Seoul, May 12: Upcoming Chinese talent Wu Ashun will compete in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open this week knowing fully well his hard work and perseverance will soon reap its rewards.
The 23-year-old Wu has enjoyed a solid season with impressive top-10 performances at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok and Singha Thailand Open but such is his growing confidence that he knows it is a matter of time before he contends for a maiden title.
"My game has progressed a lot since I started playing on the Asian Tour last year," said Wu today.
"I would certainly like to follow in the footsteps of Liang Wen-chong (Asia's number one in 2007) as he has made a name for himself through his success on the Asian Tour. Playing against the best players in Asia and around the world has helped me improve as a golfer."
A return to the Land of the Morning Calm will inject added confidence to Wu's game as he was tied 31st at the Ballantine's Championship in Jeju island two weeks ago, where he finished higher than Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood and Paul McGinley and American Fred Couples.
"It was a good experience competing in Jeju and I learned a lot playing in a top field," said the man from Xiamen.
In his rookie season last year, Wu finished a creditable 78th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and will enter this week's Maekyung Open, sanctioned with the Korean Golf Association, in 21st position with slightly over US$58,000 in winnings.
He has not missed a cut in four starts this year and is confident of earning full playing rights for the 2010 season through a top-65 finish on the rankings.
"I need to remain patient for a first victory on the Asian Tour. It will be a matter of time and I need to keep working hard at my game," said Wu.
Wu was a late starter in the game where he picked up golf at the age of 17. However, he brought his handicap down to single digit in a matter of five years and subsequently turned professional in 2007.
He knows he has made the right choice in swapping the basketball for golf clubs. "I used to play basketball and represented my high school. However, I dropped the game as it wasn't a good career prospect for me as I am not tall enough to excel!" said Wu.
Korea's Hwang Inn-choon will defend his Maekyung title at Nam Seoul Country Club starting on Thursday where the top contenders include last year's runner-up Noh Seung-yul, Singapore's Lam Chih Bing, Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, Australian duo David Gleeson and Scott Hend and Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka, winner of the Crowns Tournament in Japan last week.
The Maekyung Open is the ninth leg of this season's Asian Tour.
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