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OneAsia season gets under way in Indonesia

The Thai star, noted for his unorthodox swing, begins his defence of the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open at the Emeralda Golf Club on Thursday and expects the course to provide a stiff challenge.

“It is very difficult,” Thaworn said on the eve of the tournament in quotes released by the organisers.

“The conditions are very tough. You have to play very well to win here,” adding that he would settle for a top 20 spot come Sunday evening.

Thaworn, who won the title by a single shot last year, faces strong competition from a contingent of Japanese players, including Shingo Katayama, who has won 26 titles and notched up $20 million in career earnings.

Katayama said staying out of the heavy rough would be the key to success this week. “Very hard. You must stay on the fairway or you are in trouble,” he explained.

Local favourite Rory Hie, who finished tied for second last year, said he was trying to think positively ahead of the tournament after a bogey on the final hole in 2011 cost him a chance of victory.

“I have learnt from that and I am looking ahead now,” he said. “I am focused on what needs to be done and I think I have grown as a player.”

The $1 million tournament is the richest on Indonesia’s sporting calendar and is one of 14 events on the OneAsia schedule, which has a total purse of $16 million.

The OneAsia circuit was established in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA.