China's Wu looks to emulate Korean's success

Slides
Photos

By Yu Yilei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-17 13:35

When South Korean Yang Yong-eun (YE Yang) held off Tiger Woods to win the 91st PGA Championship last month, most of the golf world was shocked, and China's Wu Ashun was among the amazed.

China's Wu looks to emulate Korean's success

Wu Ashun

Wu, once China's best amateur player and now a fast-rising professional ranked among the country's top three in the first half of this year, was not merely surprised an Asian golfer was able to win a major tournament but also that Yang's background mirrored his own.

Yang is a self-taught golfer from an under-privileged family background who started to play the game seriously at the age of 19, much like Wu.

"No matter where you are from you can achieve miracles in the sport as long as you have the willpower and determination," 24-year-old Wu told China Daily on the sidelines of an endorsement ceremony with TaylorMade-adidas' newly-unveiled R9 and R9 Max irons.

There are many similarities between Yang and Wu. Yang was born into a farming family in the island province of Jeju-do, South Korea; Wu was born a farmer's son in the coastal city of Zhangzhou in Fujian province.

Yang started to play golf at the age of 19 while picking up golf balls part-time and later worked as a golf instructor at Jeju's Ora Country Club.

Wu knew nothing about golf before he picked up the sport at 16, thanks to a Hong Kong charity which was cultivating young talent in his hometown.

Yang turned professional at the age of 24, as did Wu, and they are both endorsed by TaylorMade-adidas.

"(When I first learned golf) I was an ordinary boy who loved sports. I was very curious about golf when the people running the fund reached out to me and decided to give me a try," said the strapping lad.

China's Wu looks to emulate Korean's success

"It would have been impossible for me to learn golf without such a fund. My family simply could not afford it."

Wu's golf background is an exception rather than the rule as most Chinese professional golfers hone their skills from an early age, come through "standard" domestic golf academies and travel overseas.

However, Wu is proud of his "unusual background" and believes any training method can lead to success; as Yang has proven.

"Going abroad, training at home or whatever, I think every way works. The key is determination, patience and strong willpower."

And Wu, a Christian, has an extra "weapon".

"I say a lot of prayers," he said.

China's Wu looks to emulate Korean's success

Wu came to the sport's fore when he became a top three youth player in China in 2002. Then he went on to become the amateur champion at the National Games (non-Olympic sports) in 2006 and represented China at the Doha Asian Games where he finished 23rd in the individual competition.

He continued to impress after turning pro last year by making the cut at seven consecutive international events. He made it into the top 10 at the first two Asian Tour tournaments he entered earlier this year, including a memorable fourth at the Thailand Open in March.

Many experts believe it is only a matter of time before Wu wins an Asian Tour event.

The young player shrugs off the high expectations and says he just wants to improve steadily and surely.

"You know, first it's the China Tour, then the Asian Tour, then the Japan Tour, European Tour and US PGA Tour.

"My ultimate is the US PGA Tour.

"I would rather be a small fish in a big pond than a big fish in a small pond."

Chinese fans, inspired by Yang, are anxious to see a homegrown golf superstar emerge and Wu says that may not be too far away.

"South Korea has its own tour, giving its players more opportunities to develop.

"For China, it's getting better and it's only a matter of time before we produce a real big star."