Mark Brown will start the 2008 Barclays Singapore Open in the same mind set as last year but with a loftier goal in mind.

Twelve months ago, New Zealander Brown was looking to make enough cash to keep his card while now he is aiming to cement his place at the top of the Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

Brown finished a creditable joint eighth at Sentosa Golf Club last November, a prelude to the stunning displays earlier this year that saw him win the SAIL Open and Johnnie Walker Classic back-to-back.

Those successes in India represented a huge reversal of fortune for the 33-year-old Kiwi.

He struggled to make an impression during his early days as a professional and put his playing career on hold to teach golf to kids from 2003 to 2006. All the practice and enthusiasm as a teacher inspired him to get back to competitive golf and he found his way to the Asian Tour via Qualifying School.

His second stint as a touring pro was not going that well either as he came into last year's Barclays Singapore Open.

"I knew that if I made the cut at the Barclays Singapore Open, I would keep my card." recalled Brown.

"I was right on the bubble then and had to make about 10 or 15 thousand dollars to finish in the top-60. After I made the cut, it took the pressure off and at the weekend, I felt like I had nothing to lose and went out to enjoy it and played really good the last two rounds."

Brown picked up just under US$90,000 for his equal eighth place and eventually finished a comfortable 15th in the Order of Merit.

He came out with all guns blazing for the 2008 season and his two victories in February put him in pole position in the race to be number one in Asia.

After a spell playing in Europe, Brown resumed his Asian odyssey at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open in late September and a fifth place finish saw him extend his Order of Merit lead over second-placed Jeev Milkha Singh of India.

But Brown knows that with the Barclays Singapore Open from November 13-16 offering record prize money of US$5 million, his lead is far from safe.

"Last year I was trying to keep my card and now I'm trying to win the Order of Merit," said Brown.

"Anything can happen. A guy from Tour school can win in Singapore and win the Order of Merit as it's such a big first prize. Anyone behind me can win the Order of Merit. I would love to win it, though."

Brown liked the way the Serapong Course was presented last year and is hoping for similar conditions in November.

"It's a really good course. It's our biggest tournament and last year, the course was set up with long rough and that's the way it should be," he said.

"Our best tournament should be on our hardest course. I would like to see it set up tough again with long rough, narrow fairways and the greens nice and fast."

Brown is preparing himself for a testing run of events as he chases his dream.

"It's going to be a busy time as after the Volvo Masters in Valderrama at the end of October, I'll play in Shanghai and then play six or seven events in a row," he said.

"Hopefully, I'll be in front by the time of the Volvo Masters of Asia in December. Arjun Atwal and Jeev Milkha Singh will play their minimum (number of events) and SSP Chowrasia is also quite close. After the Hong Kong Open, we'll get a clearer picture (of the Order of Merit race)."