Thailand’s Thaworn is ready for action

Macau _ Asia’s golf legend Hsieh Min-nan will have another crack at popping more champagne when he lines up at the Macau Open this week alongside six of his victorious Visa Dynasty Cup team members.

The 64-year-old Hsieh skippered Asia to a superb victory over a Shigeki Maruyama-led Japan in the Ryder Cup-style showdown in Shenzhen, China last month but starting tomorrow, he will be battling on personal terms after accepting a sponsor’s invite to feature in Macau.

The Chinese Taipei veteran has won a bagful of titles in Asia, along with three Order of Merit crowns in the region, the 1972 World Cup and numerous individual titles during his heyday.

Hsieh still keeps himself fit by spending five hours a day working at his game and fitness and has shown in recent times that he can still compete. At last year’s Taiwan Open, he finished a respectable ninth.

A return to the challenging Macau Golf and Country Club brings good memories for Hsieh. He featured in the 2001 Macau Open, finishing 36th in the stellar field and earned the admiration of England’s Lee Westwood, himself a former Macau Open champion, along the way.

“The guy (Hsieh) is still a fair player _ it was obvious to me that he was a leading golfer in his day,” said Westwood.

While Hsieh, who plays senior golf events in Japan, acknowledges that he does not expect to be challenging the “young boys” here, the tight layout and windy conditions that often prevail in Macau could work in his favour.

“I can’t drive the ball like the young boys these days but I can surely hit it straight most of the time,” he said.

“Coming from Taipei, I can play in the wind and keep the ball low if I need to.”

He is still basking in the afterglow of the Visa Dynasty Cup victory, which strengthened the belief that Asian golf has attained world-class standard.

“Japan brought out a good team after losing in 2003 but we showed that we are strong. I’m very happy with my players. Winning for the second time proves that Asian golf has a high standard,” he said.

In Macau, Hsieh will be reunited for the first time with six of his victorious team members. Chinese star Zhang Lian-wei, a two-time Macau Open winner, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant and Boonchu Ruangkit, Singaporean number one Mardan Mamat, India’s Amandeep Johl and Hsiehs vice captain Kyi Hla Han of Burma are all slated to tee up tomorrow.

Other top names in the field include former US Masters champion Fred Couples, fresh from a tied second finish at the SK Telecom Open in Korea, two time Asian Tour winner Terry Pilkadaris of Australia and rising star Shiv Kapur of India, who was tied 12th in Korea last week.

Filipino veteran Frankie Minoza, who finished tied fourth in the Indonesia Open in March, will also be challenging for the Macau Open title won last year by American Jason Knutzon.