Better coaching can take Asians to the next level: Harmon

Tiger Woods' former swing guru, Butch Harmon, believes the standard of coaching in Asia has to improve before the continent can produce a player capable of dethroning the world number one.

Speaking this week at Caesars Golf Macau, site of the state-of-the-art Butch Harmon School of Golf which will open next year, the 65-year-old Harmon (pictured) said: 'The level of instruction needed is not here yet in Asia. But who knows? In a few years the next Tiger Woods could come from Macau.

'Make no mistake, Tiger is the best golfer to have ever played the game, but with improved coaching, it's possible that someone from this part of the world can reach similar heights.'

To help this end, Harmon, who counts Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Ernie Els among his long list of pupils, and Harrah's Entertainment, owners of Caesars Golf Macau, have pledged their support to junior golf with the club becoming the home of the Macau Golf Association Junior Golf Programme, which has been set up to help identify and develop talented young Macau players.

'This is what I'm really excited about,' said Harmon, who broke up with Woods in late 2002 after 10 years and seven major championship victories together. 'The facilities we are building here are first class, but the opportunity to help the young people in Macau with a very energetic programme to cultivate junior golfers is very special and very important. It's going to make a big difference.'

Registered juniors on the programme will enjoy complimentary driving range bays, while national junior squad members will receive access to the course every afternoon as well as coaching sessions with a Butch Harmon-trained instructor.

Asia's future as one of the leading players on the world scene is not lost on Harmon, who plans to travel twice a year to Macau from his Las Vegas base to host events and give lessons.

'This is where it's at,' said Harmon, whose father Claude won the 1948 Masters. 'Asia's emergence in the sport in such a short space of time is nothing short of phenomenal and I want to be a part of its continuing growth. I think we're going to see more and bigger events here with the world's best players travelling over more regularly. In time, the world's best players could be Asian.'

Although it's been six years since his split with Woods, Harmon recalls his days with the 14-time major champion with fondness. 'It was a joy for me to watch him go from a teenager to a young man to a man, both in golf and in life. He went from an amateur to a professional to the greatest player in the game,' he said.