Tribute to the Stars

Chuah Choo Chiang, Communications Director of the Asian Tour, looks back at how 2016 unfolded and pays tribute to the stars and heroes who produced outstanding performance in Asia

Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang

Other memorable victories were produced by Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih, who claimed a popular home win at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters which came four years after he underwent brain surgery to remove a non-malignant tumor.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar also overcame years of frustration from a wrist injury to win twice in Korea and Indonesia while powerful Thai Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, products of the Asian Development Tour, were victorious as well for the first time on the Asian Tour. In fact, Chan finished an impressive fourth on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit as he later won a second title in Japan.

Other top performers who shone in 2016 was Korea’s 21-year-old Jeunghun Wang. After being picked by captain Jeev Milkha Singh to represent Team Asia at the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia in January, he went on to show his immense potential by winning back-to-back titles in Morocco and Mauritius, eclipsing the record held by the late Seve Ballesteros as the youngest player to win two European Tour titles.

Thai veteran star Thongchai Jaidee continued to show that old is indeed gold with a fine win at the French Open while China’s Wu Ashun and Li Haotong came close to winning the World Cup of Golf in Australia which raised quite a few eyebrows.

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Written by Chuah Choo Chiang

Photography by Daniel Wong

Click here to see the published article.

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