Kuala Lumpur: EurAsia Cup star Nicholas Fung will be digging deep into his reserves when he tees off against a talented cast which includes title holder Danny Chia at the PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which starts on Wednesday.

Playing in his fifth consecutive event, the reigning ADT number one is confident he can challenge for the title in the RM200,000 (approximately US$60,000) event at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club, Garden course.

Fung will headline the event alongside Chia, current ADT Order of Merit leader Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei, Wisut Artjanawat of Thailand and Brett Munson of the United States, who are all ADT winners.

Koh Deng Shan of Singapore, Grant Jackson of England, Arie Irawan of Malaysia, James Bowen of the United States and Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand will also feature in the fourth ADT event of the season.

Fung lost to Chia by one shot in the event last year but bounced back to win the ADT Order of Merit crown courtesy of one victory and three second place finishes.

He subsequently rose in stature with several top finishes on the Asian Tour at the end of 2013 to secure his full playing rights and then featured prominently for Team Asia in the memorable draw with Europe at the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM at Glenmarie in March.

A return to the Garden course has given him positive vibes for the week ahead.

“I have very good memories on this golf course. I love this course so I’ll do my best here. This is my fifth week in a row and I’m feeling a bit tired. That’s why I didn’t play a practice round today. I should be okay because I like playing on this course,” said the 23-year-old Fung.

“The ADT was very important for me last year. To be honest, I wanted to win as many ADT events as I could. It was a good stepping stone because I earned a lot of world ranking points. I hope other young players can use this platform and improve their games,” added Fung, who is currently ranked 259th in the world.

Chia is looking forward to a return to Glenmarie after spending most of 2013 on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to remove bone fragments which were pressing on a nerve. He returned to action this year but admits he is not fully recovered.

“I still need a bit of rehab to regain strength in my right arm. The doctor is not convinced that I should start playing now because I’m not 100% recovered. I try to play two weeks and take two weeks off,” said Chia, who was the first Malaysian to win on the Asian Tour in 2002.


Despite going against the doctor’s advice, Chia is excited ahead of his title defence. “I’m still finding a way to play. There is a good thing that has come out from the injury because now I’m hitting the ball straighter!

“I have to hold back on some shots because of my weak arm and I’ve been playing like that since the start of the year. It is a new type of game which I have found and I’m really excited with the way I’m playing now,” said Chia.

Current Order of Merit leader Chan will be aiming to become only the second player on the ADT to win back-to-back titles after his triumph on the Malaysian holiday isle of Langkawi a fortnight ago.

“The win in Langkawi has boosted my confidence. I received a lot of encouraging and congratulatory messages from my friends and family back home. I’ve been working on my putting for a while now and I think it’s feeling better than before. Hopefully I can produce another great result this week,” said the 27-year-old Chan.

This season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights for the 2015 Asian Tour season.

This will be a significant boost for aspiring professionals as this represents the highest number of Asian Tour cards up for grab since the ADT was established in 2010. Previously, only the top three players earn Asian Tour cards.

Working in close partnership with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, a total of 12 PGM events will feature on this season’s ADT Schedule, giving the Malaysian players a big incentive in chasing for a place on the region’s premier Tour.

The ADT, which was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011, 13 in 2012 and a record 16 in the 2013 season, has established itself as a gateway to the Asian Tour.