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akarta: Zaw Moe hopes to open the Asian Tour season on a high at home when the US$300,000 Zaykabar Myanmar Open starts in February.

One of Myanmar’s finest golfers, Moe hopes to continue his solid performance from last year, where he finished 40th on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, his best placing in over 10 years.

“I started using the belly putter in Macau and it has helped me a lot. My putting has been very consistent. Now every time I hit a bad shot, I manage to recover and I never shoot a huge number as I previously did,” Moe said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post.

Moe will have a fight on his hands if he wants to claim victory in Myanmar. Reigning title-holder Tetsuji Hiratsuka of Japan, Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant and 12-time Asian Tour winner Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar will also feature in the event.

Moe is looking forward to competing in front of a local again, after the Myanmar event was rested from the Tour in 2011.

“It’s always special to play in front of your home fans. I’m looking forward to it and I will be ready to give my best,” he said.

The Myanmar Open, presented by Air Bagan, is the first tournament of the year of the Asian Tour. However, local hopes won’t solely rest on Moe’s shoulders — Aung Win, Zaw Zin Win and Soe Kyaw Naing will also be in the mix when the Open starts at the Royal Mingalardon Golf and Country Club on February 2.

Moe had an impressive run during the 2011 Asian Tour, where he tied for fourth in the Macau Open, finished eighth in Taipei and placed 11th in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. The Singapore resident’s sole career victory was back in 1997, when he won the Singapore Open.

He credited his improved form in 2011 to a new belly putter, which he hopes will help him see the same form continue in 2012.

The Myanmar Open was inaugurated in 1996, boasting champions such as three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, fellow Thai Boonchu Ruangkit, American Anthony Kang, South African James Kingston and Taiwan’s Lin Keng-Chi.