Top contenders get ready for Myanmar Open 2003

Hot, dry weather, sapphire blue skies and a few new wrinkles on one of Asia's oldest golf courses welcomed the region's touring pros as they completed preparations for the Myanmar Open, which tees off tomorrow Thursday, 27 February.

Six of the Asian PGA's top ten ranked players -- including #7 Daniel Chopra (SWE); #8 Simon Yates (Scot); #9 Craig Kamps and Thailand's Thammanoon Sriroj (#6), Prayad Marksaeng (#5) and last year's Myanmar Open champion,  Thongchai Jaidee, currently ranked #10 on the APGA Order of Merit - used the traditional Myanmar Open Pro-Am event at Yangon Golf Club to fine tune their games.

"It was my first time playing here," said Kevin Na, the 21-year old Korean who was named Asian PGA Rookie of the Year in 2002. "I'd heard the grass was a bit tough last year, but the course was in pretty good condition. It's a  real old style golf course. It was fun out there.":

Twenty-six Myanmar nationals, including Myanmar's top 20 National Order of Merit players, are led by their best known countrymen, Kyi Hla Han and  Zaw Moe. Kyi Hla Han, the 1999 Asian PGA Order of Merit Winner, and Zaw Moe are setting high goals for themselves in front of the home crowd.

"There is a little more pressure on me here because I'm playing at home," said Han, who has battled back from a series of injuries. "I haven't been  playing as well as I'd like in recent years, but I feel I've been getting better since about October. I feel my game is coming back.

"I came to Yangon over Chinese New Year (January) and managed to get in about 6 or 7 rounds here," Han said of the Yangon Golf Club, founded in  1909, "I hope I have prepared myself well enough."

Fellow Myanmar player Zaw Moe is trying a different approach in 2003.

"I've changed my strategy a little bit this year. Last year I practiced a lot here prior to the tournament," said Zaw Moe, who played much of 2002 on the  Japan Tour. "This year, I've just come here straight after playing two tournaments in a row."

Last year's Myanmar Open champion Thongchai Jaidee is taking his defense of the crown seriously this year.

"I didn't play in Perth (at the Johnnie Walker Classic two weeks ago) in order to build up my fitness. Right now I think my performance is good," said  Jaidee. "I am quite happy with the condition of the course. The fairways and the greens are perfect. I hope to play well here this week."