Kyi Hla Han
It’s a sad day for Asian golf that one of Asia’s top players from 1980 to 2004, Kyi Hla (pronounced Chee-La) Han of Myanmar succumbed to complications from cancer treatment last Saturday afternoon in Singapore, where he had lived since around the year 2000. He was 61 years old – a dear friend who I sometimes roomed with on Tour and played with during the early 1990’s.
Kyi Hla was the first Asian back in the 1980’s to earn full playing rights on the European Tour while Asian golf still hadn’t taken off. He won on 12 occasions, most notably the 1994 Singapore Open and the Volvo China Open in 1999, the year he claimed the No 1 spot on the Asian Tour Merit list. He represented Myanmar in five World Cups.
He became known for his pioneering role as the first Asian PGA was formed in 1995 and as the de facto leader of Asian Pros – being well educated, outspoken and having travelled the world and played the European Tour for years. He was the leader of the Asian PGA from the players’ side and then when the new Asian Tour was formed in 2004 he became executive chairman until he stepped down in 2016. He was the first Asian to hold this position and by drawing on two and a half decades of experience he successfully led the Tour for over 10 years.
Kyi Hla guided the Tour to significance on the world stage and was the Tour’s face for two decades during which time the Tour became the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia.
Kyi Hla and myself spoke and met at various Asian Golf Business conferences over the years and whenever he attended an Asian Tour event in New Delhi. His sense of humour, candour and legacy of the Asian Tour will be remembered by all of us who knew him well.
We hope that today and in years to come, the young Asian Tour pros – Indians and others remember pioneers like Kyi Hla who helped pave the way for them to play on a top class tour.
Kyi Hla – my dear friend – you will be remembered and missed.
by Rishi Narain
Credits:-
Photo – Asian Tour