KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's top golfer Mark Brown is preparing to embark on the newest phase of a career which is suddenly taking him places.
Brown, who won successive tournaments in India one month ago after a barren patch stretching back to 1996, is to divide his time in Asia and Europe for the rest of this year.
His win in the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi last month earned Brown, 33, exempt status on both the Asian and European circuits until the end of 2010.
Back home for a break, the world No 62 yesterday said his primary goal for the year was to top the Asian Tour's order of merit.
He presently heads the moneylist after five events with income of US$556,233 ($708,000).
Brown needs to appear in 10 Asian events to qualify for the order of merit title, and will add to his tally when he contests the China Open, starting on April 17 in Beijing, and the Asian Open a week later in Shanghai.
Both of those tournaments in China are European co-sanctioned events and a timely stepping stone to his drift north next month where he will debut in Europe at the Irish Open on May 15-18. Following that are the European Tour's PGA Championship at Virginia Water in England, the Wales Open, the European Open in London, Scottish Open and British Masters.
- NZPA
