The new icons of Asia

Over the past year or two, many players on the women's LPGA have begun to feel concerned over the way Asian women have begun to dominate women's golf.

So far, it was just a question of Korean and some Japanese women, but now, Taiwanese and Thai women have also been attracting attention. The latest to join the brigade is a 25-year-old Filipino Jennifer Rosales, who won the $1.6 million Chick-Fil-A Championship.

Last week, Korean player Se Ri Pak, only in her seventh season accumulated enough points to ensure a place in Women's Hall of Fame for golf, an accolade not given before a player completes 10 years on Tour. Another Korean woman, Grace Park, has done the same.

Currently, five of the top 10 money-earners in women's golf are from Asia. Over the past decade, during which Korean women have become a dominant force, a good number of Majors and LPGA events have come their way.

Grace Park (2), Se Ri Pak (3), M Hyun-Kim (6), Jennifer Rosales (7) and Jung Yeon Lee (8) dot the top 10 list, besides which Thai sensation Aree Song is No.11 in her first year on the Ladies' Tour.

Asian women have made a big mark despite the fact there really is no worthwhile women's circuit in Asia. There used to be some events for Asian women professionals, but those have dwindled further and the prize money is negligible. So many women have been forced to look for a career option in pro golf elsewhere, and the US provides the best platform.

Asian women, particularly those from the Far East are known to work hard, start early in their career, and they often pool in money to stay together in a flat. And this is not only for company but also to cut down expenses.

When they first arrive, they find it difficult to even converse in English, so they stick together. But now with Se Ri Pak and Grace Park becoming icons in women's golf, things have changed.

The next lot of Asian women golfers in the US will be more in the mould of Michelle Wie, who has studied and grown up in the US. There is also Aree Song, a teenager from Thailand, who along with her sister Naree Song, could be the next big stars to hit women's golf.

In contrast, the men, who have had a better structured pro circuit in Asia, have made only slight inroads into the top echelons of world golf.

For instance, the best results have come from Korean Choi Kung-Ju, the only Asian male player in the world's top 20 list. Choi came in third behind eventual winner Phil Mickelson in the US Masters last month. The other name that stands is Shigeki Maruyama of Japan.

Clearly, there is a huge difference between men and women's golf, with the former having greater depth. As a result, breaking through men's golf is much tougher.

Still players like Kevin Na of Korea, Arjun Atwal and Daniel Chopra have got PGA cards but are struggling to get noticed in their first year. A Major is going to be some distance away for all these players.

Apart from Korea and Japan, which have always been ahead of rest of Asia in terms of golfing talent and facility, the next lot of Asian stars are likely to emerge from China, India and Thailand, which are now widely seen as a potential growth areas for the sport.