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China's Liang Wen-Chong made a grand gesture after winning the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters on Sunday, pledging to donate his prize money from the event to the development of golf in his country.

The 28-year-old picked up a $183,330 check after defeating Iain Steel of Malaysia in a sudden-death playoff to win at Laguna National Golf and Country Club. And the native of Zhongshan in Guangdong province later revealed his intention to see his winnings go to good use.

"I am sure that there are a lot of golf enthusiasts in China and I want to take this opportunity to announce that I am donating all of my winnings to start up a fund for the development of golf in China," said Liang.

This is not the first time Liang has made such a magnanimous gesture. Last October he donated his $19,000 first prize from the Omega Championship back to the fledgling China Golf Tour.

"I hope the winnings from this event will encourage Chinese society to give us more support in assisting the development of all aspects of golf. I hope more young players will pick up the sport," Liang explained Sunday.

"It's not about the money. I just want to do my part as a golfer to help golf in China," he added. "I still have not decided yet how the money will be distributed but I will give all of it as a donation."

Having been encouraged to take up the game as a teenager, Liang revealed his depth of gratitude to the Zhongshan Hot Spring Golf Club, which nurtured his development.

"Before them, I never knew what golf was. They helped my development, paid for me to play in tournaments and it was through them that I am what I am today," he said. "I started when I was 15 years old and joined Zhongshan Hot Spring Golf Club. And, just like how the club has helped me out, I want to do the same with the development of golf in China."

EXTENDING THE DEAL IN ESTORIL: The European Tour has signed a new three-year agreement with the Estoril Tourism Board, the Portuguese Golf Federation and Quinta de Marinha Oitavos Golfe to stage the Estoril Open of Portugal.

Located about 15 miles west of the Portuguese capital of Lisbon on the Atlantic coastline, Quinta de Marinha Oitavos Golfe will host the 2007 edition of the $1.25 million Estoril Open of Portugal from March 29-April 1.

The Arthur Hills-designed course will be hosting a European Tour event for the second time, having staged the 2005 Estoril Open of Portugal, won by England's Paul Broadhurst, who went on to make a successful title defense 12 months later in the Algarve.

The venue owns the distinction of having staged tournaments on all three European circuits over the past four years. As well as the Estoril Open of Portugal two years ago, it hosted the 2003 and 2004 European Seniors Tour Championship and the 2006 Estoril Seniors Open of Portugal, and the 2004 Estoril Challenge Open on the European Challenge Tour.

SUDDENLY IN DEMAND: Anton Haig, the 20-year-old South African who won the recent Johnnie Walker Classic, admits he is struggling to come to terms with his sudden popularity.

"I haven't had time to do anything really. Everyone's coming up and congratulating me and phone call after phone call, it hasn't stopped," he said. "I was woken twice last night by my friends who were saying they miss me."

Even compatriot Ernie Els has been on the phone to congratulate the youngster.

"I've got a phone call from Ernie and his friends saying congratulations and that there are many more events left and to try to strike to win a few more times," he said. "Coming from him, that was great."

Winning on the European Tour has it perks, and for Haig it means full tour privileges for two years and an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the top players in the game.

"It's been a great experience for me," he said. "I've been mixing with Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke, and it feels good to be part of that group now being able to play on the European Tour without any invites.

"It's changed my life," he added. "I don't know what tournaments it'll get me in, but I know there are a few big ones out there."

And while the South African has his eye on bigger prizes, his short-term plan remains to try to improve his position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

"I'll be playing more on the European Tour this year," he said, "but I would like to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit so I'll be here for my full 10 events."

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