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HISTORY OF THE ASIAN TOUR
In January 2004, the tournament playing professionals of Asia formed a new player representative body named the Asian Tour to ensure control over their careers and the development of professional tournament golf in Asia.
2004 SEASON
The Asian Tour staged a total of 22 tournaments offering prize money of US$12.3 million in its inaugural season as a new organisation. Vietnam was added to the growing list of countries to stage a professional golf tournament.
2005 SEASON
The Asian Tour staged a total of 27 tournaments with over US$20 million in total prize money. Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, the 2005 Order of Merit winner, set a new record for wins in a single season with four titles. The Tour also visited new events in Qatar, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand to reinforce the growth of professional golf across Asia.
2006 SEASON
The 2006 season boasted record prize money of over US$24 million from the staging of 27 tournaments. India's Jeev Milkha Singh, the 2006 Order of Merit winner, established a new record for prize money won in a single season, winning US$591,884. The Tour welcomed new tournaments in Pakistan, India and Malaysia.
2007 SEASON
In 2007, a record schedule of 28 tournaments offering an all-time high of over US$27 million in prize money was offered to the players. Liang Wen-chong became the first player from China to win the Order of Merit as the Tour heralded new events in Cambodia and Vietnam. The Tour, which was made up of players from no fewer than 25 different nationalities, visited 16 different countries and territories in 2007.
2008 SEASON
The growth of professional golf reached new heights in 2008. An unprecedented 30 events which offered a record US$39 million were staged across 17 countries and territories while India’s Jeev Milkha Singh become the Tour’s first million-dollar man in a single season when he earned over US$1.4 million to win the Order of Merit title for the second time in three years.
2009 SEASON
The Asian Tour sanctioned 28 events worth almost US$38 million in 2009. Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee became the first man in Asian golf history to win three Order of Merit crowns while Korea’s Yang Yong-eun created history by becoming the first Asian to win a Major. Yang and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh were afforded honorary memberships on the Asian Tour for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the game of golf in Asia and across the globe.
2010 SEASON
Korea's Noh Seung-yul made history by becoming the youngest ever Asian Tour Order of Merit winner at the age of 19 years and 204 days in 2010, thanks to one victory and four top-10s. Thai star Thongchai Jaidee also won a record 13th career title in a season which welcomed eight first time champions. The Asian Tour welcomed three new tournaments and heralded the return of the Myanmar Open after a lapse of three years. It also established the Asian Development Tour, a secondary circuit for rising stars of the game, with five tournaments staged in the inaugural year.
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