INQUIRER Sports

SINGAPORE - Padraig Harrington has welcomed the Singapore Open being co-sanctioned for the first time by the European Tour, saying it was crucial that Asian players got to compete with the world's best.

The three-time Major winner said many Asians had top notch games but often struggled in Europe and the United States because of a lack of experience.

Co-sanctioning events was one way to give them that.

"If more Asian players play with the Europeans and with the best players in the world, the more comfortable they become doing that and the easier it will become for them to leave Asia and play in Europe and the US," he said.

"If you have an Asian player coming here this week and beating Phil Mickelson, then when he goes to the States he's not going to feel too bad about taking him on and trying to beat him there.

"But if he went there without this sort of experience, he would be out of his comfort zone a little bit."

Few Asians have successfully made the leap to Europe or the United States and made good.

Of those who have, only Korea's K.J Choi and Yang Yong-Eun, India's Jeev Milkha Singh and a handful of Japanese have enjoyed much success.

"I mean the Asian players are good now, it's just that when they leave and go to Europe or the US it's different and sometimes they don't perform to their abilities," added the world number six.

"They tend to be far better players on their own territory and if we can come over and play here and they can get comfortable with that, get used to that, when they travel they won't have a problem.

"It's very important for them to expand their horizons and by us coming over here it will certainly help. They will see us and realize, yes, we can beat them."

The Asian Tour and European Tour are co-sanctioning nine events this year.