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The Asian Tour is still keen to work with Chinese golf despite being dumped in favor of the new OneAsia Tour by the Chinese Golf Association last year, Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han said.

The CGA became a founding member of the controversial OneAsia before last season, breaking a long association with the Asian Tour, which opposes the new Asia-Pacific series.

“We will continue to engage the CGA in dialogue. It cannot be denied that Chinese golf has benefited from the Asian Tour over the past few years,” Han told Friday’s China Daily newspaper.

Chinese golf remained in its infancy, Han added, and the top players the country has produced — former Asian No.1 Liang Wenchong, trailblazer Zhang Lianwei and Wu Ashun — all spent time on the Asian Tour.

“Liang was invited to play in the Masters, the British Open and World Golf Championship events in 2008 through his Order of Merit win on the Asian Tour while Zhang was also invited to play at the Masters in 2004,” Han told the paper.

“Wu established himself on the Asian Tour last year, while a number of places are given to Chinese players in the final stage of qualifying school.”

China is seen as a major area of potential growth for golf and sponsors, and tours have been flocking to the country in the last few years hoping to get their slice of the pie.

This week’s $2 million Malaysian Open, co-sanctioned by the European Tour, is the third stop of the season on the Asian Tour but its only tournament interests in China now are the $7 million WGC-HSBC Champions and the $5 million World Cup of Golf.

OneAsia’s 11-tournament schedule for 2010 includes three events in China, the season-opening $1 million Chengdu Open and next month’s $2.5 million China Open, also co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

“From 2004 to 2007, six tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour were played annually in China while five were sanctioned in 2008 which were co-sanctioned and full-field events,” said Han.

“This ... helped to grow the sport and the careers of Chinese golfers.” Reuters