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Tiger Woods happy to be in Asia
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-11-08 23:47 The self-taught Zhang, China's most famous successful golf export and a
five-time winner on the Asian Tour, says the 10-time major winner will massively
boost interest in the game in the world's most populous nation.
 "Tiger's presence in China this week has moved golf forward by 10
years," Zhang said Tuesday.
"In 1995 China staged the World Cup and that event promoted golf in our
country then. Now 10 years later Tiger is here for his first official event and
he is known all round the world.
"Young Chinese kids who don't know golf will want to learn the game and
hopefully this will help develop golf further," added the 40-year-old, whose
last victory came at the Volvo China Open in November 2003.
Golf is still in its infancy in China. Cheng Jun became the first Chinese
winner on the Asian Tour in 1997 and Zhang claimed the country's first European
Tour victory two years ago in Singapore.
Since the Beijing Country Golf Club became the first Chinese-built course in
1990, exclusive venues have sprung up across the nation, including the world's
biggest golf complex at Mission Hills in Guangdong province.
However, golf still remains the preserve of the elite in China due to its
prohibitive cost.
Despite this Woods, the world number one, says the growing popularity of the
game in China and elsewhere in Asia will trigger an inevitable rise to the top
of Asian players in the world rankings.
"There is no doubt that the hunger for the game in this part of the world
will have a positive effect on the professional game," said Woods.
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