WHAT'S the secret behind Lin Wen-tang's blistering success this season?

His smile.

The Chinese Taipei golfing star continued the Asian Tour's success story with his victory at the UBS Hong Kong Open on Sunday, and revealed that the secret behind his giant-killer feat was in his smile, reported asiantour.com.

The composure and smile was for all to see at the Fanling Golf Club each time the confident 34-year-old teed up for a shot or strolled across the fairways at the US$2.5 million ($3.75m) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

'To excel at the highest level in professional golf, your mental strength has to be very strong too,' he said.

'The pressure will always be there and for me, no matter whether I hit a good or bad shot, I always tell myself to keep smiling, relax, and not let anything distract me.'

Lin did not disappoint as he kept his composure and went on to defeat Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Italy's Francesco Molinari in a thrilling play-off for the UBS Hong Kong Open title as well as the winner's cheque of US$416,660.

That win not only underlined the strength and quality of Lin's game, but also showed that he is able to match the best, creating an upset over tournament marquee names that included four-time US PGA Tour winner, Rory Sabbatini, defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez and former winners Colin Montgomerie, Jose Mar??a Olaz??bal and the legendary Bernhard Langer.

'I feel very excited and proud to be a Chinese to win the tournament, and I'm happy to have proven that a Chinese can do it,' added Lin, who rises to second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and also the first Asian golfer to win the UBS Hong Kong Open title in a decade.

With a fourth Asian Tour win to his record, Lin's fans in Asia will also get to see more of him in action, especially since the ever-smiling father of two has now pledged to continue playing more on the Asian Tour.

'I will stay longer on the Asian Tour, because I want to play better on the Asian Tour, and also there are a lot of supporters, sponsors, friends in Asia.

'As an Asian Tour player, I would like to spend more time on the Tour,' said the Taipei-based winner, who hails from a family of talented golfers that include his uncle, Lin Chi-hsiang, and younger brother, Lin Wen-hong.

Well-deserved rest

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, who started the ball rolling with an Asian win at the Barclays Singapore Open the previous week, has virtually sealed the 2008 Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

And he will be looking forward to a well-deserved rest after his exploits in Hong Kong where he finished tied for 11th.

'It's been a good week especially after last week. I am mentally tired but I've hung in there and kept with the pace, so I am happy with this week's performance,' said Singh.

The Asian Tour heads to the Mission Hills Golf Club for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup this week, where 28 nations will all be hoping to win the lions' share of the US$5.5m prize.

ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT

(Figures in US$)

1. Jeev Milkha Singh $1,447,481.69

2. Lin Wen-tang $820,839.81

3. Mark Brown $767,630.44

4. Liang Wenchong $521,428.24

5. S.S.P. Chowrasia $474,105.00

6. David Gleeson $447,338.30

7. Arjun Atwal $430,201.50

8. Bae Sang Moon $409,545.18

9. Scott Strange $380,678.35

10. Thaworn Wiratchant $369,880.27

11. Noh Seung Yul $339,641.42

12. Jyoti Randhawa $326,193.74

13. Prayad Marksaeng $317,437.73

14. Kane Webber $292,283.89

15. Lu Wen-teh $252,622.21

16. Adam Blyth $248,577.77

17. Taichiro Kiyota $242,331.00

18. Scott Hend $233,093.46

19. Chapchai Nirat $225,083.22

20. Simon Griffiths $214,239.98

SELECTED:

24. Mardan Mamat $192,142.65

49. Lam Chih Bing $113,441.67