Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 20: Malaysia’s Gavin Green believes the comforts of home will give him the opportunity to put up a performance befitting of his status as the country’s number one golfer when the Maybank Championship starts on Thursday.

Green, who has been plying his trade mainly in Europe since claiming the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit crown, is playing in a home event for the first time in almost a year.

The Malaysian’s last appearance on home soil was at the Maybank Championship last year where he finished tied-39th and he is seeking a much improved performance in front of the local crowd this week.

Australian rookie Zach Murray, who claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough in New Zealand at the start of the month, is hoping to continue his winning run in Malaysia.

The 21-year-old served notice of his talent with his wire-to-wire victory in what was only his third start on the Asian Tour since coming through the Qualifying School last December.

Newly appointed Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington is meanwhile playing in his first competitive event after suffering a broken wrist at home late last year.

The Irishman is aware of the tough challenge ahead as he believes the course conditions at the Saujana Golf and Country Club will provide one of the sternest tests for players who are used to playing in Europe.

Did you know?

• Gavin Green is the first Malaysian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2017.
• As a 23-year-old then, Green became the second youngest golfer to win the accolade since 2004, when the Asian Tour was established. Korea’s Seungyul Noh was 19 years old when he won the merit title in 2010.
• Green claimed his maiden Asian Tour title at the 2017 Mercuries Taiwan Masters, after notching four top-10 results earlier in the year, including three runner-up finishes in India, Chinese Taipei and Korea.
• Prior to turning professional in 2015, Green enjoyed an illustrious career which saw him become the first amateur to win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) following his victory in 2014.
• He also represented his country at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro alongside Danny Chia, a two-time Asian Tour winner, where he finished where he finished 47th.
• Zach Murray of Australia is the third fastest rookie to win on the Asian Tour after Kane Webber (2006 Macao Open) and Todd Sinnott (2017 Leopalace Myanmar Open), who both won on their second starts on Tour.
• Murray secured his 2019 Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School last December after finishing fourth in the 90-hole event.
• Murray led from start to finish when he won the Nexus Risk TSA Group WA Open (an event on the PGA Tour of Australasia) as an amateur golfer in October 2018. One month later, he made his professional debut at the Australian Open. Murray claimed another wire-to-wire victory for his first professional title at the 100th New Zealand Open earlier this month.
• Murray was ranked as high as 19th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
• Padraig Harrington is a back-to-back winner of The Open in 2007 and 2008. He also won another Major at the PGA Championship trophy in 2008.
• The Irishman has won four times in Asia, including in Malaysia back in 2010 when he captured the Iskandar Johor Open title.