Golf-Lee overcomes disability to target further victories

KOH SAMUI, Thailand, June 11 (Reuters) Lee Sung was unable to hear the cheering of the crowd or the ball dropping into cup on the 18th hole, but his maiden Asian Tour victory was still as sweet as any other player's.

The South Korean, who was born deaf, said his three-shot triumph at the Bangkok Airways Open was the result of hard work and mental preparation, insisting his lack of hearing would not stop him winning more trophies.

''It's not a problem at all,'' Lee told Reuters yesterday at the clubhouse of the Santiburi Country Club, nestled in the palm-clad hills of Thailand's Samui Island.

''Being deaf doesn't make a difference. I believe I can play on the U.S. PGA Tour in future,'' he added.

The 27-year-old communicates through his brother and first-time caddie Lee Sung-joo, who the golfer says has been instrumental in developing his swing and short game.

Lee was so impressed with his sibling's performance on the bag and in his role as translator, that he plans to give him the job on a full-time basis, taking over from their father.

The brothers write on notepads and use their own sign language while tackling the greens, and Lee's efforts to compensate for his deafness have drawn praise from some of his high-profile playing partners.

''It must be very difficult for him -- what he's doing is unbelievable,'' two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els said after the pair tied for fifth at the recent BMW Asian Open in Shanghai.

''So much that we do comes from feeling and sound. A good golf shot sounds good, and when you hit a good putt, it comes from good sound.'' COURSE RECORD Lee dominated the Samui tournament and topped the leaderboard for all four days, at one point opening up a 10-stroke advantage.

His best round came on Saturday when he hit nine birdies on his way to an impressive nine-under 62, which slashed two strokes off the course record.

The ever-smiling Korean won the hearts of the Thai crowd, and although he could not hear their applause, he was grateful for their help.

''I want to thank everyone for cheering me on and encouraging me so much,'' he said in a statement read out during his news conference.

''I think my hard work has come into full fruition at this tournament.'' Lee's career has had its ups and downs and he is determined to be a success in Asia before fulfilling his dream of playing on the U.S. PGA tour.

After more than a dozen amateur wins in South Korea, he turned professional in 2000 and played for three years on the U.S. Nationwide Tour before switching to Asia.

He lost his Asian Tour card after a dismal 2005 season but after making some major changes to his game, he is climbing back up the ladder.

Lee's brother says he has found a sport where being the quiet man isn't such a disadvantage.

''He used to play baseball, but we knew it wasn't good because he couldn't communicate with his team,'' Lee Sung-joo told Reuters.

''With golf, we don't have these problems anymore.'' REUTERS BJR RS1214