Phil Mickelson is playing the Singapore Open next month, his first foray into Asia for a golf tournament. But one that he expects to see more and more Americans making:

Hmm, something tells me that freeing up its stars to play overseas wasn't something the PGA Tour had in mind when it condensed the schedule into the FedEx Cup followed by the lesser tournaments of the Fall Series. Something tells me the PGA Tour is probably PO'd by these comments by Phil, since complaints by its stars about the length of the schedule was one reason the schedule was shortened.

Who knew this star really wanted a shorter PGA Tour schedule so he'd have time to play golf in Asia?

But regardless of why Mickelson said what he said, what he said is probably true. Asia is the hot spot for growth in the game of golf in the coming decades.

In fact, I believe the Asian Tour has the potential to overtake the European Tour as the No. 2 men's tour in golf. The Euro Tour might have some fears of that happening, too: earlier this year the Euros twice struck deals for tournaments in India, which is considered Asian Tour territory, without informing the Asian Tour of its plans, and without offering the Asian Tour co-sanctioning status.

The Europeans, it appears to me, are racing to get into Asia before the Asian Tour locks up the Indian subcontinent and other points around its territory.

There are many people in India, China and other parts of Asia, so many untapped markets, so many potential golfers, and - this is the important part - so many booming ecomonies, huge conglomerates and potential sponsors - that big tournaments like the Barclays sponsored Singapore Open are going to be popping up. Phil thinks so:

First those sponsors will offer huge appearance fees to stars like Mickelson, but eventually they'll simply have purses large enough to attract the best.