeview and are six under.
Wang, aged 28, is a three-time champion on the DP World Tour and a winner on the Asian Tour, but his most recent win came in the Qatar Masters in 2017. National Service in Korea in 2021 and 2022 meant his career was put on hold but he is now fully focused on getting back to his best.
“I’m hitting really good irons right now, so I don’t really miss greens. I just made one bogey today, so playing pretty well,” said Wang, the joint first-round leader with Kiwi Nick Voke.
“I didn’t take a holiday over the break, just practiced every day, I went to the Philippines to practice so I had a really good session there. So yeah, that works.”
Sam Brazel. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
2016 Hong Kong Open winner Brazel was bogey-free today and is looking to draw on two decades of experience as a professional to earn one of the 35 Asian Tour cards on offer this week.
The 45-year-old said: “Well I have a lot of experience, so that should serve me well. Experience is key at Q School.
“I played well, short game was sharp and made some nice up and downs early on.”
Unheralded Mazzoli said: “Today was really hard compared to yesterday, the greens were really firm so it was a good test. Especially the first few holes, I started missing a couple of greens and managed to recover really well and I had plenty of birdie opportunities. Didn’t make all of them but it was it was good. I had a good streak on the back nine.”
American John Catlin, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour and three-time champion in Europe, put himself in a strong position after carding a 66 at Lakeview to go to five-under in a tie for eighth.
Justin Quiban. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The top-140 players (and ties) today will now progress to round three and four before the top-70 players (and ties) after 72 holes play in the final round.
Asian Tour members will have another excellent opportunity to compete in the game’s oldest Major championship this year as The R&A have announced that the IRS Prima Malaysian Open and the Kolon Korea Open will be part of The Open Qualifying Series.
The former event, to be played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur from February 15-18 as the season-opening tournament on the Asian Tour, will offer three places at The Open.
Two spots will be available at the Kolon Korea Open – being played later in the year at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club from June 20-23.
This year marks the 152nd staging of The Open, with Royal Troon hosting the famous event, from July 15-18, for the 10th occasion. The most recent time it was played there was in 2016 when Swede Henrik Stenson triumphed.
HONG KONG- L-R- Open qualifiers – Bio Kim of Korea, Taichi Kho of Hong Kong, Travis Smyth of Australia and Michael Hendry of New Zealand pictured with the Open championship flags and the Claret Jug on Sunday March 26, 2023 during Round Three of the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club, at Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong. The US$ 1 million Asian Tour event was reduced to a 54 hole event due to the weather delays. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Cho Minn Thant, CEO & Commissioner, Asian Tour, said: “The Asian Tour is very pleased that two National Opens on our Tour are part of The R&A’s global network of elite qualification events.
“The IRS Prima Malaysian Open is the opening event of our 2024 season and its Open Qualifying Series status certainly increases the motivation for our members who are enjoying a much-deserved off-season as well as those competing in Final Stage of Qualifying School this week. The Kolon Korea Open is one of the most renowned Championships in Asia and is year in year out one of the toughest tests in the region.
“Our members are always appreciative of the chance this provides them and are quick to incorporate Open Qualifying Series events into their schedule.”
Six players have already booked their spots in The Open through The Open Qualifying Series.
Dean Burmester, Darren Fichardt and Dan Bradbury qualified at the Joburg Open before Joaquin Niemann, Rikuya Hoshino and Adam Scott earned the three places available at the ISPS Handa Australian Open.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, the RBC Canadian Open and the John Deere Classic will offer golfers on the PGA TOUR opportunities to qualify.
On the DP World Tour, places will be awarded at the KLM Open, Italian Open and Genesis Scottish Open.
Korean Jeunghun Wang and Nick Voke from New Zealand made ideal starts in their attempts to regain their Asian Tours cards today when they shot six-under-par 65s for the lead on day one of the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School, here in Hua Hin, Thailand.
Two courses are being used for this week’s marathon five-round pressure-packed event, with Wang and Voke both playing Lake View Resort and Golf Club’s A&B layouts today.
Spaniard Carlos Pigem is in third place following a five-under-par 67 on Springfield Royal Country Club’s C&B nines.
Korean rookie Wooyoung Cho, a member of last year’s gold medal winning Asian Games team, is next best placed following a 67 at Lake View, which is a par-71, while Springfield is a par-72.
He is tied with Charlie Lindh from Sweden who also played at Lakeview, and Thailand’s Panuphol ‘Coconut’ Pittarayat and Taihei Sato from Japan, who were both at Springfield.
Nick Voke. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Both the leaders teed off on 10 and later finished strongly, with Wang, who was bogey-fee, closing with birdies on seven and nine while Voke was even more impressive on his last four holes, nailing three birdies and an eagle on eight.
“Perfect start for me,” said 28-year-old Wang.
“Didn’t do much wrong. I am really focused on getting my card.”
He grabbed international headlines several seasons ago with three fine victories on the DP World Tour, and returned to golf in 2022 having completed 18-months of National Service.
It was in May of 2016 that he claimed the Trophee Hassan II, before he won the following week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, an event sanctioned by Asia, Europe and South Africa; and the following year he triumphed in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. At one point he rose as high as 39th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Voke, the 28-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, is a three-time winner on the China Tour in 2018, the year after he turned professional, and is at the school this week after finishing 136th on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Carlos Pigem. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
American John Catlin, a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and four-time champion on the Asian Tour, who makes his home in Hua Hin carded a 72 at Springfield and has work to do.
Spaniards Alvaro Quiros and Gonzalo Fdez-Castano, also multiple winners in Europe, carded disappointing rounds of 74 and 76 respectively.
The top-140 players (and ties) after 36 holes tomorrow will progress to round three and four. The top-70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the final round. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top-35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2024 season.
The first event of the new season, the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open, will be played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club, from February 15-18.
Wooyoung Cho. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour’s 2024 season commences next month but the regional circuit’s pressure-packed prelude starts tomorrow as the Final Stage of its Qualifying School tees-off in Thailand.
A staggering total of 668 players have been involved in the tournament if you include the six First Stage qualifiers played so far which saw 104 players make it through to this week, where they will be joined by 115 other hopefuls – who are exempt for the Final Stage.
The tournament is being played over two courses in Hua Hin: Springfield Royal Country Club’s C&B nines, and Lake View Resort and Golf Club’s A&B layouts. The former is considered to be the slightly more difficult course.
It’s a five-round marathon with the two venues used for the first four days while Springfield Royal will stage the all-important final round.
Juvic Pagunsan celebrates his birdie on the 18th hole during the third and final round of the Barclays Singapore Open at back in 2011. Picture by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.
Come Saturday afternoon 35 players will have secured their Asian Tour cards and there are plenty of high-profile names competing here who have already enjoyed that privilege.
American John Catlin (main picture), a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and four-time champion on the Asian Tour, is, surprisingly, one such player. The 33-year-old has based himself in Hua Hin for many years and will be looking to draw on his familiar surrounds to get his game back on track.
Juvic Pagunsan from the Philippines, India’s Rahil Gangjee, Australian Sam Brazel, Indonesian Rory Hie, and Malaysian Nicholas Fung are also Asian Tour winners in action this week.
Other notables here are Spaniards Alvaro Quiros and Gonzalo Fdez-Castano, Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita, Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat, Kosuke Hamamoto and Itthipat Buranatanyarat, Indian Khalin Joshi, Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung plus American Dodge Kemmer.
Koreans Meenwhee Kim and Jeunghun Wang have also entered along with two of their country’s rising stars who recently turned professional Wooyoung Cho and Yubin Jang. Both were part of the Korean team that won the gold medal in last year’s Asian Games, along with PGA Tour standouts Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim.
Panuphol Pittayarat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Players from 34 countries are competing reflecting the global popularity and level of interested in the Asian Tour.
The top-140 players (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to round three and four. The top-70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the final round, which will be held on January 20. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top-35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2024 season.
For the 2023 Qualifying School, 563 players entered the pre-qualifiers with 110 making it through to the finals, joining 124 exempt players.
Australian Jack Thompson graduated top of the class and went on to enjoy a fine rookie season finishing in 48th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, with four top-15 finishes in 17 starts.
The first event of the new season, the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open, will be played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club, from February 15-18.
Andy Ogletree’s remarkable 2023 season has earned him arguably the most-coveted award, the stamp of approval by his peers, as it was announced today that he has won the Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year on the Asian Tour.
The American won last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) title, as well as The International Series OOM, in runaway fashion and was the overwhelming choice for the Kyi Hla Han Award – after the final count of a players’ poll was conducted.
It is the first year that the award has been named after Kyi Hla Han, the Asian Tour’s former OOM champion who later became the regional circuit’s Executive Chairman, making this latest accolade all the more significant for Ogletree.
Andy Ogletree pictured wining the International Series Qatar. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
In 11 starts, he won twice – at the International Series Qatar in February and at August’s International Series England – and recorded five other top-10s. That led to him winning the Asian Tour OOM by almost double the points, on 2,128.26, over the second-placed Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, and The International Series OOM by almost double the prize money, with US$1,101,828.33, from second-placed Spaniard David Puig.
Said Cho Minn Thant, CEO & Commissioner, Asian Tour: “Kudos to Andy Ogletree for winning the Player of the Year Award – importantly, during the season when we have named this prestigious trophy after one of the Asian Tour’s most-celebrated luminaries, Kyi Hla Han.
“Two important aspects stand out here. Firstly, the fight and determination of Andy to come back and make his mark in the game following a difficult start to his career when so much was expected of him.
“And secondly, the opportunity that the Asian Tour, and indeed The International Series, have provided for him to essentially establish himself as one of the game’s most exciting young golfers, who looks likely to be making a big impression in the years ahead.”
Ogletree with the International Series England trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ogletree succeeds compatriot Sihwan Kim as the Players’ Player of the Year and will share his time next year between the Asian Tour and the LIV Golf League, as claiming The International Series OOM secured him a place on the multi-million-dollar franchise.
“It was a perfect year,” said the American at the end of last year.
“The plan coming into the season and all along was to win and get back on LIV Golf. I managed to do that, which was very satisfying. I had a great schedule to play on the Asian Tour and I will cherish this year forever.”
“I treated every tournament I played as if it was a Major championship. That was the only thing we thought about and talked about all off-season. I had just one aim. I won towards the end of last season in Egypt and had a lot of momentum going into the off-season and was able to develop some good plans with my trainer (Kolby Tullier) and my swing coach (Tony Ruggiero).”
Ogletree topped both the Asian Tour and International Series merit lists. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kyi Hla Han, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away in February of 2022, was himself a winner of the Player’s Player of the Year Award in 1999, the year he secured the OOM title.
The forging of his name with the Players’ Player of the Year Award was a natural progression for the Asian Tour, and it is something that the Han family see as another important part of his legacy.
“Kyi Hla was always particularly proud of the acknowledgement the players gave him in winning the Players’ Player of the Year Award,” said his wife, Marlene.
“The Han family are therefore extremely honoured and proud that the Players’ award will now be named after Kyi Hla, ensuring that his legacy and vision for Asian Tour players continues to grow and excel for generations to come.
“He always aimed to cement the ascendancy of Asian Tour players within global golf. He was always looking out for the best opportunities for its members and nurturing junior talent, while actively seeking to promote and grow the Tour.”
The Asian Tour’s new season tees-off with the US$1million IRS Prima Malaysian Open next month. It will be played at The Mines Resort and Golf Club, from February 15-18.
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