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Spencer Robinson

For Asia's golfing elite it's a chance to strike a blow for the region's sporting reputation.

 Having spent the past three weeks watching their footballing counterparts toil in France, it's now the turn of Asian professional golfers to strut their stuff on the international sporting stage.

 The British Open is to golf what the World Cup is to football.

 And hopes are high that Asia will have its largest ever representation in the 127th version of the event at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club. Students of Asian golf will recall that it was over the venerable Lancashire links in 1971 that Taiwan's 'Mr Lu' Liang-huan finished second behind Lee Trevino.

 To this day, that remains the best performance by an Asian golfer in any of golf's four Major championships.

 While nobody is predicting the crowning of Asia's first Major championship winner on Sunday week, there is genuine cause for optimism that there will be a significant Asian flavour to golf's premier gathering.

 Those hopes are based on the fact that 46 members of the Asian PGA head for England this week to prepare for the final qualifying stage. Of their number, more than half are Asians.

 In both cases, the figures are almost double what they were last year at Royal Troon, the first occasion the Asian PGA were offered spots in the final qualifying by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

 Those who begrudged them that privilege were made to eat their words when Singaporean Mardan Mamat, Indian Gaurav Ghei and American John Kernohan all progressed to the tournament proper.

 Although only Kernohan survived the halfway cut, the achievements of Mamat and Ghei not only justified the R&A's generous gesture, but also brought international credibility to the Asian PGA's Omega Tour.

 Importantly, too, the trio showed to their colleagues that they no longer need to suffer from an inferiority complex when competing at the highest level.

 Indeed, there has been plenty of recent evidence to suggest that no more are Asian golfers in fear of their better-known rivals from Europe and the States.

 They respect them, but do not turn to jelly when they stand alongside them on the first tee.

 That point has been conclusively proved by China's Zhang Lianwei , who will be among the Asian PGA's British Open party.

 Already in 1998, Zhang, who will also spearhead the Chinese team in October's Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews, has outscored Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo when paired with them for the first two rounds of the Johnnie Walker Classic and Macau Open respectively.

 Launched in 1995, the Omega Tour has presented Asian players with a regular forum to hone their skills in a competitive and professionally organised environment, giving them the confidence to take their talent on the road.

 At Royal Birkdale, they must aim to continue the task of bridging the gap with the game's leading exponents.

 It will not be easy.

 The 1998 Open Championship has drawn a record entry of 2,336 players, representing a 9.5 per cent increase on the previous record of 2,133 set last year.

 'The size and quality of the field again reflects the worldwide popularity of the Open,' said Michael Bonallack, secretary of the R&A. 'This is underlined by the entry from 49 of the top 50 in the world rankings and with 20 per cent of the players coming from overseas confirms the universal appeal of the championship.'  To accommodate all of the hopefuls, no fewer than 16 venues are required for today's regional qualifying. The Asian PGA players will join the fray at the weekend when they will be among 480 golfers lining up at four courses for the final qualifying, over 36 holes.

 With barely 50 places in the 156-man starting lineup up for grabs, it's a tall order to win through.

 For the continued development and expansion of the Omega Tour, though, it's essential that at least a handful of Asian players do succeed on the biggest golfing stage of them all.



Asia's best must make impact at home of golf