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BEIJING Yang Yong-euns trailblazing major championship triumph -- the first for an Asian man -- has been universally welcomed by golf bodies around the region as a boost to the growth of the game and a spur to other players.
Most agree that the Sundays PGA Championship victory can also only make Asia, already the worlds fastest growing golf market, more attractive to sponsorship even if it does make the South Korean less likely to play regularly on the continent.
'This is a fantastic win not only for Yang but also for golf in Asia,' said Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han.
'This win has once again underlined the growing strength of the game in Asia.'
While the impact on youngsters taking up the game may be limited to Yangs native country, rising Japanese talent Ryo Ishikawa said it would make a difference to how Asian players were perceived.
'His victory has changed peoples view of Asian golfers,' the 17-year-old said.
'I havent suddenly thought I can win a major just because he did. But it will give us all added motivation to try to be in contention at the big tournaments.'
Ishikawa is the leading light of the Japanese Tour but the likelihood is that if he is to fulfil his potential, he will abandon his national tour for Europe or the US, as Yang did.
The 37-year-old Yang started his career on the Korean Tour before moving on to the more lucrative Japanese Tour as well as making regular appearances on the growing Asian Tour.
BREAKTHROUGH VICTORY
His breakthrough victory came at the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai -- where he also beat Tiger Woods into second place -- and that secured him membership of the European Tour, although he later opted to go to qualifying school for the US PGA Tour.
'Ask any golfer, they will first say they want to go to the European Tour and then to the US. That is the dream of every professional golfer,' said Indian Golf Union boss Satish Aparajit, who welcomed Yangs win as 'great news' for Asian golf.
Thai PGA president Boonchu Ruangkit also saw the number of Asians playing in the US as evidence of the strength of the game in the region.
'Its a great thing for Asian golf and in five to six years, well see a lot more Asian players in the US PGA tour and people will start to take Asian golf more seriously,' Ruangkit said.
'Already the sport is growing fast in Thailand, we have more of tournaments, more investment. Big wins like this from Asians should bring more.'
Australias ailing professional tour is cautionary evidence, however, that nurturing major winners does not necessarily result in a strong domestic game.
Home to a string of major winners over the last half a century, top Australian talents like 2006 US Open winner and world number eight Geoff Ogilvy now have few options but to move abroad to make a living.
FLEDGLING TOUR
The result, as in other sports, has been for Australia to look to closer ties with Asia and this year the Australian PGA launched the OneAsia 'super series' along with China and South Korean golfing bodies.
'The vision of OneAsia is that within five to 10 years we can have the leading golfers playing the better part of their time here in the region and still fulfilling all their goals,' said Ben Sellenger, Commissioner of the Australian PGA.
The fledgling tour has faced fierce opposition from the Asian Tour with Han accusing the Australians of 'invading' the continent and 'cannibalising' the Asian Tour events.
This week, though, the battle for the future of the professional game in Asia was put to one side to hail Yangs achievement.
'Its a fantastic result for the Asian region ... Its a huge boost,' said Australian PGA chief Max Garsky, adding 'I think in recent years, the European and US tours have been very mindful of the potential of Asian golfers, but they will be even more so now.'
