Red-hot Asia and China number one Liang Wenchong will be aiming for a 'historic' win at this year's UBS Hong Kong Open. This could be his best chance, for it appears that at the moment organisers are struggling to line up some of the world's top-10 players to appear at the Hong Kong Golf Club from November 15-18. 'It would be a dream come true for me to become the first mainland Chinese to win the Hong Kong Open, and to do it in such an important year - this being the 10th anniversary of the handover - would make it extra special,' Liang, 29, said in Fanling yesterday. Liang, the current leader on the Asian Tour's Order of Merit, was trotted out as the star turn as organisers announced details for the tournament, which this year also celebrates its 49th birthday. But while the 29-year-old Liang is growing in repute, he is still not a major drawcard by any means. And yesterday there was no indication that any of the big-name players had signed up for Hong Kong, this despite the tournament being sandwiched between two other major events in the region - the HSBC Champions in Shanghai from November 8-11 and the World Cup at Mission Hills, Shenzhen, from November 22-25. The likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia - all in the top 10 - have confirmed they will vie for part of the US$5 million pie in Shanghai the week before the Hong Kong event. But it is not known if they will extend their stay in China and make a debut appearance in the US$2 million Hong Kong Open. Oliver Bertschinger, UBS head of sponsorship for Asia and the Pacific, said that although it helped to have some of the world's best players in the region at the time of the Hong Kong Open, it would still need a lot of convincing to get them to turn up in Hong Kong. 'While having other big events close to Hong Kong helps, it is ultimately the player's decision whether to turn up here or not,' Bertschinger said. 'We know there are a lot of big-name players coming to the region in November and we hope the Hong Kong Open's tradition and great heritage will draw them here.' Top drawcard in 2006, Retief Goosen of South Africa, will be in the region and could return in a bid to drive away the demons from last year when he failed to make the cut. Other players who could turn up include former Hong Kong Open winners Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, both of whom will be playing in the World Cup the week after. Happy birthday The Hong Kong Open will be this many years old when the tournament tees off in November 49
