Liang is poised to lift Order of Merit title
Liang Wenchong of China has placed one hand on the Asian Tour's prestigious UBS Order of Merit title, with only Thailand's Chapchai Nirat and Scotland's Simon Yates capable of denying him Asia's most coveted prize.
The tenacious Liang, who has been on a mission all season to become the first Asian No 1 from China, increased his season's haul to $525,570 after finishing tied for 15th at the UBS Hong Kong Open over the weekend.
He widened his lead over second-ranked Anton Haig of South Africa - who missed the halfway cut - to $97,885. Haig, winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic earlier this year, has confirmed he will not compete in the remaining three events on the Asian Tour schedule.
Scott Hend of Australia, currently ranked No 3 on the UBS Order of Merit, skipped last week's tournament due to the US Qualifying School and will return for the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia at Thai Country Club in two weeks.
Hend trails Liang by a little more than $179,000 but has no chance of catching the Chinese leader in Bangkok, as the top prize at the Volvo Masters of Asia is only $120,000.
This effectively leaves only Chapchai and Yates, fourth and fifth, respectively, on the merit list, as the two players who have a mathematical chance of toppling Liang from his perch.
The young Thai, winner of the TCL Classic in China, and Yates are both competing in the final three events - this week's $500,000 Hana Bank Vietnam Masters, the $300,000 Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open next week and the $750,000 Volvo Masters of Asia from December 6 to 9.
The duo will need to pull off nothing short of first place in Bangkok or Hanoi and also produce two other top finishes to have any chance of denying Liang the UBS Order of Merit crown.
Liang is not competing in Hanoi this week as he will represent China in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on home soil, but he has entered the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open.
Liang said: "I am pleased with my overall performance at the UBS Hong Kong Open. I have been thinking about the UBS Order of Merit race a lot since the (Barclays) Singapore Open and I think it affected me there (where he finished 52nd).
"I have learned from that and I adopted a relaxed approach this week. It paid off as I am happy with where I finished."
With the finish line in sight, Liang, who has also posted eight other top-10 finishes this season, feels he may have done enough to wrap up the UBS Order of Merit crown.
"I feel I have cemented my position on top of the rankings," he said. "I'm looking forward to a good finish to the year. I have not really planned out my schedule for the remaining few events, but I will do what it takes to seal my position as the No 1, that's my goal."
China Daily
(China Daily 11/21/2007 page22)
