HONG KONG: Clinching his first PGA Championship by dethroning world-ranked number 1 Tiger Woods this August, South Korea's Yang Yong-eun expects to get back to his high performance level in the UBS Hong Kong Open, which kicks off today. In a slump since the PGA Championship, he is hoping that the Hong Kong Open, his ninth event since his breakthrough win over Woods, will turn things around and see him regain his form.

Commenting on the competitors here, at a media briefing yesterday, Yang said, "I still see a lot of familiar faces from the last time I was here but the field itself has grown a bit and there are more marquee players around me, but that's because the tournament has become much bigger."

As for the course, half of which he played in 2002, he suggested, "The toughest part is probably the greens, as it's a bit tricky to read the lies."

He was not in the limelight until three months ago, when he vanquished Tiger Woods with a three-shot victory, to become the first Asian major championship winner ever.

Speaking of the Hong Kong Open, which is dangling $2.5 million in prize money, the organizer said the contest has assembled the strongest field ever since its launch in 1959. Forty of Europe's top 60 players and the top 10 from the Asian Tour are gathering in Hong Kong, including World No 4 Lee Westwood and No 5 Paul Casey.

"We have 14 of the world's top 50 according to the official World Golf Ranking, which is unprecedented," the organizer said earlier.

Making the second successive appearance in the Hong Kong Open, with five PGA Tour titles to his name, Rory Sabbatini from South Africa likened the tournament course to chess.

"It's a very traditional course with everything out there in front of you. You know exactly what's ahead. It's a course that requires you to put it in all the right spots," said Sabbatini.

Sabbatini said the whole world has realized Asia is becoming more and more important in every aspect, particularly in view of its financial performance, which he believes is closely connected with golf's development, especially on the mainland, where, he added, golf has been exploding into the popular culture of the Chinese people.

"I played on the mainland before, and the golf courses there are phenomenal. It's great to see the knowledge of golf expand and (to see that) it's now included in the Olympics, " said Sabbatini.

The Hong Kong Open, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, will tee off today and run until November 15, at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.

(HK Edition 11/12/2009 page1)