Brian Langley was the consummate professional. Whether commentating on live television or penning an article for publication, Langley's love of sport and engaging humour always shone through.
Langley, 57, who died on Wednesday in Singapore after a heart attack, was the voice of Asian sport. For almost 20 years, he was at the cutting edge of sports broadcasting in the region, charting the fortunes of Asian sport in his various guises.
He prided himself on correctly pronouncing the names of sportsmen and women, often seeking out the individuals to hear the way they pronounced their names in their mother tongues. A flair with languages helped him deliver in style.
Langley won widespread praise and respect across Asia with his incisive commentaries on golf and football. His encyclopaedic knowledge of Asian golfers and footballers, coupled with his slick delivery, made him synonymous with commentaries on Asian PGA Tour and Asian Football Confederation events. He had the rare ability of being able to keep viewers and readers entertained and informed.
The executive director of the Asian PGA Tour, Ramlan Haron, said: 'I am truly saddened by the news of Brian's passing. He was one of the pioneers of the Asian PGA Tour and was the voice of Asian golf. His contribution towards the growth of our tour was immense, through his professionalism and candidness whenever he went on air and this will be something we will all miss.'
Langley could lend his hand - and voice - to any sport, from swimming to volleyball, archery to tennis, and motor racing to dragon boat racing. He made his name with TVB and when STAR TV launched in the early 1990s, Langley was the obvious candidate to front its sports programming.