HSB / Linkou, Chinese Taipei
Sweden’s Daniel Chopra will be looking to rekindle his fond memories of Chinese Taipei when he returns to the popular Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) for the first time since 2016 next week.
The 45-year-old Chopra, who has claimed two of his 15 professional victories in Chinese Taipei, is ready to challenge for top honours again at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, where he enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish in his debut appearance in 2014.
Buoyed by a recent victory in Florida, Chopra, also a regular golf commentator now, is looking to replicate that success when he tees off for the US$500,000 full-field event, where he will play on a sponsor’s invitation.
“I like the golf course at the Linkou Golf and Country Club. The first time I played there, I finished tied-fourth. I am looking forward to return to Chinese Taipei for the event. Mr. Emmet Hsu (Chairman of the Yeangder Group) is very nice to offer me an invite.
“I won twice in Chinese Taipei and the next time I went back, I came in tied-fourth at the Yeangder TPC. Chinese Taipei has been a good slump breaker for me over the years,” said Chopra, who won the 1995 Taiwan Open and the Mercuries Taiwan Masters for his first Asian Tour title in 2001.
Born in Sweden to an Indian father and a Swedish mother, Chopra moved to India when he was seven where he was raised by his grandparents. In 2015, he returned to ply his trade in Asia and won the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
“I just won one of the small events in Florida recently. The game’s been pretty good. Started to figure out a few things on my game, telling myself to do what I need to do when I see shots in my head. Obviously looking for a good result to play my way back to the Asian Tour,” Chopra added.
Chopra also sang praises for the emergence of talents on the Asian Tour, having followed the rapid rise of Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Justin Harding of South Africa over the last couple of years.
“I’m always happy to see guys progressing to play on the world stage through the Asian Tour. I always thought the Asian Tour is a wonderful place for the next generation of golfers to hone their skills and get tested against some of the most amazing players from all over the world.
“I’m not surprised that they do well on the big stage because the variety of challenges you face on the Asian Tour, like the conditions, cultures, type of grasses, etc. You learn so much more when you play on the Asian Tour than any other Tours as a young golfer,” said Chopra, who has also won twice on the PGA TOUR.
Other notable players who will feature in the 2019 Yeangder TPC include India’s Shiv Kapur and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, as well as Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang, Chan Shih-chang and Lu Wei-chih, the only local player to have won the event in 2011.
The Yeangder TPC will celebrate its ninth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour next week. It will be the Tour’s first stop in Chinese Taipei this season.