Such is the modern world that just four days after the 2017 Race to Dubai season finished in thrilling style, the 2018 campaign gets underway. It does so in Hong Kong on Thursday and despite a hectic schedule to conclude last season a really good field has been assembled for the event.
Sam Brazel saw off a much weaker field 12 months ago and will defend the title but with some real top level names on show we should get a really good week of golf to kick the season off with.
Recent Winners
2016 – Sam Brazel
2015 – Justin Rose
2014 – Scott Hend
2013 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
2012 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
2011 – Rory McIlroy
2010 – Ian Poulter
2009 – Gregory Bourdy
2008 – Wen-tang Lin
2007 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
The Course
A composite course at the Hong Kong Golf Club once again stages the tournament this week. The put together track is a par 70 which measures 6,710 yards so it is a week where the shorter hitters can contend with the bombers.
The course is quite tight off the tee and the general consensus is that those who hit greens in regulation, putt well and scramble well are the ones who have the most success around here. That is certainly borne out in the statistics of previous events here not to mention the profile of winner with the odd exception.
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The Field
The first, second and fourth in the 2017 Race to Dubai are all teeing it up this week as Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia are in the field. Other leading lights playing include Matthew Fitzpatrick and Rafael Cabrera Bello.
Seasoned campaigners such as Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Dylan Frittelli, Jamie Donaldson and Marcus Fraser all add experience to the field with the likes of David Lipsky, Jazz Janewattananond and SSP Chawrasia adding the best of Asia to the event.
Market Leaders
Justin Rose is the 11/2 favourite to win this week but after playing out a thrilling finish to the Race to Dubai last week I guess the big question will be how much does he have left. While he sets the standard and won in China recently he is plenty short enough and this might be the week to look beyond him.
Sergio Garcia is next in the betting at 7/1. Clearly on his Masters winning form he sets a very good standard but with everything that has gone on in 2017 my gut feel is that he is ready to shutdown and look to 2018 before he is back in the groove to win tournaments and be fresh enough to give it all he has got.
Matthew Fitzpatrick takes an early opportunity to pad his European Tour starts. If he is going to play predominantly in America next year then he needs to maximise every start he makes in Europe if he is going to be on the Ryder Cup side so this is a big week for him. He is 10/1 to win the event which looks a little short in this company but at least we know his focus will be strong.
Rafa Cabrera Bello was a runner up here previously and Tommy Fleetwood has finished third and they are both 18/1 to land the tournament this week. You have to think after the week he had last week Fleetwood may not have much more to give but RCB looks an interesting runner for those happy with his price. It is 22/1 bar those named.
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Main Bets
I’m going with two main bets this week with Paul Dunne being the first of them. He was second in the putting statistics throughout the course of last season on the Tour and he wasn’t far behind in the scrambling either. This isn’t a long track so he should be able to play for position off the tee and find the greens and if he can do that we know he’s likely to hole his fair share. At 33/1 he looks a good price to start the campaign in style.
I always think this tight track resembles Wentworth and Woburn and one man who has had good results on both those tracks as well as here is Marcus Fraser. He is straight enough to compete off the tee and from there weaknesses in his game are not too apparent. He has plenty of top 10 finishes around here and if he isn’t too rusty, and he shouldn’t be having finished in the top 5 in Italy last month, then he is a big price at 66/1.
Outsiders
I’ll throw darts at three international players who I like the look of this week. Hideto Tanihara was third at Wentworth earlier in the year but had every chance of winning at various points in the final round and if he can transfer that form to here he should be right in the mix. Tanihara is an excellent putter and with him not having to go lights out off the tee this should be a track he performs well on at a three figure price.
SSP Chawrasia ticks plenty of boxes here too not least the greens in regulation, putting and scrambling side of his game and if he can avoid being too wayward off the tee, and he should do given the lack of yardage on this golf course, then I expect him to score quite low throughout the week. He has a wonderful record in Delhi which is not too dissimilar to this test so again at a three figure price I’ll have a go with him.
I backed Jbe Kruger a few times last season and was rewarded on one occasion and with the South African season about to kick into life he should be spot on for the test this week. He is very good at hitting greens in the right number and while his putting is not always the best if he can convert even a fair percentage of his chances he should not be too far away.
Tips
Back P.Dunne to win Hong Kong Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back M.Fraser to win Hong Kong Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back SSP. Chawrasia to win Hong Kong Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back J.Kruger to win Hong Kong Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back them here:
Back H.Tanihara to win Hong Kong Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
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Bad luck Kev. Another Sunday let down. Been there before
with that fella myself!