Highly-rated Lee Chieh-po of Chinese Taipei is ready to kick-start his professional career by putting on a solid performance at the Charming Yeangder ADT next week.
Lee, who turned professional in January and earned his 2015 Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School in the same month, will be among the local stars at the US$150,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the richest event on the schedule this season.
Local hotshots Lin Wen-tang, Lu Wei-chih, Hung Chien-yao and Chan Shih-chang, who swept three victories on the ADT to finish second on the Order of Merit last season, will also feature at the National Garden Golf and Country Club from March 26 to 29.
They will challenge for honours against a strong international cast at the ADT event which has attracted players from 19 different countries including Wilson Choo, Arie Irawan and Rizal Amin of Malaysia, American Brett Munson, James Byrne of Scotland and Japanese Masaru Takahashi.
Lee took pride in his performance at the Qualifying School Final Stage where he finished tied-fifth and is confident of reproducing his good form on home soil next week.
âMy gameâs pretty good at the moment. I made some adjustments to my swing and it feels better than how it was when I played earlier in the Qualifying School. I am very excited about the event next week and I am really looking forward to it,â said Lee.
âPutting has been my strength for the past six months or so. I just have to keep it consistent. The greens would be a challenge at this course so I would have to spend some time working on the course strategy. I will try and focus one day at a time,â he added.
The 20-year-old enjoyed an illustrious amateur career where he was crowned the top amateur on home soil in 2011 and 2012. He even won a local professional tournament as an amateur last November.
âI havenât set any targets for myself but I told myself to focus on the process and not the outcome. We shall see how it goes. Securing my Asian Tour card earlier this year has given me a great boost in confidence and assurance in myself.
âIâm not exactly nervous or stressed out just because itâs going to be my first event since I turned professional. I am very eager to get out there and compete!â added Lee.
The ADT will reward the top-five finishers on the Order of Merit at the end of this season with Asian Tour cards for 2016.
With the Olympic Games looming in 2016 where golf will be reintroduced as a medal sport, players in the region could earn their spots in Rio de Janeiro by earning Official World Golf Ranking points through the Asian Tour and ADT.
Chan and Arie are currently in the field for the Olympic Games based on the latestâs rankings.
For more information on the ADT, please visit www.
