Chinese Taipei duo Chan Shih-chang and C.T. Pan grew
up hearing tales about how Hsieh Min-nan and Lu Liang-huan attained golfing
immortality by winning the World Cup of Golf in Melbourne some four decades
ago.

Starting
Thursday, the region’s rising stars will have a first crack at emulating their
illustrious countrymen at the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath
Golf Club when they take on 27 other nations, including hosts Australia and the
United States, in the prestigious team event.

Both
Chan and Pan are making their debuts in the US$8 million team event, having
achieved career seasons. They are also reuniting for the first time in a decade
after teaming up in the 2006 Asian Games when they were amateurs.

Their
professional careers took on different paths but the close friends have shown
their potential. Chan, 30, broke through with two victories on the Asian Tour
this season while 25-year-old Pan, a former world amateur number one, earned
his PGA TOUR card via the Web.com Tour.

"It’s
an honour to be here especially playing with Chan as we last represented
Chinese Taipei in the Asian Games. It’s like going back to old memories and
it’s good to be here with him," said Pan.

"When
I was a kid, we grew up practising and hearing stories about Lu Liang-huan and
Hsieh Min-nan winning the World Cup. So that’s always in our memories. This
year, being able to come into the World Cup and representing Chinese Taipei,
we’ve always wanted to do that as junior golfers."

Pan
arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday night after notching a top-10 on the PGA TOUR
on Sunday while Chan is equally confident following a stunning year where he
won the King’s Cup in Thailand and Diamond Cup in Japan to be ranked fifth on
the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.

"I’m
very happy we’re together again. It’s been 10 years and our careers have gone
on different paths with him going to America while I’ve stayed in Asia. I’m
happy and honoured that we can play together again," said Chan.

"It’s
exciting to be here. I’ve got a good partner. I won’t be nervous so I think we
will have a chance. When he asked me if I wanted to play with him in the World
Cup, I was excited as it’s a real honour. This tournament is very important."

Pan
is equally excited to pair up with Chan. "I was happy to pick Chan as he’s won
two tournaments, he’s experienced and obviously he knows how to win. We have a
good team and who knows what can happen out there," he said.

With
strong winds prevailing over Kingston Heath, which is rated as one of the top
Australian courses, Chan is hoping to soar high on the leaderboard. Team
Australia, represented by Adam Scott and Marc Leishman, the United States team
of Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa
will start the week as favourites.

"The
winds are strong at Kingston Heath, and I think we have a chance as in Chinese
Taipei, it’s always strong winds and this feels very much like home," said Chan.

The
2016 World Cup will be the 58th staging of this event. For ticket information
and to follow all of the news, player features and more as the event
approaches, the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf web-site is http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/isps-handa-world-cup-of-golf.html.