Asian Tour golf legend passes away aged 61 years old
Asian Tour legend Kyi Hla Han has sadly passed away aged 61 after complications arising from his cancer treatment.
Asian Tour legend Kyi Hla Han has sadly passed away aged 61 years old in Singapore following complications arising from cancer treatment.
Han won 12 times in a professional career that began in 1980 and he also became Asian Tour No.1 when winning the Order of Merit in 1999.
During this very sad moment, the Asian Tour pays tribute to Kyi Hla Han. The Tour would not be where it is today without him.
May you rest in peace, Kyi Hla. You will be greatly missed and never forgotten. https://t.co/1yCCKM6aS8 pic.twitter.com/ry58M81zlO
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) February 21, 2022
"Asian golf has lost one of its greatest players, its greatest personalities and its greatest leaders," Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and chief executive of the Asian Tour said in a statement. "We will forever remember Kyi Hla."
Han, who was pivotal to the growth in Asian golfers after his retirement from the Asian Tour in 2004, was described as "one of the most iconic figures in Asian golf".
This is real sad news.
Kyi Hla, I will miss your friendly ways and our great discussions.
Gone way too soon.
Rest in peace my friend
https://t.co/CwuqHsaUJS— Thomas Bjørn (@thomasbjorngolf) February 21, 2022
Former European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn tweeted: "This is real sad news. Kyi Hla, I will miss your friendly ways and our great discussions. Gone way too soon. Rest in peace my friend."
Han also acted as the Asian Tour's executive chairman in 2006, a position he assumed for more than 10 years.
"On a personal note, Kyi Hla was a mentor to many of us within the management of the Asian Tour and was a massive influence in many of our lives and careers," said Cho.
"He always put the Asian Tour and its members first and was ultra-passionate about seeing Asian golf rise up on to the world stage."
The Asian Tour said it will create a Kyi Hla Han Future Champion Award in his honour to help the development of junior golfers in the region.
