S.Sivachandhran
Justin Brink of Ireland tees off this week at the inaugural Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters as the 2011 Asian Development Tour season kicks of this week.
Based in Mieminger Plateau GC in Austria Brink played in the European Tour qualifying School Stage 1 last September at Ebreichsdorf in Austria signing for a 77 on the final day to finish in a tie for 45th place on +18.
The US$75,000 event is the first Bangladeshi tournament to feature on the fledgling Asian Development Tour, which will reward the top three players at the end of the season tickets to compete on the established Asian Tour.
Four other tournaments in Malaysia, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei have been confirmed for the second season of the Asian Development Tour, with several more set to join the growing circuit aimed at creating a viable and competitive platform for rising stars to cut their professional teeth.
The Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters, which will be staged at the Kurmitola Golf Club, will be the ideal opportunity for players to make their mark early in the quest to play their way into Asia’s elite circuit.
Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said: “The Asian Development Tour was created with the goal of building a platform for budding golfers across the region to sharpen their games. Through this secondary Tour, we hope to unearth more champions who will excel on the Asian Tour.
“It is tremendous that Bangladesh is hosting its first Development Tour event through the Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters. We are confident more events will be added throughout the course of the season to the five tournaments which we have already announced.”
Last season, Malaysians S. Siva Chandhran and Akhmal Tarmizee, along with Hsu Chia-jen of Chinese Taipei made a giant leap in their careers by finishing as the top-three players on the Development Tour Order of Merit.
Highly rated Thanyakorn Khrongpha of Thailand, who won the Kariza Classic in Indonesia last season, missed out on a top three spot but his experience of playing and winning on the Development Tour propelled him to finish in the top-40 of the recent Asian Tour Qualifying School which will grant him playing opportunities in the top-tier Tour.
Han believes that the likes of Thanyakorn have shown that there are great benefits of competing in a secondary circuit.
“There are many young and talented players who do not have direct entry onto the Asian Tour because it is very competitive at the highest level. But the establishment of the Asian Development Tour has created a stage for them to perform and gain experience in a competitive environment,” said Han.
Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour, will headline the Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters alongside countryman Shakhawat, a former Bangladesh national team captain.
Former European Tour player, Neil Reilly of England and Lindsay Renolds of Canada, Japanese Masaki Sakata, Rizal Amin of Malaysia and Mitchell Slorach of Singapore are also in the field this week.
The Asian Development Tour, structured along the lines of the Nationwide Tour in the United States and European Challenge Tour, was launched in 2010 with tournaments staged in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei.
