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Asian players hailed for international achievement
Starting off: Professional golfers (left to right) YE Yang of South Korea, Lee Westwood of England, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and George Gandranata of Indonesia pose for a ceremonial tee-off at the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta on Tuesday
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span class="inline inline-center">Starting off: Professional golfers (left to right) YE Yang of South Korea, Lee Westwood of England, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark and George Gandranata of Indonesia pose for a ceremonial tee-off at the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta on Tuesday. JP/Awo
Former world number one golfer Lee Westwood of England says Asian players have started to make names for themselves on the world stage thanks to the improved quality of tournaments in the region.
'Asian players have improved over the years and as far as I can see, with many of them going abroad now and playing well in the US and all over Europe. Now you have good young Asian players playing around the rest of the world,' Westwood, a 22-time European Tour champion, told journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Westwood, ranked 33rd in the world, is among notable players participating in the 2015 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters golf tournament, set to tee off on Thursday at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
World golf tournaments have seen an influx of players from Asia in the past few years. Among them is Yang Yong-eun or better known as YE Yang of South Korea, who became the first Asian player to win one of golf's four major tournaments ' the PGA Championships ' in 2009.
There are also the Asian Tour stalwarts Tongchai Jaidee of Thailand, who has won six European Tour-sanctioned tournaments, and Anirban Lahiri of India who currently plays for the European Tour.
'It is nice to see that over the years more world class players have come and played in Asia. It is more common to come over here and play, and I think that shows the quality of the tournaments and certainly the quality of golf courses in the region,' Westwood said.
'So I think the fact that there have been more high-quality tournaments in Asia and people from around the world coming over and playing and showing the standard of golf that you have to play to be able to play around the world have helped improved the local players as well,' said the 41-year-old golfer who will turn 42 on Friday.
YE Yang lauded Westwood and was optimistic that more Asian golfers would play in major tournaments around the world in the near future.
The tournament is offering US$750,000 in prize money.
Local hopeful George Gandranata said he would up his game over the weekend.
'The goal is obviously to make the cut first and secure a good position. After two rounds, I'll see where I'm at and strategize from there,' said George.
The 29-year-old has been honing his game in the region's secondary circuit, the Asian Development Tour, since he turned professional in 2012.
He was also the sole Indonesian to have made the cut in last year's edition after three attempts where he finished tied at 44th at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
'Last season was my best season, both locally and internationally. I came really close to getting my Asian Tour card and this motivated me to work even harder to reach my goal this year, which is to get my Asian Tour card,' said Gandranata.
Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Indonesia, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf will feature 24 Indonesian golfers, 20 professionals from the PGA Tour of Indonesia and four of Indonesia's top amateurs who will compete in the 150 player field and over 72 holes of individual stroke play.
