Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Gavin Green makes his eagerly-anticipated professional debut at the PGM Rahman Putra Championship on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) today.
The big-hitting 21-year-old Malaysian created headlines last year when he stormed to an 11-shot victory to become the first amateur to win on the ADT.
This morning he will be aiming to come out with all guns blazing when he tees-off at the Rahman Putra Golf Club.
Touted as one of Asia’s brightest prospects, Green enjoyed a decorated amateur career at the University of New Mexico in the United States and rose to fifth place on the men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking [WAGR].
He signed off his amateur career in 12th spot in the WAGR, the second highest placed Asian after Chinese Taipei’s Pan Cheng-tsung.
Green is aware of the expectations and pressure that will be on him at the RM250,000 (about US$69,250) event.
“I’ve completed my college career in the United States. The plan to turn professional was always in the pipeline. Playing as an amateur before and as a professional now definitely requires a change in mindset and I will take some time to get used to it,” said Green.
“Winning on the ADT last year helped a lot with my confidence but I was playing as an amateur back then. I am sure playing as a professional will be different. Right now, I will just focus on these next two weeks and try to play in whichever events that I can get starts in.
“Rahman Putra is a tough course with a couple of blind holes, so I just have to be very patient. I’m currently working on parts of my game. I haven’t played competitive golf for the last three weeks so I am just trying to get back into the groove of things.
“Right now, I just want to stay patient and positive. I am working very hard on my swing to get it together for this week.”
He has also received a sponsor’s exemption into next week’s Queen’s Cup in Koh Samui, Thailand, which is a US$300,000 Asian Tour tournament.
Green’s best result on the Asian Tour was recorded at the 2013 Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters where he finished tied sixth. He has also finished inside the top-50 at the last three Maybank Malaysian Opens, an event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.