China Open title begins with a 1.5 million prize

"I only live an hour away but it's actually my first time here," said Kho, 22, the first Hong Kong-born player to win on the Asian Tour. "Like the other guys, I managed to get out there yesterday and see it, it's a great golf course, the type of grass is really good and I think the greens are the same as my home course so it is good to have that familiarity. Overall it has been a fun week so far and I hope to have a good week.

"I feel really good about my game. It has been a fun year so far just to learn and to grow every week. When I won at the Asian Games (in Hangzhou) it was really good to see that local support with a lot of Chinese fans out there, so hopefully I get a little more of that this week and it will be good to feed off that."

With an Asian Tour victory and an Asian Games gold medal to his credit, Kho was asked which one was more special.

"Both wins were really special," he said. "In Hong Kong, I was able to do it in front of all my friends and family at my home course, and that has a really special place in my heart. But the Asian Games is probably the best golf I have ever played in my life. A win is a win and I treat both of them equally.

"It's a huge privilege to have those titles but I'm pretty sure as the years come on there will be good Hong Kong players and good Chinese mainland players. I know I am not going to be the only one in the near future but it's good to be where I am at just now."