The extended winning run of Asian players on the international
stage has not surprised world No 1 Tiger Woods.
The American was beaten to second place by Korea's Yang Yong-eun
in the star-studded HSBC Champions on Sunday.
It marked the third significant victory by the continent's top
stars following Jeev Milkha Singh's triumph in the Volvo Masters in
Spain and Choi Kyung-ju's success at the Chrysler Champions in the
United States last month.
"Golf has changed, it's evolved," said Woods, whose run of six
successive victories came to a halt.
"It has become more in-depth now, you look at each and every
field now, and many guys can win. That wasn't the case 15, 20 years
ago but now that's changed. Guys are better mentally, equipment
certainly helps and guys are bigger and stronger and hit the ball
further."
Yang secured his biggest career victory at the US$5 million
event, beating an elite field including 10 of the world's top-20
players and picked up a cheque of US$833,330.
Unknown to the golfing world outside of Asia, Yang is no slugger
having won once on the Asian Tour at the Kolon Hana Bank Korean
Open in September, and four other titles in Japan where he now
plays most of his golf.
Until yesterday, Woods admitted he didn't know anything about
Yang. "All three of us were talking going up the last hole, we
didn't know anything about him," said the American, who played with
Sweden's Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson in the final round.
The 12-time Major champion was also impressed with Singh, the
current leader of the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, whom he
played two rounds with in Shanghai. He also played with another
Indian, Jyoti Randhawa in the third round.
Yang's triumph will see him crack the world's top-40, a ranking
which carries an invitation to the US Masters. The Korean will also
be looking to beat the likes of Woods on the US PGA Tour as he will
take a shot at the Qualifying School Finals later this month.
The strapping Korean is following closely in Choi's footsteps.
Both players cut their professional teeth on the Asian and Japan
Tours, with Choi eventually landing on the US PGA Tour where he is
now a quadruple winner.
Yang said: "When K.J. won in the US, I felt that Korean players
and Asian players would eventually follow in his footsteps and I
thought to myself, you know, I think we Koreans and Asians have a
chance to win in the world. That's why I started out playing on the
Asian Tour and I went on to play on the Japanese Tour. My eventual
goal is to go to the US Tour just like K.J. I think K.J. has set a
good example and I want to follow in his footsteps."
Although Yang's ultimate goal is the US PGA Tour, the Korean
immediately accepted his European Tour membership where he will be
exempted until 2009 and presently sits proudly on top of the 2007
Order of Merit.
(China Daily November 14, 2006)