新浪体育讯　March 13, 2009: Asian Tour star Alex Wu Ashun will return to the Omega China Tour for next week’s RMB1 million Dell Championship in Xiamen, which boasts one of the strongest fields in the circuit’s five-year history。

　　Zhang Lianwei, a four-time Asian Tour winner, defending champion Li Chao and reigning Omega Order of Merit winner Liao Guiming are among the established Chinese stars competing for the circuit’s record-equalling purse (about US$146,000)， while many eyes will be on teenagers James Su Dong and Indiana University student Han Ren。

　　Lu Wen-teh and Lin Keng-chi, who have each won five times on the Asian Tour, are the event’s two Chinese Taipei invites. A 10-strong quota of foreign PGA qualifiers includes Q-School winner C.J. Gatto, Nick Redfern and former European Tour player Max Kellner。

　　Wu, China’s most successful Asian Tour player since Liang Wenchong, will be a popular draw as he returns to his native Fujian province after tying for fourth in last week’s US$500,000 Singha Thailand Open. It was his best finish on the regional circuit following a tied-seventh finish in February’s Asian Tour International。

　　“I really want to do well at the Dell Championship as I’ve never won on the Omega China Tour. I’ll play several events this year as I definitely want to become a champion,” said the 23-year-old, who is based in Shanghai but was born in Zhangzhou, near Xiamen。

　　“Recently I’ve been playing well on the Asian Tour because I learned so much in my first season as a pro. Now I’m more experienced, I also have a stronger mental game。”

　　After spending most of 2007 working on his game at Oak Valley Golf Academy in California, Wu turned pro after qualifying for last year’s Asian Tour. After a slow start, he made seven straight cuts last season, including a tied-11th finish at the Macau Open, and regained his card by finishing joint-fifth at this year’s Qualifying School。

　　Wu also racked up two top-10 and top top-20 finishes in his four appearances on last year’s Omega China Tour and is now making his 10th appearance on his domestic circuit following five earlier appearances as an amateur。

　　“The Omega China Tour has become more competitive as there are more good players, such as the Chinese Taipei invites and the foreign players from Q-School,” Wu said. “The whole level of competition has improved greatly. I’m excited about playing on the Tour again and I hope to learn from some of these top players。”

　　Lu and Lin will bring decades of top-level experience to the event. Lu, who has won over US$1.3 million on the Asian Tour, became the circuit’s first non-mainland winner last April when he held off teenage playing partner Benny Ye Jianfeng to win the Kunming Championship。

　　The veteran’s victory ushered in a period of domination by experienced Chinese Taipei pros, with compatriot Hsu Mong-nan victorious in Shanghai and Tsai Chi-huang winning back-to-back titles in Chengdu and Tianjin。

　　However, Lu believes Wu and other young Chinese golfers are set to replicate the achievements of Zhang and Liang in the international arena。

　　“I’m happy to return to the Omega China Tour because I really enjoyed playing last year. I know Wu Ashun and Shang Lei from the Asian Tour. Wu is a very good player, with a good attitude and personality. He has an open mind and has the power to win,” said the 46-year-old Lu, winner of back-to-back Mercuries Taiwan Masters titles。

　　“Li Chao is also a good player and has a good chance to win again in Xiamen. There are also so many excellent younger players. I hope more young players from the mainland and Chinese Taipei will have a chance to compete on the Asian Tour。”

　　Lin, known as ‘Lin the Pin’ for his accurate iron play on his way to winning the 1995 Asian Tour Order of Merit, has spent much of his career in Japan and will be making his debut on the Omega China Tour。

　　This year marks the second full season the Omega China Tour is offering two invites each to Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Macau, and places for 10 foreign PGA members resident in Greater China who earned their place at Qualifying School。