Choi drives into bright new future for Asian game

It may not have been deemed worthy of inclusion in the list of historic shots heard around the world. But when Choi Kyung-ju struck his opening drive in last week's Sony Open in Hawaii, the reverberations were felt as far away as Malaysia.

At the same time as the Korean strongman was making his debut as a fully-fledged member of the US PGA Tour, almost 200 hopefuls from all corners of the globe were preparing to compete in the first stage of the revamped Asian PGA Qualifying School.

Choi, Asian Golfer of the Year for 1999, is the first Asian product of the Asian PGA to make it into golf's major league. And while his appearance in the Sony Open (where he missed the cut by one stroke) was the culmination of many years of blood, sweat and tears, Choi has made it clear that he will not be satisfied simply to make up the numbers.

Choi acknowledges that he is indebted to the Asian PGA for providing him with both a clearly defined career path and the opportunity to better himself.

Choi always asserted that 'to be the best, you have to play with the best' - a single-minded approach that will not be lost on all those who have gathered in Johor Bahru with the aim of securing playing rights on the 2000 Asian PGA Davidoff Tour.

Along with Hong Kong-based Kyi Hla Han, who teed-off his millennium campaign in the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, Choi has been one of the most instrumental figures in raising the bar of excellence as far as the quality of professional golf in Asia is concerned.