THE Asian Tour's 2011 season kicks off in India this week and it promises to build on last year's historic milestones while unearthing new and worthy champions.

The second edition of the Avantha Masters, which prize fund has been significantly bolstered by 20 percent to a lucrative E1.8 million (RM7.4 million), will have the honour of raising the curtain at the DLF Golf and Country Club starting tomorrow.

Title holder Andrew Dodt of Australia, one of nine first-time winners to emerge on the Asian Tour last season, will defend his crown against Asia's and Europe's top stars including India's Jeev Milkha Singh and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, both former Asian Tour number ones.

Over the next 10 months, the region's elite circuit will travel to as far as Switzerland for the Omega European Masters and in the Far East to Japan for the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open.

Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han believes all eyes will be on the region's top players and events following a memorable 2010 campaign which heralded Korean sensation Noh Seung Yul as the youngest ever Order of Merit champion.

While Hla Han expects seasoned campaigners like Thongchai and compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant, and Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka to shine again, he believes young guns like Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Namchok Tantipokhakul, Korea's Baek Seuk Hyun, Malaysia's Ben Leong and Indian duo Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri will show their star quality.

"Our mission is to do our best and create more playing opportunities for our talented members. The Tour is here to enhance the careers of our players and develop them into world-class stars, very much like how Noh Seung Yul has matured since he joined the Asian Tour in 2008," said Hla Han.

On the corporate front, the Asian Tour received welcoming news when title sponsor Maybank pledged its commitment to the Maybank Malaysian Open for another five years and also increased its prize money to US$2.5 million (RM7.6 million).

The inaugural Indonesian Masters will also make its debut in April with World No 1 Lee Westwood of England starring in the event while the Tour's secondary circuit, the Asian Development Tour kicked off two weeks ago to a rousing success with last season's revelation Siddikur of Bangladesh winning the inaugural US$75,000 Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters.

Hla Han is confident the new season will once again showcase the cream of Asian golf at its best, having enjoyed renewed interest and strong support from Corporate Asia. "We are looking forward to another great year, starting with this week's Avantha Masters," he said.