HK Golfer - June 2019

HK GOLFER JUNE 2019

KOEPKA TAKES NY / ASIA IN FULL SWING / TWO OF THE BEST CHLOE CHAN DEFENDS TITLE / CLASSIC CLUBBERS / AN ICONIC BLENDER

LETTER FROM THE HKGA

T

he 74th U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying China Leg was held in Hong Kong on May 5th at the Old Course, Fanling. A total of 44 players participated in the ‘Qualifier’ - the largest field ever in the China Leg. The top two finishers earn direct entry in the U.S. Women’s Open. To have the Sectional Qualifying China Leg held in Hong Kong was a concerted effort between the USGA, CGA, HKGA, HKGC and the CLPGA, and marked the first time ever that the Qualifier has been staged outside Mainland China. It also demonstrates the increasing strength of the HKGA’s international ties as well as closer and more frequent interaction with the CGA. Hong Kong was represented by six wonderful players in the Qualifier and we congratulate them all, and in particular Virginie Ding, who finished 9th, the highest among her fellow local players.

Meanwhile, later in the month, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan tied in fifth place, whilst Isabella Leung finished tied in ninth place at the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open, the SAR’s premier women’s tournament, held at Fanling.

The EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open was first staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in 2015 to create an opportunity for leading local players to compete on the international stage. The tournament is tri-sanctioned by the China LPGA Tour, the LPGA Tour of Taiwan and the Ladies Asian Golf Association, with support from the Hong Kong Golf Association and the Hong Kong PGA. A total of 11 Hong Kong players competed in the 2019 edition of the tournament in a field of 123 players from 14 countries We at the HKGA are delighted that EFG announced a twoyear title sponsorship extension to 2021 during the tournament, and we strongly believe that the tournament will continue to create opportunities for upcoming young talent around the Asia Pacific region to grow their game and help them to realise their full potential.

2 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

YOSHIHIRO NISHI President, HKGA

CONTENTS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION JUNE 2019

2

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

22

HOMETOWN PRIDE

38

THE GOLF GURU

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56

ACCELERATE: CLASSICS IN KYOTO

HKGA HAPPENINGS

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THE 852: THE FUTURE IS HERE 15 year-old golf sensation Chloe Chan is remarkably talented and mature for her age. She is frequently touted as “the next Tiffany” and seen as one of the young players securing Hong Kong’s future in the sport.

Two Hong Kong players made the Top 10 at Hong Kong’s premier women’s golf tournament, the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open last month as China’s Liu Yan hit the top spot.

Expert tips for The Senior Player, The High Handicapper and The Pro.

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THE VIEW: SENSATIONAL SEYCHELLES

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This year marked the third edition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto held on April 13 and 14, against the splendid backdrop of falling cherry blossom in the midst of Spring, one of the most significant seasons in the country.

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LIVE UNDER PAR: ASIA IN FULL SWING

TOP TIPPLE: AN ICONIC BLENDER

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ASIA ACTION: A MOTHER’S DAY GIFT

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GLOBAL GLANCE: SLAMMING SECOND

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ON THE COVER: KOEPKA ESCAPES SCARE In a raging wind that turned The Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, into a beast, Brooks Koepka lost all but one shot of his record seven-shot lead on Sunday. But he delivered the critical shots over the closing stretch and joined Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winner of the PGA Championship since it went to stroke play in 1958.

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In 27 words, Tiger Woods informed his 6.5 million Twitter followers that he will play in the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan, which is one of three lucrative PGA TOUR tournaments in Asia in October.

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THE TOUR: TWO OF THE BEST Their feet were on hallowed ground, Augusta National Golf Club. But with prime vistas and sweeping views, they could easily close their eyes and be taken to Royal Melbourne on the other side of the globe.

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INSIDE THE ROPE: MAN OF STEEL A split second was all it took to turn Shaaban Hussin’s life upside down when he was thrown onto the road shoulder of a highway in Malaysia in the early morning of March 31, 2016. Adversity might have set him back momentarily, but courage has restored his ability to find new meaning in his life again.

The diversity of the Seychelles makes for the perfect holiday destination of fering any thing from busy city nightlife through to secluded beaches with barely another person in sight.

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RETROSPECTIVE: CLASSIC CLUBBERS

In a special final edition of our Classic Clubber series, HK Golfer p r e s e nt s a n ex t r e m e l y r a r e collection of golfing images from the 1920s and 30s. These original bla ck-an d-w hite print s were purchased, painstakingly restored and meticulously colourised by Chris Whitehouse, one of just a handful of artists in the world who undertakes this process with such a level of accuracy and authenticity.

There’s more that goes into making a premium whisky than meets the eye. In fact, it’s a full time job for Chivas Regal Master Blender, Colin Scott, who has dedicated more than three decades to being a custodian of the signature Chivas Regal style.

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WATCH IT: MASTERPIECES REVISITED Each and every year, watch lovers hold their collective breath in anticipation of unveiling of the latest and greatest timepieces at Baselworld. A priority for many visiting the show or observing from afar is what the world’s biggest watch brand, Rolex, will reveal.

This year, as always, the brand did not disappoint, adding seven new watches to its repertoire. HK Golfer hones in on two updated classics – the Sea-Dweller and the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36.

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THE NINETEENTH: AGAINST THE ODDS

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CONTRIBUTORS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION JUNE 2019

Louie Chan

Louie is the Editor of HK Golfer and also writes extensively for the magazine, its website and digital platforms. He continues to work hard to lose the distinction of the golf editor with the worst swing!

Chuah Choo Chiang

Senior Director of Communications at the PGA Tour, Chuah Choo Chiang is HK Golfer’s storyteller for the PGA Tour events in Asia.

Calvin Koh

Jason Kwok

Jason has been a Hong Kong PGA Professional since 1995, an Asian Tour Player, and was the Head Professional at the Discovery Golf Club from 2007 to 2015.

Jim McCabe

Jim i s a S enio r Mana g er of Communications for the PGA TOUR. Prior to that, he was a senior writer at Golfweek for eight years, and covered golf for the Boston Globe for 14 years.

Calvin heads the press operations and media partnership for the Asian Tour and has over a decade of experience in sports PR and communications.

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HK GOLFER MAGAZINE is published by the Hong Kong Golf Association and produced by Design Circles Limited. The HKGA was formed in 1968 with a mission to govern, promote and grow golf in Hong Kong. Responsibilities include Hong Kong national teams; junior and elite player development; grassroots initiatives; a centralised handicapping service for 15,000+ subscribers; and the running of international and domestic golfing events in Hong Kong – including more than 30 amateur tournaments each year plus the Hong Kong Open, the city’s oldest professional sporting event.

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HKGA

HAPPENINGS

by Louie Chan / Images: Wun Suen/iD8 Works

At the Hong Kong Junior Close Championship (Aged 11-17), Maurice Leung and Chloe Chan recently won the national Junior Close titles in their respective divisions at the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.

M

aurice Leung won the 7-8 age group title in the Hong Kong Junior Close Championship back in 2013. “This win feels much more special because of how close I’ve been to winning this tournament in the past two years - losing by countback in 2017 at Fanling because I missed a two-footer on the last hole, and losing last year at DBGC, even though I had the lead for the first two days. The fact that I finally won this tournament on my home course makes this experience even more unique,” said the overall Boys’ Champion.

After lifting the trophy, Leung said that the final round was one of the most intense that he had ever played. He was finally able to hang in there on the way to his win, in spite of not swinging the club at his best. “There were multiple times during the round in which Jackson (Chong, who finished 2nd overall) and I were tied, and it was hard to run away with a lead because of how consistently and steadily he played,” added Leung.

In fact, with four holes to go, Leung and Chong were tied. But Leung regained a 2-shot lead after the 15th when Chong had the unfortunate situation of hitting the ball into the hazard. “While I had

8 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

maintained a lead over Lincoln (Lau, who finished 3rd overall) for the whole round, he had a clutch stretch of holes from the 8th to the 10th where my lead was narrowed down to just one stroke. Once again, he was unlucky to have missed a few crucial putts down the stretch.”

Going into the last hole, Leung had a two-shot lead over his closest rival. “My plan was to play conservatively and walk away with a par, or a possible birdie by laying up and hitting a good pitch onto the green. Both of them (Chong and Lau) hit two stellar shots onto the green for eagles, whilst I had a birdie putt from four feet.

I could have had to make the putt to win the tournament, but relief came when Jackson’s eagle putt narrowly missed the hole, with me knowing that I just needed two putts to win the competition.

I truly thought that we might have to play extra holes.”

“Winning this tournament is something that I will always cherish, as it is my first HKGA win in two-and-a-half years, ending a long, tough, drought which has taught me a lot. Of course, doing it on my home course makes it that much more memorable,” concluded Leung.

The weather was scorching and humid during the three days of the Championship.

Maurice Leung, 2019 Hong Kong Junior Close Overall Boys’ Champion JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 9

WINNING THIS TOURNAMENT IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH, AS IT IS MY FIRST HKGA WIN IN TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS, ENDING A LONG, TOUGH, DROUGHT WHICH HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT. MAURICE LEUNG

Chloe Chan, the overall Girls’ Champion, shared how she kept herself fresh and focused, “I actually struggled with the hot weather because we were out there for quite a long time, even though I drank lots of water and ate snacks. But I would advise others to hydrate, eat granola bars and make sure to have your umbrella out or stay in the shade as much as possible.”

The 15 year-old defended her title by a considerable margin – 10 strokes over Tiffany Wu and Lau Hoi Ki, who tied 2nd with a total of 231. It was Chan’s second win after claiming the Hong Kong Junior Classic, which was also played at Clearwater Bay two months previously. “I have played this course many times before; I know which places to hit or avoid, and holes where I can be more aggressive and go for the pin. I think that my understanding of this course is what helped me out this week,” said the youngster.

Leading final scores: B o y s’ D i v i s i on : 214 – M a u r i c e L e u n g ( 74 6 8 72), 215 – Jackson Chong (73 70 72); 216 – Lincoln Lau (76 69 71); 221 – Kim Joonho (72 74 75), Markus Lam (75 75 72).

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Girls’ Division: 221 – Chloe Chan (71 75 75), 231 – Tiffany Wu (82 76 73), Lau Hoi K i (78 80 73); 236 – Emma Wan (81 78 87); 237 – Charlene Chung (83 80 74).

Hong Kong Seniors Close Amateur Championship Douglas Williams recently claimed his seventh consecutive Seniors Close Amateur title at the Old Course in Fanling. The American-born Williams defended his title again by a massive margin of 14 shots over John Ball. Williams’ three-round total of 216 speaks for his dominance of the local senior golf scene.

The defending champion started the final round with a 5-shot cushion over his closest rival. Williams fired a brilliant final round 67 to win by a staggering 14 shots. He was the only player able to shoot a sub-70 round, which was also the lowest round of the tournament.

Leading final scores: 216 – Douglas Williams (75 74 67); 230 – John Ball (76 79 75); 232 – Jonathan Yeap (78 81 73); 233 – Tony Melloy (74 81 78), Chan Yuen Kow (79 75 79); 237 – Peter Aherne (75 79 83); 238 – Anthony Taylor (79 78 81); 240 – Varun Bery (78 82 80).

Chloe Chan, 2019 Hong Kong Junior Close Overall Girls’ Champion

Doug Williams, 2019 Hong Kong Seniors Close Amateur Champion

Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Competition Thunder and lightning curtailed the second edition of the Hong Kong Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Competition on May 20th, with 78 players from 18 Hong Kong schools having to return to the clubhouse with just a few holes left in their rounds due to the dangerous weather.

However, the golf that was on display before the cancellation was highly impressive, with the historic Old Course at Fanling yielding several low scores.“The players obviously performed better than last year - a sign that golf is succeeding and becoming more popular at the school level. This is indeed very encouraging,” commented Danny Lai, CEO of the HKGA. “The Hong Kong Golf Club has been supporting the HKGA’s efforts to develop young players by offering our squad team members access to its facilities. In parallel, we have been providing golf training to students from 11 schools in the North District.

Events such as the Inter-Secondary Schools Golf Tournament help local youngsters gain valuable experience by competing against, and learning from, each other. Such things cannot be taught in the classroom.’

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 11

THE 852

THE

FUTURE IS HERE

by Louie Chan / Image: Wun Suen/iD8 Works

15 year-old golf sensation Chloe Chan is remarkably talented and mature for her age. She is frequently touted as "the next Tiffany" and seen as one of the young players securing Hong Kong's future in the sport.

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MY LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO TURN PROFESSIONAL, COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS AND BECOME A TOP 10 PLAYER IN THE WORLD.

HK Golfer: After defending your Junior Close Champion again by a 10-shot margin, how do you feel?

Chloe Chan: I won the tournament last year in Discovery Bay, and it feels great have been able to defend it (at Clearwater Bay this year). It’s also essential to me as it gives me a spot to compete in this year’s IMG Junior World Golf Championship in San Diego in the summer.

HKG: What was the highlight of this year’s Junior Close when you look back?

CC: I think the highlight for this tournament would definitely be my birdie on the 18th hole in the final round. I tried to go for the green in my second shot and ended up way over it. My ball was in the rough, at a downhill lie and it was about 25 yards away from the hole. I flopped the shot, and it ended up next to the hole, giving me a tap-in birdie.

HKG: You played the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open two weeks later. How significant are the differences between the amateur and professional tournaments?

CC: I think the most significant difference is the environment because we’re playing with the best players from all around Asia.

So it’s exciting and scary at the same time. The course set-up was very different from usual, and we played at 6,000 yards.

HKG: Were you satisfied with your performance at the Ladies’ Open?

CC: I am happy with how I played because I gave myself many birdie chances and managed the course pretty well. However, I made quite a lot of mistakes which could have been avoided.

However, thinking back, I don’t really regret the decisions I made, and I understand why I decided to make those at the time.

In the second round, with three more holes to play, I knew that the cut line would’ve been around 3 or 4-over. I wasn’t playing really well at the time, so I needed birdies to finish strong or to get close to the cut line. I ended up with birdies on the 16th and 18th, but I screwed up my chance on the 17th with a double bogey.

I guess I was way too aggressive on that hole, which led to the

mistakes. However, I was still delighted and surprised at the same time that I made another two birdies. I’m not the kind of person that plays well under a great deal of pressure, so it was great to see myself break through that obstacle.

HKG: It was a tough week for you to manage playing and taking examinations at school. How were the results on both ends?

CC: I would say that they both turned out a little better than I expected. I thought that I wouldn’t have managed both of these events physically and mentally, but somehow I did, and I’m pleased that was able to experience the pressure in terms of both school and golf.

HKG: How important is it to have support from a sponsor like EFG in terms of your development as a golfer?

CC: I am super grateful for what the EFG Young Athletes Foundation has done for me so far. Over the past year I have been able to travel to the United States, Australia and Indonesia to participate in many more junior events, which has also helped me to reflect on what I’ve been doing well and what I need to improve on to get to the next level.

With EFG’s continuing support, I am really excited to see where my game goes. I also think it is extremely beneficial for a junior golfer like myself to participate in more international junior and amateur events to gain more experience, in order to prepare for professional golf.

HKG: What are your short-term and long-term goals as a golfer?

CC: My short-term goals are to win in international junior and amateur events at the highest level and to gain a scholarship to play for U.S. Division 1 College. My long-term goal is to turn professional, compete in the Olympics and become a top 10 player in the world.

HKG: How about the support from the HKGA? CC: I have been a part of the HKGA since I was seven. The organisation provides us with weekly driving range classes as well as on-course training, and it has helped me so much as a junior golfer; giving me so many opportunities to participate in tournaments overseas and to represent Hong Kong, which makes me very proud.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 13

ASIA ACTION A MOTHER’S DAY GIFT Japan’s Yosuke Asaji capped an unforgettable week when he held his nerve to win the AsiaPacific Diamond Cup by one shot at the Sobu Country Club on Mother’s Day. With his mother and wife following him throughout the final round, Asaji, who earned his spot by topping the Monday Qualifiers, kept his composure as he held on to his overnight lead to eventually close with a one-over-par 72. Asaji’s winning total of a three-under-par 281 also earned him a spot at the 148th Open which will be held at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland in July.

The Japanese player was chasing his first professional victory and admitted that he also had a stroke of luck with his closest rivals failing to dislodge him from the leaderboard’s summit.

Asian Tour 14 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

GLOBAL GLANCE SLAMMING SECOND Dustin Johnson will be a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame one day, mainly for his 20 PGA Tour wins and his U.S. Open victory at Oakmont. But on Sunday, M a y 19 t h a t t h e P G A Championship, the fact that he didn’t win helped him reach an impressive accomplishment: the second-place Grand Slam.

“Yay!” said Johnson, who became the eighth player to finish in second at all four major championships. “I’m so excited.”

Johnson, who finished tied for second at The Masters last month, offered a brief smile. Having started the day seven shots behind the leader, Brooks Koepka, DJ lost by two strokes after bogeying two of his last three holes.

“I definitely gave him a run, though,” Johnson said, “so I was happy with that.”

Getty Images 16 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

ON THE COVER FEATURE

KOEPKA

ESCAPES SCARE

by Louie Chan / Images: Getty Images

In a raging wind that turned The Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, into a beast, Brooks Koepka lost all but one shot of his record seven-shot lead on Sunday. But he delivered the critical shots over the closing stretch and joined Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winner of the PGA Championship since it went to stroke play in 1958.

B

rooks Koepka said at the start of the week that Majors are sometimes the easiest to win.

The American tied the PGA Championship record by opening with a 63. He broke the major championship record for 36 holes at 128. He set another PGA Championship record with his sevenshot lead. In the end, just having his name on the heaviest championship trophy in golf was all that mattered.

His 4-over 74 was the highest final round by a PGA Champion since Vijay Singh won in a playof f in 2004 at Whistling Straits.

Koepka entered final round play with a massive lead in dominating fashion, though Dustin Johnson made things difficult for him.

“I’m just glad we didn’t have to play any more holes. That was a stressful round

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of golf,” Koepka said upon receiving the Wanamaker Trophy. “DJ played awesome, but I’m glad to have this thing back in my hands.”

Johnson, the world’s No. 1 ranked player, gave Koepka a run for his money during the final round, as he parred five holes on the back nine to finish only two strokes from victory. Johnson shot a final round score of 69 to finish six under par, as he and Koepka duelled before a rowdy crowd at The Black Course at Bethpage State Park public golf course.

Koepka appeared to wrap it up with a gap wedge from 156 yards to two feet on the 10th hole for a birdie, as Johnson made his first bogey of the round ahead on the 11th. That restored the lead to six shots, and the coronation was on.

Koepka then missed three straight fairways and made three consecutive

I’M JUST GLAD WE DIDN’T HAVE TO PLAY ANY MORE HOLES. THAT WAS A STRESSFUL ROUND OF GOLF.

bogeys, having to make a 6-foot putt on No. 11 to keep it from being worse. The wind was unpredictable and as he hit a 7-iron to the par-3 14th, the ball sailed over the green, leading to a fourth straight bogey.

The crowd sensed a collapse, and began chanting, “DJ! DJ! DJ!” as Koepka was playing the hole. Ahead of him, Johnson made a birdie on the 15th - the toughest hole at Bethpage Black all week - and the lead was down to one.

“How could I ignore the DJ chants,” Koepka said. “I heard everything.”

Bethpage has a reputation for being over the top, and it irritated Harold Varner III, who shot 81 playing in the final group.”I thought it was pretty weird how they were telling Brooks to choke,” Varner said about the 14th hole. “That’s not my cup of tea.

I was pulling for him after that.”

The 54-hole leader lost the brutal Long Island crowd in a New York minute. However, that was as close as Johnson got.

His 5-iron pierced through a wind that gusted close to 25 mph, over the green and into a buried lie. He missed the 7-foot par putt, went long of the green on the par-3 17th for another bogey and had to settle for 69.

“I wanted to hit the shot to the right at the flag,” Johnson said of his 5-iron from 194 yards on the 16th. “I don’t know how it flew 200 yards into the wind like that.”

Johnson now has runner-up finishes in all four of the Majors, the wrong kind of career Grand Slam.

Koepka jumped to second in the FedExCup standings and returned to the No. 1 position in the world with a performance that defines his dominance in golf’s biggest events.

He becomes the first player to hold back-to-back titles in two Majors at the same time, having won a second straight U.S. Open last summer, 60 miles down the road at Shinnecock Hills. He was the first wire-to-wire winner in the PGA Championship since Hal Sutton at Riviera in 1983.

Woods won the Wanamaker Trophy in consecutive years twice, in 1999 and 2000, and again in 2006 and 2007. Koepka was starting to draw comparisons with Woods for the way he obliterated the competition, much like Woods did in his 12-shot victory in the 1997 Masters and 15-shot victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Next up is the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where Koepka will defend his title for the second time. No one has won the U.S. Open three straight years since Willie Anderson in 1905. Nobody will doubt what Koepka is capable of judging by the way he is playing.

The 29 year-old Floridian is an imposing figure, power off the tee and out of the rough with no apparent weakness in his game and the kind of mental fortitude that Majors require. He needed all of that and more over the final hour of this one.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 21

EFG HK LADIES OPEN FEATURE

HOMETOWN

PRIDE

by Louie Chan / Images: Courtesy of the Hong Kong Golf Club

Two Hong Kong players made the Top 10 at Hong Kong’s premier women’s golf tournament, the EFG Hong Kong Ladies’ Open last month as China’s Liu Yan hit the top spot.

C

hina’s Liu Yan overcame a seven-shot deficit to secure her maiden tour win in the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open last month with a one-stroke victory at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

The 21 year-old held her nerve on the Old Course to card a four-under-par 68 and 7-under-par for the tournament. “I am speechless now; I am over the moon.

I expected that I could score a 68 and I played well for the last two days after bad starts. I didn’t expect that (Du) Mohan would drop so many and open the door for the other players,” said the 21 year-old Xiamen native.

In a three-way tie for second place at six-under-par, were Renuka Suksukont from Thailand, Zhang Wei Wei and Du Mohan, both from China. For Du, it was a bitter pill to swallow. The 17 yearold had led after the first two rounds and went into the last day with a five-shot lead, but she struggled to hold it together in the final round. She needed par on the 18th to force a playoff with Liu, but her putt just rolled past, leaving her at four-

22 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

over-par for the round and wondering what might have been.

“I didn’t have much luck, but I did my best and I have no regrets. I had some nerves, but I controlled my emotions. I’m happy to have made it this far, and I’ll be back next year,” said Du. Local star Tiffany Chan wasn’t able to produce the magic needed to complete a fairytale finish at her home club that so many had hoped for. Despite carding three-under-par 69 - her lowest score of the tournament - she had to settle for tied fifth place.

“I played pretty well today despite some soreness in my back. I was a little disappointed with my second round, but you can’t blame yourself when you’re not feeling the best. But I made a birdie on the last hole which was good for the spectators and for me. I’m pleased to have been the best of the 11 Hong Kong players competing and hope it motivates the team to do better together. Isabella (Leung) did very well this week, and I hope that one day we might be able to play on the (LPGA) Tour together,” said Chan.

Local star Tiffany Chan finished tied 5th

China’s Liu Yan overcame a seven-shot deficit to secure her maiden tour win

Hong Kong professional player Isabella finished tied 9th 2019 26 Leung HK GOLFER | JUN

THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT HAS REALLY SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS. WE HAD A TRULY WONDERFUL FIELD OF PLAYERS. WILLIAM DOO JR

Hong Kong’s Isabella Leung finished tied in ninth place at twounder-par. The prize for the top amateur went to Hou Yu-Chiang of Chinese Taipei who finished with an even-par score of 216 after three rounds.

The EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open was first staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in 2015 to create an opportunity for leading local players to compete on the international stage. The tournament is trisanctioned by the China LPGA Tour, the LPGA Tour of Taiwan and the Ladies Asian Golf Association, with support from the Hong Kong Golf Association and the Hong Kong PGA. “As title sponsor, we cannot be more thrilled as to how things turned out this week with the world-class golfing action under glorious playing conditions, and the thousands of fans who came to support the players,” commented Albert Chiu, Executive Chairman, Asia Pacific, EFG Bank. “With our twoyear title sponsorship extension, we look forward to deepening our partnership with the Hong Kong Golf Club. At EFG, we are committed to creating opportunities for upcoming talent around the Asia Pacific region to be able to grow their game and help them realise their full potential.”

William Doo Jr, Captain of the Hong Kong Golf Club, added, “This year’s tournament has really surpassed all expectations. We had a truly wonderful field of players; three days of magnificent weather and a record number of spectators visiting Fanling. It is really encouraging to have two Hong Kong players finish in the top 10, including our Club Ambassador Tiffany Chan. The Old Course provided a sensational test of golf, and everyone was treated

to an exciting final day of action. Congratulations to Liu Yan on her performance and to all the players for making this week so special.”

Round two also saw the EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open ‘Beat the Pro’ make its debut on hole 16. Eight youngsters affiliated with the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Hong Kong Golf Association’s elite development programme were given a chance to test their skills against the professionals, teeing off on the par-three to land their tee-shot closest to the pin. Participants posed for pictures on the tee-box with the professionals and joined them down the fairway before retrieving their tee shots.

The 2019 edition of the tournament saw 123 players from 14 countries competing for a share of the US$150,000 purse over 54 holes on the Old Course. The 11 Hong Kong players who competed in the tournament included Tiffany Chan, Isabella Leung, Pony Leung, Stephanie Ho, Tiffany Wu, Vivian Lee, Chloe Chan, Michelle Cheung, Virginie Ding, Selina Li and Mimi Ho. Leading final scores: 209 – Liu Yan (China) 71 70 68; 210 – Renuka Suksukont (Thailand) 71 71 68, Zhang Wei Wei (China) 68 71 71, Du Mohan (China) 67 67 76; 212 – Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong) 70 73 69, Kanyalak Preedasuttijit (Thailand) 72 69 71, Huang Ching (Chinese Taipei) 69 72 71, Ren Yeu (China) 69 71 72; 214 – Chen Yu Ju (Chinese Taipei) 75 71 68), Isabella Leung (Hong Kong) 70 75 69, Luo Ying (China) 68 74 71, Chonlada Chayanun (Thailand) 71 71 72, Parinda Phokan (Thailand) 72 69 72, Wannasiri Sirisampant (Thailand) 69 72 73.

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Tiger Woods confirms to play in the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan

LIVE UNDER PAR

ASIA IN FULL

SWING

by Chuah Choo Chiang / Images: Getty Images

In 27 words, Tiger Woods informed his 6.5 million Twitter followers that he will play in the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan, which is one of three lucrative PGA TOUR tournaments in Asia in October.

A

ll it took was one tweet to set abuzz what will be a ‘fun’ Fall season when the PGA Tour’s juggernaut swings back to Asia for its annual odyssey, with a promise of raising the decibels and extending the game’s rising popularity in the Far East.

The Asian swing, which offers nearly US$30 million in combined prize money, also features The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea and the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China, delivering a true celebration of golf at the highest level in the region.

This will be the first Tiger sighting at a PGA Tour tournament since his appearance at the now-concluded CIMB Classic in Malaysia in 2012 and the first time in 13 years that he will be in Japan following the 2006 Dunlop Phoenix.

Woods also played in the World Cup of Golf in Japan in 2001.

“I’m excited to play in the inaugural ZOZO Championship in October, and

return to Japan, one of my favourite countries. It’s going to be a fun Fall,” said Woods in a tweet that resonated around the world.

In golf, they say timing is everything and the organisers of Japan’s first official PGA Tour tournament couldn’t be more pleased with Woods’ early commitment being made 11 days after he produced a Masters Tournament victory for the ages.

Following yea rs of dea ling wit h debilitating knee and back injuries, his 81st PGA Tour victory at Augusta National, which put him one win shy of matching the record held by Sam Snead, has cemented Woods’ legacy in the sport.

It also led him to becoming only the fourth golfer after Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Charlie Sifford to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Donald Trump in May. With Woods committed to the ZOZO Championship, the PGA Tour’s newest showpiece in Asia in what is the world’s

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I’M EXCITED TO PLAY IN THE INAUGURAL ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP IN OCTOBER, AND RETURN TO JAPAN, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE COUNTRIES. IT’S GOING TO BE A FUN FALL TIGER WOODS

second largest golf market will undoubtedly complement an already all-star line-up of mega events featuring the established WGC-HSBC Champions, the region’s lone World Golf Championships tournament, and The CJ Cup, which has celebrated two successful editions by heralding great champions in Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka.

Unlike previously, the new generation of PGA Tour stars have embraced the TOUR’s vision of going global as they have made a beeline to Asia that even without the omnipresence of Woods in recent times, tournaments here have thrived due to the strength in depth available on the PGA Tour reservoir of talent of which membership now includes 46 of the world’s top 50 golfers.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson has become a regular visitor to China after winning his first WGC-HSBC Champions in 2013. Past champions of the prestigious event include Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter and Hideki Matsuyama, an indication of the calibre of the stars that it regularly attracts.

“I’ve had a lot of success in China,” said Johnson, who was also runner-up in 2017. “I’ve played well there, and I’ve liked the golf course ever since the first time I went. I always go back… it’s a World Golf Championship and I enjoy playing in it.”

With the number of Korean golfers competing on the PGA Tour growing with each passing season, The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges is also beginning to create a legacy of its own, despite its infancy. The tournament’s hospitality is first-class, the Korean culture is intriguing, and Jeju Island provides a stunning backdrop which the stars of the game enjoy.

The Korean tournament has also built itself a nice

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reputation of crowning champions who are reigning PGA Tour Players of the Year. Thomas won the inaugural CJ Cup just weeks after concluding a stunning 2017 season which saw him become the FedExCup champion. Last October, Koepka enjoyed a magnificent victory in front of massive Korean crowds after arriving as Player of the Year following a 2018 campaign which yielded two major victories.

Koepka, triumphant by four strokes last year after a final back nine of 29, said: “I enjoy Asia… it’s one of my favourite spots to go on vacation. I always feel relaxed and I like the culture. It’s a fun place to go and everyone is very respectful and it’s a great place to play. I felt it was important to win in Jeju especially after the year that I had. I had to back it up and the way I did was special. It was a good way to start the 2018-19 season. I like the place, and obviously I enjoy playing on the golf course.”

With the Asian swing events counting towards the 2019-20 PGA Tour Season, accumulating early FedExCup points during the Fall schedule is a key motivation as well. The well-travelled Adam Scott expects to see more top guns like Woods to head full speed to the Far East this year.

“They are great events,” said Scott. “I feel I have great fan support which is always fun when you go to a place and the locals support you. The tournaments are so good, they are smaller fields and there are a lot of (FedExCup) points up for grabs. It’s important this year as more players will have to play more events towards the back end of the year. I’m sure there will be a balance of the guys who like to come to Asia to play and those who like to stay home. It’s going to be a good thing in regard to the strength of field for the tournaments in Asia.”

That said, October can’t come soon enough.

Adam Scott feels he has great fan support while playing the The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea

THE TOUR

The 2019 Presidents Cup will return to the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club from December 9-15

TWO OF THE

BEST

by Jim McCabe / Images: Getty Images

Their feet were on hallowed ground, Augusta National Golf Club. But with prime vistas and sweeping views, they could easily close their eyes and be taken to Royal Melbourne on the other side of the globe.

T

he aura of Alister MacKenzie, even 85 years after his death, remains that strong, said two of the game’s most cerebral voices when it comes to the magnetic attraction that an iconic golf course has on the soul – Ben Crenshaw and Geoff Ogilvy. They speak with passion not only about the vision that MacKenzie provided, but also with reverence as to what we still can learn from his brilliance.

“He left a legacy in Melbourne that is still felt,” said Ogilvy, an Aussie who won the 2006 U.S. Open, seven other PGA TOUR tournaments, played three times for the International Team in the Presidents Cup and will serve as a captain’s assistant this year when the event returns to Royal Melbourne from December 9-15. “He changed the direction of golf in Australia.”

A genius of a golf course architect, MacKenzie left the game monuments such as Cypress Point, Pasatiempo, Crystal Downs, The Old Course at Lahinch, and Palmetto Golf Club. But his two most renowned courses are arguably Augusta National, annual home to the Masters Tournament, and Royal Melbourne in Australia, host to the biennial Presidents Cup in December. That

made the recent trip to the 2019 Masters an opportune time to ask Crenshaw and Ogilvy to connect these two heralded golf courses.

Crenshaw smiled, then drifted back to 1982 when he made his debut there in the Australian PGA, shooting a sizzling secondround 65 en route to a second-place finish to Graham Marsh. “When you see Royal Melbourne for the first time, it makes a profound impact,” he said.

Equally enamoured with Augusta National from day one - which was in 1972 - Crenshaw confirms that MacKenzie’s influences are consistent. “The compartments (are very similar), the bunkering, the green sizes and green shapes. You can kind of tell that they’re distant cousins, but they’re in the same family.”

As he tossed the question (Can you compa re Aug usta Nationa l to Roya l Melbourne?) around in his mind, Ogilvy cast his perceptive eyes out on a vast sea of green grass. “What’s different are the environments, the whole aesthetic,” he said. “(Augusta National) is super green, southern America, tall pine trees, white sand, immaculate, almost fake-level conditioning.

Royal Melbourne is a bit more rugged. The Sandbelt is more natural.”

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 33

Aussie legend Geoff Ogilvy will serve as a captain’s assistant for the International Team this year

Compared to Augusta National, Royal Melbourne is a bit more rugged and the Sandbelt is more natural

As if to refuel his thoughts, Ogilvy soaked in the atmosphere of The Masters on this practice day. He paused, but there was more. Ogilvy has competed in eight Masters, so he has an affinity for Augusta National; but he is a true Aussie with deep connections to Melbourne, so his love of Royal Melbourne pours forth. Each course resonates with him and he insists you cannot be misled by distinctly contrasting looks.

“The courses appear very different on the surface, but they play very similar. Big, sloppy greens, big bunkers, big hazards.

If you’re close to the hole on the wrong side, you’re screwed. If you’re a long way away from the hole on the correct side, you’re in a good spot.”

With a resume that includes plenty of experience at each of these MacKenzie gems (he was in the top 20 four times in the Masters, where he has never missed a cut, and has played in a Presidents Cup among his many visits to Royal Melbourne), Ogilvy is an expert witness, so to speak.

“Philosophically, you have to play the same style of golf to do well. They both make you nervous when you hit into the greens, because you don’t want to be in the wrong spot. That’s how they’re similar.”

The courses are also of the same era, created at a time towards the end of MacKenzie’s life when he was well established as a veritable maestro. A Scotsman who was educated in England and spent much of his later life in the United States, MacKenzie was a prodigious world traveller. His list of credits includes golf courses in New Zealand, Uruguay,

34 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

Argentina, Mexico, Canada, and, of course, Australia, where in the mid-1920s he made his first visit to Royal Melbourne. What Crenshaw - the two-time Masters champ who is also heralded as a golf course designer - embraces about the MacKenzie legacy is that he had such vision and imagination, but also a great trust in people to carry out his work.

“He was only there a few months,” said Crenshaw. “His paperwork and skeleton were there, but the greatest stroke of luck (for him) was to meet Mick Morcom.”

A greenskeeper, Morcom is given much credit for constructing the West Course at Royal Melbourne in accordance with MacKenzie’s plans, a task that was completed in 1931, right around the time that the famed Scot was getting involved with Bobby Jones on Augusta National, which would be his last course.

Equally important to the legend of Royal Melbourne is the role of Alex Russell, a talented amateur golfer of that era who won the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne in 1924. Russell was involved in the plans at the West Course, then designed the East Course.

Today, when elite competitions are held at Royal Melbourne, it is a composite of the two courses - usually 12 holes from the West, six from the East.

Well in tune with the story of MacKenzie and Royal Melbourne, Ogilvy suggests that “he was there at the right three months in Australian golf history” and also that his understanding of how to make golf enjoyable is under-appreciated.

“He didn’t use rough and hazards, he used big, sloping greens to create interest,” said Ogilvy. “Normal PGA Tour courses

we play use rough and hazards and length. But both Augusta National and Royal Melbourne give you difficult shots from good lies, as opposed to easy shots from bad lies.”

What Ogilvy loves about Augusta is true at Royal Melbourne, too. There are wide fairways, but whereas many modern golf courses don’t give you choices off the tee, MacKenzie provides many, depending on how you plan on entering the green.

“He lets you work out where the right spot (in the fairway) is,” he said. “It’s a more interesting way to challenge people, because sometimes you’re better to miss the green than hit it in the wrong spot.”

“Royal Melbourne, I think, is the course Augusta wants to be wide enough for anybody, but brilliantly routed to make use of the topography and bunkered to reward bold play and bold decisions,” wrote Tom Doak, the acclaimed architect.

When the Australian Majors arrived at Royal Melbourne, Crenshaw wasn’t the only American to make the long trek. So too, did Tom Watson for the 1984 Australian Open, by which time he had piled up all eight of his Major triumphs. Still, a serious goal pulled him Down Under that winter. “To win an Australian Open at Royal Melbourne would be the same as winning a British Open at St. Andrews,” Watson, then 35, told reporters.

Everything about Royal Melbourne appealed to Watson, a pure ball-striker. He had won two Green Jackets at the Augusta National and two AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Ams at a time (197778) when Cypress Point was in the rota.

“He built two totally different types of courses like Augusta

National and Cypress Point, from two totally different types of terrain,” said Watson. “After this week, I will have played all the great MacKenzie courses.”

After 72 holes and with a score of 281, Watson also had another win on a MacKenzie gem. To his sparkling resume, he added the famed Stonehaven Cup, beating a field that included Greg Norman, Payne Stewart, Frank Nobilo, David Graham, Peter Senior, and Wayne Grady.

Not to be denied, Norman followed with Australian Open victories at Royal Melbourne in 1985 and 1987, and Crenshaw earned his stripes at Royal Melbourne with a World Cup win alongside Mark McCumber in 1988. He cherishes that visit, but what Crenshaw said always impresses him about trips Down Under is how “Australians know how to keep golf courses; they’re brilliant landscape managers. It’s something to see.”

Fortunately, officials at Royal Melbourne have opened the doors to world-class events, so this MacKenzie jewel has indeed been seen. It has hosted 16 Australian Opens, 14 Australian PGA Championships, four World Cups, two Australian Women’s Opens, and come December it will be Presidents Cup No. 3 when it’s likely that a new group of American and International players will see it for the first time. Should they derive a sense of Augusta National, that wouldn’t surprise Crenshaw or Ogilvy, for both are saturated in MacKenzie’s touches.

“I love this course,” said Crenshaw back in 1982. “The bunkers are massive and so natural. That’s the essence. It’s not like a big cookie-cutter came out of the sky and put bunkers in.”

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 35

INSIDE THE ROPE FEATURE

MAN OF

STEEL

by Calvin Koh / Image: Asian Tour

A split second was all it took to turn Shaaban Hussin’s life upside down.

S

haaban Hussin's promising golf career was immediately shattered the moment he was thrown onto the road shoulder of a highway in Malaysia in the early morning of March 31, 2016.

That horrific motorcycle accident nearly left him for the dead. His left foot was so badly crushed that it had to be amputated from the knee down.

All his dreams were broken, as was his left arm.

The months that followed left Shaaban having to deal with a myriad of emotions that included wanting to end his life.

Fast forward three years, I recently caught up with Shaaban at the Maybank Championship and miraculously, he is literally back on his feet again.

An inspiring figure, the 2001 SEA Games Gold Medallist and Malaysia’s number one amateur in 2001 and 2002, felt right back at home at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, in the company of good friends, “just playing in the tournament and waiting to tee off.”

“I am really happy to see my old friends out again this week. My old pals like Danny Chia and Nicholas

36 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

Fung are very happy to see me too. Yesterday I met Prayad Marksaeng and Prom Meesawat and some other players from Chinese Taipei. They were very encouraging, and I felt confident again after speaking to them,” said Shaaban.

Adversity might have set him back momentarily, but courage has restored his ability to find new meaning in his life again.

Now fitted with a prosthetic leg now, he is also a golf coach to juniors who attend his training classes which run from 8.30am until 6.30pm.

“I try not to put myself down despite what has happened to me. At least I still have something to do now; I still can help in the development of golf. I want to see the juniors improve and make Malaysia proud. I have played enough tournaments to share with them my life experiences. ‘Never give up’ is what I always tell my juniors. That’s my motto in life.”

I’m glad I got the chance to catch up with this gentleman who has defied all odds to become a truly inspirational figure.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 37

GOLF GURU | HIGH HANDICAPPERS

STRESS

FREE CHIPPING

by Jason Kwok

H

ow many times are you faced with a relatively easy chip from a good lie and end up taking three or more shots to get up and down. In general, I see so many high handicappers use a sand wedge or a lob wedge to chip when a simple chip with a less lofted club will much more often end up closer to the hole.

In image 1, I’m looking at a chip of about 20 yards with a lot of green to work 38 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

with and not much slope. In this case I am trying to land the ball just a yard or two on the green and let it roll most of the way. I’ve chosen a pitching wedge, which for me normally flies one third and rolls two thirds on a flat green. I pick a landing spot and adjust for the slope and break.

And as this is quite a straightforward shot, I’ll do a “no hands” chip.

This is the first shot that I teach beginners since I believe it is easiest to

master but it is tremendously effective as many pros like Jason Day often use it in tournaments.

In this shot I feel like my arms and shoulders are working as a unit, so in my swing sequence I put two headcovers under my armpits to feel connected. I set up with my weight favouring the left side and keep it there for the whole swing. My arms, hands and club start at impact position with not too much shaft lean and a square

or slightly open clubface. The feet can be slightly open.

I sta rt my swing by rock ing my shoulders to the right, the left shoulder feels lower, the head is still, and the left knee bends slightly forward as I make sure that my weight stays on my left side. Then I start the downswing by pushing my left knee and hip backwards away from the ball. My shoulders follow by rocking to the left, towards the target. In the sequence,

my left shoulder goes up as I start the downswing, but my feeling is that the left shoulder goes down first, because that arm is moving downwards and my left shoulder is moving away from my chin. Then as my club nears the ball, my left shoulder feels like it’s moving upwards, and I let my head follow upwards to finish.

If the greenside chip you face has enough green to work with, you will feel that this technique is the easiest

way to maintain the arc and loft of the club consistently through impact. For distance control, keep your same natural rhythm and vary the size of your swing.

Get comfortable with using a pitching or gap wedge for this shot and then add an alternate club, say an 8 or 9 iron, for shots requiring more roll out. Enjoy lower scores and frustrating your opponents when you add this shot to your arsenal.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 39

GOLF GURU | PRO TIPS

THE

FLOP SHOT

by James Stewart

W

e’ve all seen Phil Mickelson hit those amazing flop shots, getting up and down from extremely tough situations. In this article, I will give some basics on how and when to try this shot out!

Playing the courses in Hong Kong, where greens are generally small, it is quite easy to short side yourself, where hitting a normal chip shot will not get you close to the pin. This is where the flop

40 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

shot can be used. Over the years, I’ve practised this shot a lot and become quite confident with it.

In image 1, you can see that I haven’t got much green to work with, so I have elected to hit the flop.

I change my set up, similar to a bunker shot, more knee flex and a wider stance The most important part of the set up is my shaft angle; for normal chips most players like to have a forward

press, however for the flop shot I keep my hands and the shaft very neutral and from there I open the club by adjusting my grip rather than use a forward press. I hinge my wrists quite quickly on the takeaway and have a long backswing. On the downswing I really accelerate, making sure that I keep the clubface open to allow it to pass under the ball.

I control the distance with the length of swing and also by how

much I open the club at address. It’s very much a feel shot, but once you play around with this, you can gauge your distances.

Also, for this shot to work, light grip pressure is important, so you don’t create any tension.

Practice this shot a lot before you put it in play and you will find yourself making par from some really awkward situations, not to mention impressing the heck out of your weekly foursome.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 41

GOLF GURU | SENIOR PLAYERS

SPEED TRAINING

by Brad Schadewitz

HOW CAN I INCREASE MY CLUBHEAD SPEED AND HIT THE BALL FARTHER IS A QUESTION ALL INSTRUCTORS GET FROM THEIR STUDENTS. From the age of 8 to 80, clubhead speed and distance is the fixation of every golfer.

Hitting it long is the cool rule. You can shoot a 110 but if you bomb it, you’re the man and the envy of your playing partners who may have beaten you by 20 strokes. I’m now on my own personal journey, since I’ve just come back after hernia surgery, trying to increase my speed and mobility.

42 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

AS IN ALL SWING CHANGES IN GOLF IT WILL TAKE SOME WORK BUT EVERYONE AT ANY AGE CAN LEARN TO HIT IT LONGER Here are three things that senior golfers can do to hit it longer 1. Increase your mobility and have a warm up routine before you play or practice.

2. Practice swinging faster with overspeed training.

3. Reduce tension for a better range of motion.

MOBILITY AND WARM-UP As a golf instructor, the thing that still surprises me the most is the lack of warmup routine for older players. Players should key in on three areas in their warm up: hip flexors, back, (lower and upper) and shoulders. Try targeting these areas with some simple warm up exercises.

PRACTICE TRYING TO INCREASE YOUR CLUBHEAD SPEED You can use your driver or some of the new overspeed training devices that are now on the market. The ones, that I’m using are from Super Speed Golf. But you can also simply use your driver. Make three swings gradually increasing your speed from 80% to 90% and then all out 100% rest for 10 seconds and repeat 2 more times. Do this again using a baseball step into each swing.

Pictures 1 and 2 (before speed training, after speed training)

REDUCE TENSION IN THE ARMS, SHOULDERS AND BACK TO CREATE A BIGGER TURN IN THE BACKSWING As I learned from Jim Flick many years ago, the biggest enemy in the golf swing is tension. When you’re working on your speed drills, also work on reducing tension and create more freedom and speed in the motion.

PRO TIP: You can try lifting your left heel of the ground at the top of the swing for greater range of motion. Francesco Molinari did this and gained 20 yards off the tee and went from a club speed of 107 with the driver to 113.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 43

THE VIEW

The short par three 5th over water is a mere 122 yards

44 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

SENSATIONAL SEYCHELLES

by Mark Sampson / Images: Mark Sampson

The diversity of the Seychelles makes for the perfect holiday destination offering anything from busy city nightlife through to secluded beaches with barely another person in sight.

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At 419 yards the par four 11th is the toughest hole on the course often playing into wind

115 islands make up the Seychelles archipelago off the East coast of Africa. From tiny rock formations to the largest island of Mahe, they all have one thing in common: pristine white beaches framed by the warm indigo waters of the Indian Ocean and large palms.

Constance Hotels, Resorts and Golf boasts two hotels in the Seychelles. Constance Ephelia on the main island of Mahe and the smaller, more private, Constance LĂŠmuria on the small island of Praslin, a short 15-minute flight away. The latter, although not massive, does offer a feeling of space and privacy, with a variety of villas and rooms to accommodate the discerning tastes of any traveller. Guests can expect cuisine secondto-none and service with a personal touch that defines the entire experience. Five restaurants and five bars are available to guests with each dining experience completely different from the other, yet equally unmissable.

Relaxing on the beach, or by the pool while sipping cocktails and catching up on a good novel always seem to be a favourite activity of many guests. For the less sedentary, you can slide into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean for a refreshing swim or throw on a snorkel and fins to enjoy what it feels like to swim in an oversized 46 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

tropical fish tank. A number of beaches are available to guests including the world renowned Anse Georgette, one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. A variety of water sports from kayaking and sailing to scuba diving and deep-sea fishing are all available to enjoy. Tennis, gym and bicycle rides for health-conscious guests can be followed by a visit to the spa, where relaxation is taken to a new level.

Constance LĂŠmuria boasts the only 18-hole course in the entire Seychelles region, which is as unique and diverse as the islands themselves.

Designed by Rodney Wright and Marc Farry, this par-70 layout changes dramatically as you make your way through the course. The first 12 holes are fairly flat, meandering through the palm and mangroves contoured by tidal inlets making accuracy off the tees a premium. The final six holes traverse up and over high ground on the property including through a coconut and mango forest.

Steep inclines, sharp descents and tight landing areas can be expected. The par-three 15th is by far the most unique hole on the course. At 150 metres in length with the green 90 metres below and the ocean yonder, it is a truly spectacular hole.

The European Senior Tour visited the course for the first time in 2018 for the final tournament

Undoubtedly the par three 15th is Lemuria’s most famous hole dropping nearly 100 yards to the green below

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 47

The make-shift driving range created for the European Senior Tour MCB Tour Championship Seychelles tournament.

48 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

The beauty of palms and water also adds difficulty to the tight layout of Lemuria golf course

of their season - the MCB Tour Championship Seychelles.

Outside of the resort, adventure and fun can be found around every corner. Cycling around Praslin is easy and safe with numerous beaches and the nearby town a short 20-minute ride away. For the more adventurous, why not hire a car for the day (check out kreolcars-seychelles.com). At €50 it’s a great option to fully experience what the island has to offer. Beaches are aplenty with the most well-known being Anze Lazio. Keep an eye out for the giant turtles near the main parking area. For the very adventurous a hike from Constance Lemuria to Anse Lazio can make for a fun day trip.

In the centre of the island is a World UNESCO Heritage Site - Vallee De Mai. An incredible natural forest, it is home to the endemic Coco De Mer or Sea Coconut, often referred to as the “love nut”. A wide variety of other flora and fauna endemic to the Seychelles can also be seen in the park. Entry is €20 per person and a variety of well-marked trails guide you through. Guided tours are also available and be sure to take some extra water as the walks are relatively steep.

If time allows, catching a ferry back to the main island of Mahe is a perfect day trip to see the old town of Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles, where you can experience local cuisine at the variety of small restaurants. A number of museums and art galleries can also be found on the island for those looking to tap into the local culture. And as always in the Seychelles, numerous beaches and hiking trails are located on the main island. The ferries are incredibly reliable and fast, costing anything from €50 to €70 each way, depending on the time of day you go (check out seychellesbooking.com).

Visiting the Seychelles comes with the normal relaxing beach days and fine Creole dining. However, the islands offer numerous other activities to be enjoyed. One of the best ways to find new and interesting things to do is speak to the locals or simply go for a walk through the town and find small hidden away gems.

Depending on your budget, there is something for everyone with wide open spaces and authentic island experiences.

European senior player’s coming to grips with the par three 15th beauty and club selection in windy conditions

The closing hole at Lemuria is a classic risk and reward par five. A double bogey is just as likely as an eagle on this 509-yard hole

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 49

RETROSPECTIVE

CLASSIC CLUBBERS V Images: Chris Whitehouse

In a special final edition of our Classic Clubber series, HK Golfer presents an extremely rare collection of golfing images from the 1920s and 30s.

These original black-and-white prints were purchased, painstakingly restored and meticulously colourised by Chris Whitehouse, one of just a handful of artists in the world who undertakes this process with such a level of accuracy and authenticity.

C

h ris W hitehouse has been restoring vintage black and white photographs a nd c olou rising t hem for ju st five years, although his final products suggest that he has been doing it for decades.

The number of hours required and the skill involved to achieve this level of quality and detail are both extremely high. As an avid sports fan, Chris’ passion is to take faded, scratched, dusty images and breath life into them, rescuing lost images for people to experience in a new, re-imagined way. In many ways, like we never even dreamed we could.

“There are no tricky short cuts, simple filters, or single clicks of the mouse involved in this work,” says the artist. “It all begins with days of obsessive research for 50 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

accuracy in colour from historical source references, followed by intensively detailed, archival art restoration and colourisation.”

Technology has finally caught up to Chris’ skill and he has developed many of his own techniques to maximise the power that Photoshop provides. His ability to extract photographic information out of seemingly hopeless areas of the images is truly astonishing. Historic gems have been discovered, re-imagined, and presented as never seen before.

Skill, determination, patience, and extreme attention to detail is what it takes to bring these vintage sports treasures to life…

For limited ed it ion print s or personal commissions, please email mancavepictures@gmail.com

Bobby Jones at Oyster Bay, 1932

Gene Sarazen 1934

Captains Roger Wethered (UK) and Bobby Jones (USA) with first Walker Cup 1930

Gene Serazen 1922 US Open Champion Skokie Country Club

The ‘Best Lamborghini’ trophy went to the amazing 1971 Miura SV

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ACCELERATE

CLASSICS IN

KYOTO

by Michael Wan / Images: Michael Wan, Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto, Lamborghini Hong Kong

This year marked the third edition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto held on April 13 and 14, against the splendid backdrop of falling cherry blossom in the midst of Spring, one of the most significant seasons in the country.

I

n s i mpl i s t i c t e r m s , a C o n c o u r s d’Élégance is a beauty pageant for classic and vintage cars. Usually when we see this expression, we often think of the more established events such as the Pebble Beach Concours in the U.S. or the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Lake Como, Italy. Such events invariably take place in beautiful surroundings with its attendees dressed to the nines in suave and sophisticated attire. Participants exhibit their beloved classic cars and admirers like myself absorb all the beauty and splendour of them. These vehicles are pieces of art of an exceptionally high standard, some with great provenance and some extremely rare models. At these events, new friends are often made and old friendships are rekindled.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto 2019 successfully replicated the philosophy and atmosphere of other world-renowned

automotive competitions and was staged in the idyllic gardens of Nijo-jo Castle.

The castle was built in 1603 as the residence of the first shogun of the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1994 it was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and I couldn’t possibly think of a better location to host such an event in this part of the world.

This year’s Concorso featured the famous Italian coachbuilder, Carrozzeria Zagato and the world-famous supercar brand, Lamborghini Automobili. It also marked the important centenary celebration of Zagato a nd we were honoured to have the presence of Andrea Zagato at the event. Having had the opportunity to briefly speak with him, it seemed like most, if not all the Zagato owners were already well acquainted with him and indeed, he was a most relaxed and friendly gentleman. He is the third JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 57

The cars were in impeccable condition at the third Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto

generation to take the helm of the Zagato marque. Lamborghini, on the other hand, was also blessed to have Valentino Balboni, the former chief test driver at Lamborghini who retired in 2008 after serving 40 years.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Kyoto has the official backing of the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA).

Hidetomo K imura is the Founder and Chief Executive Producer of the event as well as being an Ambassador of International Tourism for Kyoto City, a world-famous art aquarium artist and of course, an enthusiastic and passionate collector of classic cars. Besides Kimura-san, the event was also led by the Chairman, Mr Corrado Lopresto, also a worldrenowned collector listed 24th in the world’s Top 100 Car Collectors ranking by The Key. He personally selected the Jury Committee members as well as the 54 legendary cars attending the event, thus curating a splendid mix of collectors from Europe, America, Japan and Hong Kong.

The competition was divided into nine classes: 750, Contemporary, GT, Lamborghini 1963-1971, Lamborghini 1972-1985, Lamborghini 1986-2000, Modern, Race and Prototypes, and Vintage. All cars were meticulously examined by a prominent and international Jury Committee based on authenticity, elegance, quality of restoration or state of preservation in unrestored vehicles, functionality, overall impression and, as far as possible, the documented vehicle history. Among the 54 entries, there were 22 Lamborghinis, 20 of which were divided into the abovementioned three classes.

These models included the Miura, Espada, Islero, Jarama, Jalpa, Urraco, Countach, LM 002 and Diablo coming from 58 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

three continents. Together, these impressive vehicles truly represented Lamborghini’s technical development and style from the company’s establishment all the way through to the year 2000. The remaining two Lamborghinis on display were the 2016 5-95 Zagato and a 1965 3500 GT Zagato in the ‘Contemporary’ and the ‘Race and Prototypes’ categories, respectively.

The Best of Show award went to the Lamborghini 3500 GTZ by a unanimous vote. Owned by an American collector, it had to have won its ‘Race and Prototypes’ class before being eligible for the ‘Best of Show’ award. Such is the rarity of this car, that only two were ever produced. During a photo shoot at the end of the first day, I had opportunity to see it move and hear the engine. Unlike any car over 50 years old that I have seen, this car started up as if it was straight off the production assembly line in 1965. I was so impressed by the lack of exhaust fumes usually expected from a car of this age. Its condition was simply impeccable. Not only did it win ‘Best of Show, it also took the ‘Best Zagato’ trophy, making it a double win for the proud owner.

The ‘Best Lamborghini’ trophy went to the amazing 1971 Miura SV, in Verde Miura with a wonderful mustard yellow interior, owned by a Japanese collector. Previously in 2017, this car was also named ‘Best in Show’ at the Lamborghini Concours d’Élégance Neuchâtel, organised by Polo Storico.

Another bull from Sant’Agata Bolognese was awarded with the ‘The Most Desirable to Drive’ trophy - an orange 1975 Countach LP400 with a black interior, owned by a Japanese collector. The ‘Lamborghini 1986-2000’ class was won by the

Onlookers in traditional dress were impressed

2000 black Diablo.

It was truly a rare occasion to see so many Zagato cars in one place. They were all unique and deserved everyone’s respect for their care and preservation. One of the vintage automobiles that caught my attention was a red 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Zagato from Luxembourg, which earned the ‘Best Alfa Romeo’ trophy, as well as the ‘People’s Choice’ award. The owner told me that the car had previously competed in three Mille Miglia rallies. It was flown to Japan to attend this event and afterwards would depart for Lake Como to participate in the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa Este at the end of May. One interesting feature which I was rather attracted to, was the side mirrors which when swivelled around became extra headlights for rallying use. Another Zagato that I found particularly striking was a 1966 silver Lancia Flaminia Super Sport Zagato, which took one of the two trophies in the GT class.

Among the congregation of Zagato cars, two of them were displayed by their owners from Hong Kong. One of them which is regularly seen on the streets of the SAR was a 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ owned by Douglas Young, the charismatic founder of G.O.D. The vehicle is over 60 years old, and has been in Young’s possession for 30 of those years since he purchased it whilst attending university. The car has become very much part of his life and family and I must say, it is my all-time favourite Alfa Romeo.

Equally as interesting was Darrin Woo’s 1957 Fiat Abarth 750GT, ‘Double Bubble’. For such a compact little car, the engine sounds ever so punchy. I must commend both gentlemen on their great efforts in sending their cars all the

The Lamborghini 3500 GTZ won Best of Show and Best Zagato by a unanimous vote

1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Zagato

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 59

way to Kyoto to support the landmark Zagato celebration.

The Concours was also graced by rare more modern cars such as the 2011 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale, a 2016 Maserati Mostro Zagato and a 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante. I can guarantee that you won’t often seen these cars on the road as very few were built, and so it was a privilege to see them on display in this beautiful setting.

Following the event, 15 cars departed for the Tour d’Eleganza Kyoto 2019 on Monday morning, a drive which lasted three days motoring through some of the most picturesque sites in the region. Starting from Nijo-jo Castle, the tour crossed the panoramic Seto Bridge, headed towards the island of Awaji and then finished on the third day back in the splendour of Kyoto.

A spectacular journey indeed…

Clockwise from top: Darrin Woo’s 1957 Fiat Abarth 750GT, ‘Double Bubble’ leading the way, backed up by Douglas Young's 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ. A row of rare Lamborghinis looking to get their noses in front of the judges.

The Bulls from Sant’Agata.

Rare gems in the form of an Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato, a TZ3 Alpha Romeo Zagato, a Mazeratti Mostro Zagato and the Lamborghini 5-95 Zagato.

An impressive Lamborghini Miura ready for viewing.

The Jury Committee members unanimous in appreciation.

Hidetomo Kimura, the Founder and Chief Executive Producer of the event greets Valentino Balboni, the former chief test driver of Lamborghini.

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JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 61

TOP TIPPLE

AN

ICONIC

BLENDER

by Ann Tsang / Images: Courtesy of Chivas Regal

There’s more that goes into making a premium whisky than meets the eye. In fact, it’s a full time job for Chivas Regal Master Blender, Colin Scott, who has dedicated more than three decades to being a custodian of the signature Chivas Regal style.

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A MASTER BLENDER’S JOB IS CREATIVE, ARTISTIC AND TECHNICAL, ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

F

ollowing the tradition of his father and grandfather who dedicated their lives to the Scotch whisky industry before him, Colin Scott became Master Blender in 1989, and he has been the guardian of the Chivas Regal smooth signature style ever since.

“A Master Blender’s job is creative, artistic and technical, all at the same time,” says Scott, who has had a lifelong love affair with whisky, thanks to his father who ran a distillery in Scotland.

“We are able to identify the characteristics of every whisky in the Chivas Regal inventory by nose, experience and memory. We also understand the complexities and differences of flavours that are the result of blending different whiskies together to create and perfect the final taste experience.”

One of Scott’s most recent masterpieces is Chivas Regal ‘The Icon’; the most premium and exclusive Chivas blend to date. Deep and complex, ‘The Icon’ is crafted from over 20 of Scotland’s rarest whiskies – including single malts from Strathisla, home of Chivas and the oldest operating distillery in the Scottish Highlands, as well as whiskies from distilleries that no longer exist.

“It is the responsibility of the Master Blender to make the final decision and you must not be frightened by it,” Scott explains. “It’s either ‘yes’ or ‘no’; there’s no ‘maybe’ with Chivas Regal.”

Such rarity is the reason that ‘The Icon’ is produced in such limited quantities each year. Such rarity also calls for a dignified exterior, and Chivas Regal spared no expense with the sparkling emerald-tinted bottle that houses The Icon. Inspired by the original Chivas Regal bottle, each bottle is handmade by master craftsmen at Dartington Crystal in Devon, England, before being etched with unmatched precision and dressed with finely crafted metalwork.

On the topper that seals the decanter is the Chivas Regal ‘luckenbooth’ – a marque inspired by the ancient Scottish symbol for brotherhood, which can be found on the gates of the brand’s Strathisla distillery.

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HK Golfer: What makes ‘The Icon’ so unique and special?

Colin Scott: ‘The Icon’ is the pinnacle of the Chivas Regal family, and is a superlative blend of many different malt and grain whiskies, which have been carefully selected in the Chivas house style. At the heart of the blend is of course, the classic single malt from the oldest continuously operating distillery in the Highlands, Strathisla. We also selected some of our very rare and old whiskies, and within that selection there are some from distilleries that will never distil their fine spirit again. Therefore, when you taste ‘The Icon’, in every mouthful you will taste little nuggets of flavour from these lost distilleries that you will never taste again – this is what makes it truly unique.

HKG: How did you select some of the whiskies – including some that aren’t even in production anymore – to create ‘The Icon’?

CS: At Chivas Brothers, there has always been a tradition of having an inventory of aged whiskies, and today we have over six million casks quietly maturing in our warehouses in Scotland. From this incredible stock, our inventory team advised us of all the casks of whiskies, both malt and grain, that were available, so that we could then select exactly the ones required to create the sumptuous Icon blend. The selection is all about the many complex flavours in each whisky, and the art of blending brings them all together, in the Chivas house style.

HKG: Born into a family that has had a history in working with whisky, did you always know you wanted to get into the business?

CS: Growing up around the distillery with my father in Orkney was an enormous benefit, as I was fascinated with the interesting processes carried out to distill a fine malt Scotch whisky. Also, the people who worked in the distillery were always delighted to pass on their stories and knowledge, and I marvelled at the skills that had passed from father to son over many years.

Chivas Regal Master Blender, Colin Scott

THE ICON IS THE PINNACLE OF THE CHIVAS REGAL FAMILY, AND IS A SUPERLATIVE BLEND OF MANY DIFFERENT MALT AND GRAIN WHISKIES.

It was during these very early years that the seeds of my passion for Scotch whisky, its traditions and history were first sown, and therefore I suppose it became a natural path to follow. Living in Orkney certainly enriched my life, and also helped me to respect and understand the power and beauty of nature, which relates directly to Scotch whisky, which is, of course 100 percent natural.

HKG: Do you have a certain philosophy when it comes to blending whisky?

CS: When I started working in blending, it was imperative to know and understand all the traditions and house style that is unique to, and is what makes Chivas Regal. These traditions have been passed down over the generations from Master Blender to Master Blender, and it is important that we still uphold them today. Most importantly, it is our complete responsibility to ensure year on year, that Chivas Regal will always be of the same high quality and consistent character.

HKG: What is the most rewarding part about travelling and sharing your love of Chivas?

CS: It’s very exciting to travel the world and share the generosity of Chivas Regal. I have not only discovered different countries and cultures, but many fascinating and incredible people, who want to know more about Chivas. The most rewarding part is when they taste it for the first time and a smile breaks across their faces. At that point I know my job is done.

There have been countless and memorable experiences, but the one thing we all share is the peace and relaxation that is found in fine Scotch whisky and in particular, Chivas Regal.

HKG: What should budding connoisseurs – and there are many these days – look for in a whisky?

CS: A single malt Scotch whisky is the product from just one distillery, whereas a blended Scotch whisky is when both malt and grain whiskies are brought together to create the final consistent blend.

Both single malts and blended whiskies present an amazing range of different taste profiles - I like to compare the taste of a single malt to the sound of an individual instrument, and blended whiskies to the sound of an orchestra. Single malt is like the harmonious and beautiful music of one single instrument, and the Master Distiller is the musician playing that one instrument. A blended whisky is like the sound of an orchestra where many instruments play together, and the Master Blender is the conductor.

Once you have found the flavours you like in a whisky, then that is the one to drink and share with friends.

HKG: After more than 30 years of working with whisky, how do you stay inspired?

CS: The magic and secret of Scotch whisky is that it is 100 percent natural, and as Blenders, we are always learning something new and exciting. The people in the business, the consumers around the world and most importantly the whisky, will always keep me inspired.

COLIN SCOTT’S CHIVAS REGAL PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS CHIVAS REGAL EXTRA – This is absolutely perfect every time. The complex notes from the Oloroso sherry casks makes it perfect as an aperitif long drink or in classic cocktails using the richer flavours of other fortified spirits such as Lillet, Sherry and Port.

CHIVAS REGAL 12 YEAR OLD – This goes perfectly with seafood such as scallops, prawns or sea bass. It’s also excellent with many chicken dishes.

CHIVAS REGAL 25 YEAR OLD – Perfect for relaxing towards the end of dinner with a selection of mature cheeses or fresh exotic and tropical fruits.

CHIVAS REGAL THE ICON – The last dram of the day! This could be at the end of the meal with cheese, coffee and cigars, or relaxing in front of a roaring fire with chocolate truffles and friends.

CHIVAS REGAL 18 YEAR OLD – Mouth-wateringly delicious with a warm, dark chocolate pudding or even a crème brulée and red berries. Chivas 18 is ideal with red meat, especially a perfectly grilled steak or venison.

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 67

WATCH IT

MASTERPIECES REVISITED

by Bernard Cegane / Images: Courtesy of Rolex

Each and every year, watch lovers hold their collective breath in anticipation of unveiling of the latest and greatest timepieces at Baselworld. A priority for many visiting the show or observing from afar is what the world’s biggest watch brand, Rolex, will reveal. This year, as always, the brand did not disappoint, adding seven new watches to its repertoire. HK Golfer hones in on two updated classics – the Sea-Dweller and the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36.

“A bold move” was a comment frequently peppering the cocktail party conversations at this year’s Baselworld, the world’s leading watch fair at which the world’s most anticipated timepieces are revealed each year. The “bold move” referred specifically to Rolex, which among its seven new releases, took an unprecedented decision to redress its classic Sea-Dweller sports watch, known particularly for its functionality and technology, in yellow gold and stainless steel.

In fact, this is the first time that Rolex has ever used a precious metal for any Sea-Dweller.

Fi rst rele a sed i n 1967, t he Se aDweller was designed in collaboration w it h t he pione er s of prof e s sion a l

68 HK GOLFER | JUN 2019

deep-sea diving, who spent extended periods of time underwater. This ultraresistant tool watch accompanied the first experimental underwater habitat programmes, playing a vital role in conquering the ocean depths thanks to its Oyster case, initially waterproof to a depth of 610 metres (2,000 feet), then, from 1978, to 1,220 metres (4,000 feet), and a visionary innovation patented by Rolex: the helium escape valve, fitted into the side of the watch case.

The helium escape valve allows excess pressure built up in the watch case during a dive to escape during a diver’s decompression phase in a hyperbaric chamber, whilst continuing to preserve the waterproofness of the watch.

A paragon of robustness and reliability, the middle case of the Sea-Dweller is crafted from a solid block of particularly corrosion-resistant Oystersteel. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The winding crown, fitted with the Triplock triple waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case and is protected by an integral crown guard. The crystal is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and is fitted with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the Sea-Dweller’s highprecision movement.

In its latest incarnation, on its black dial, the name ‘SeaDweller’ is inscribed in a yellow hue, echoing the colour of the 18 ct yellow gold.

When it was updated in 2017 to coincide with its 50th anniversary, this lettering was in red, in reference to the original model. The light ref lections on the case sides and lugs highlight the profile of the Sea-Dweller’s 43-mm Oyster case, which features a unidirectional rotatable bezel with a 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic.

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Rolesor, the combination of gold and steel on a Rolex watch, has been a signature feature of the brand since 1933 when the name was first registered. It is a meeting of two metals: one, noble and precious, attractive for its lustre and stability; the other, highly resistant, known for its strength and reliability. On the new yellow Rolesor version of the Sea-Dweller, the bezel, winding crown and centre links of the bracelet are in 18 ct yellow gold, while the case and outer links of the bracelet are in Oystersteel.

The new version of the Sea-Dweller is equipped with calibre 3235, a new generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. A consummate demonstration of technology, at the forefront of the art of watchmaking, this selfwinding mechanical movement led to the filing of several patents and offers fundamental gains in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks and magnetic fields, convenience and reliability.

Another highlight of the Rolex offering at Baselworld was the new generation of its Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36, available in 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold with distinctive new dials and gem-set bezels on some versions.

Of the new combinations, two feature a novel dial design with a concentric gradient: the first, in 18 ct yellow gold, is

presented with a green ombré dial; the second, in 18 ct Everose gold, with a brown ombré dial. Both are embellished with diamond hour markers in 18 ct gold settings; the diamonds at 6 and 9 o’clock are baguette-cut, a configuration specific to the Day-Date range. Two other versions, one in 18 ct white gold and the other in 18 ct yellow gold, are fitted with a dial in decorative stone – pink opal for one, slightly veined turquoise for the other – enhanced by shimmering hour markers with Roman numerals VI and IX in 18 ct gold set with diamonds.

The bezel is adorned with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds.

The last watch, in 18 ct white gold, is yet more precious. Its dial, featuring hour markers fashioned from 10 baguette-cut sapphires in rainbow colours, is entirely paved with diamonds.

Its bezel is illuminated by 52 brilliant-cut diamonds and its bracelet is set with 412 brilliant-cut diamonds along the centre links. The light reflections on the case sides and lugs highlight the elegant profile of the 36-mm Oyster case.

All the new versions are equipped with calibre 3255, included on the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 for the first time.

At its launch in 1956, the Day-Date was a major innovation: it was the first calendar wristwatch to indicate, in addition to the

date, the day of the week - spelled out in full in an arc-shaped window at 12 o’clock – a technical feat at the time. The indication of the day of the week is available in a choice of 26 languages.

Watches in the Day-Date range are made only in precious metals – 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold or 950 platinum.

Worn by many of the world’s political figures, directors and visionaries, the Day-Date is instantly recognisable, in particular for its emblematic President bracelet, whose evocative name, together with the eminent figures who have worn it, ensured that it became known as the “Presidents’ watch”.

The new versions of the Day-Date 36 are equipped with calibre 3255 for the first time. Calibre 3255 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve extends to approximately 70 hours.

The three-piece link President bracelet, created especially for the launch of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date in 1956, is still reserved exclusively for the Day-Date range and specific versions of the Datejust.

And on that note, we look forward to the unveiling of next year’s Rolex treasures…

JUN 2019 | HK GOLFER 71

THE NINETEENTH

AGAINST THE

ODDS

by Timothy Low / Image: Augusta National 2019

I

'm sure everyone has heard the now legendary tale of the American punter who placed a US$85,000 wager on Tiger Woods winning the Masters. Apparently his first ever bet at a bookmaker.

However, after what can only be considered the greatest comeback story in all of the sport that saw Tiger dramatically claim his 15th Major in April, our punter had parlayed his 14 to 1 bet on Tiger into US$1,190,000.

There seems to be something about golf that inspires the closet gambler in all of us, and it truly is a beautiful game where anything can happen. It's a punters paradise and a bookmaker's dream.

I've seen some silly bets in my time; once I saw a 60 year-old member of my club sitting on a dustbin, hitting a driver on a 130-yard par 3 to an island green, his playing partner laid him odds of 500-1 to keep it dry. For the record, he won US$50,000 that day.

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I once saw another legendary Singaporean hustler start hitting balls next to me on the driving range while sitting on a barstool. When I inquired as to the nature of his curious training aid, he told me he had a bet the next day that involved him playing an entire round of golf while seated on his barstool.

Going back to our virgin sports better from the Masters, he made his second ever wager a few weeks later - US$100,000 on a Tiger Grand slam in 2019 at 100-1. That's a potential payout of USD$10,000,000!

But, Tiger missing the cut at the PGA Championship at Bethpage quickly put an end to that dream. Golf in many ways is like gambling - we're utterly convinced that the perfect moment could be just one shot away, no matter how many times it beats us down, we keep coming back for more, but at the end of the day the house always wins.

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