Woods heads for Classic showdown
Tiger Woods was barely in his teens nine years ago when Nick Faldo, then at the peak of his golfing powers, etched his name into golf's record books as the inaugural winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic.
Sparked by a fine third round of nine-under-par 62 at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Faldo's victory was greeted with the same sense of inevitability that now occurs when Woods adds another title to his collection.
To this day, though, that imperious display by Faldo, who earlier in 1990 had won both the US Masters and British Open, still stands as a Composite Course record at Fanling and is regarded as one of the finest rounds witnessed in Asia.
As a player, he may no longer be the force that he was at the start of the decade, but it says much for Faldo's staying power that when the ninth edition of the Classic tees off in Taiwan this week he will be among the main drawcards, even if it is Woods who claims top billing.
While the contrast in the playing fortunes of Faldo and Woods has been stark during the final years of the century, the standing of the Classic as the region's premier golfing event has not wavered.
You only have to glance at the Classic's roll of honour to appreciate the quality of the golf that the tournament has produced over the years with no fewer than six Major champions having had their names inscribed on the distinctive trophy - Faldo (twice), Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Ernie Els . . . and Woods.
The only exception to the 'big-name' winner rule came at Bangkok's Pinehurst Country Club in 1992 when South African Ian Palmer surprised everyone, not least himself, by emerging triumphant.
Not only is it the list of high-profile winners that has helped to build the Classic's reputation for excellence, but also the fact that tournament sponsors United Distillers have remained faithful to their originally stated aim of promoting the game in the region by bringing the world's finest players to different countries.
As well as Hong Kong, the Classic has visited Thailand on three occasions, Singapore twice, and the Philippines and Australia once each.
Yet when Hong Kong was chosen to host the first Classic, the sponsors were, by their own admission, uncertain about the direction in which they wished the tournament to head. What they were clear about was that a major golf sponsorship would be the perfect vehicle to promote their Black Label brand in Asia.
It is to their credit that they have not stood still with their flagship international tournament. In conjunction with event promoters International Management Group, they have constantly sought to break new ground and set the standard by which all other golf events in the region are measured.
When they gathered in Hong Kong in 1990, officials could not have envisaged that the Classic would evolve from a 60-man invitational field, without affiliation to any of the world's professional Tours, into a tri-sanctioned event between the PGA Tours of Europe, Australia and Asia.
For that will be the case at Taiwan's Ta Shee Resort this week when players from each of those three circuits square off. Adding further spice is the participation of a trio of US PGA Tour regulars - Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh and the incomparable Woods.
And it is not only because of the presence of all-conquering world number one Woods that the ninth staging of the Classic will be especially poignant.
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Taiwan, many had questioned the wisdom of going ahead with the tournament there - both in terms of practicality and from an ethical and moral standpoint.
However, with the full support of the Taiwan Government the event will take place as scheduled.
Although attention on the course will be centred around Woods as he aims to defend the title he won in Phuket last year, this week's primary focus will be on raising funds for earthquake victims.
