Liang signs up for Macao Open to boost merit hopes

China's Liang Wenchong has signed up as a late entrant for this week's Macao Open as he bids to overhaul South Africa's Anton Haig at the top of the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit.

The 28-year-old Chinese star, who has won once and posted five other top-10s this season, had initially planned to play in Europe but altered his schedule to feature in the Macao Open.

Liang will join other top names who will grace the fairways of Macao Golf and Country Club from Thursday to Sunday and Liang's decision to compete in the $300,000 tournament will greatly enhance its 10th anniversary celebrations.

"I'm looking forward to playing in the Macao Open," said Liang, who has accumulated US$423,462 this season and is only $4,223 behind Haig on the UBS Order of Merit.

"Finishing second in Korea last weekend has helped me narrow the gap at the top and since Macao is only one hour away from where I live, I have decided to play in the tournament and hopefully challenge for a win," added the Zhongshan-based golfer.

Liang has not featured in the Macao Open since 2002 but he has a rather impressive record at the popular Asian Tour event, this season's 14th leg. In his debut in 1999 as an amateur, Liang made the cut to finish 62nd and improved in the following year to finish 25th.

He then posted back-to-back tied ninth outings in 2001 and 2002, the years when compatriot and mentor Zhang Lianwei triumphed in succession. Zhang will also be teeing up this week in his bid for a third Macao Open crown.

Macao Sport Development Board Acting President Alex Vong welcomed Liang's decision to feature in the Macao Open. "We are absolutely delighted that Liang has agreed to play in the Macao Open next week.

"With a line-up of top players from the Asian Tour plus David Howell in the field, Liang's presence will greatly enhance our tournament and help us usher in the 10th anniversary of the Macao Open."

Liang said he knows the challenging par-71 course rather well although he has not played in the Macao Open for several years. "I've taken trips to Macao to play in practice rounds over the last few years as it's so close to home," he said.

"I was over in Macao earlier this year and I know the course fairly well. It's a challenging test but I'm looking forward to it as I've played well there in the past."

After seven seasons on the Asian Tour without a victory, Liang broke through at the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters in March, winning the title in a play-off against Malaysia's Iain Steel.

He joined Zhang as a winner of a co-sanctioned event with Europe and has continued to enjoy a rich vein of form where he was second in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in Korea last weekend after leading for three rounds. That performance helped Liang join the Asian Tour's million-dollar club in career earnings.

Haig, winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, leads the UBS Order of Merit with $427,685 but as he is not playing in Macao, Liang intends to capitalise on his absence.

"I've improved as a player over the years by playing on the Asian Tour and in Japan. The experience has helped me become better. I would like to win the UBS Order of Merit," said Liang.

After the Macao Open, Liang will head for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Tour's flagship tournament. Following that event, he plans to feature in tournaments in Japan as well before switching his attention back to Asia towards the end of the year in his hopes to become the first Chinese player to become Asia's kingpin of golf in 2007.

Meanwhile, England's David Howell has reluctantly been forced to withdraw from the Macao Open on medical grounds.

Scans on a problem which forced him to pull out of the Wachovia Championship after one round and The Players after just two holes last week have identified the problem and specialists recommended further rest.

"It is with great reluctance and no little sorrow that I have had to withdraw from the Macao Open," said the 31-year-old Englishman.