1808hkgolfer

Feature: Rolex & Golf

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION VOTED THE REGION’S NO 1 GOLF MAGAZINE

ISSUE 138

HKGOLFER.COM AUGUST 2018

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| CONTENTS

HK Golfer Issue 138

August 2018

28 On the Cover:

“Motin Yeung just became the first Hong Kong winner on the PGA Tour SeriesChina, and is also in a good position to earn a Web.com Tour status next year.”

Zhuang Liu, PGA TOUR Series-China

Features

Plus…

28 | Cover Story

10 | Divots

Exclusive interview with Motin Yeung, new ambassador of the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.

By The Editors

Interview By Nicolas Kunz

34 | U.S. PGA Championship Preview

Who will lift the giant Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday 12th of August?

By Mike Wilson

42 | Asian Angle

A growing legion of young and exciting Asian talents are now realising their American dream on the PGA TOUR.

By Chuah Choo Chiang

Image courtesy of Hong Kong Golf Association 6

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12 | In Focus

A pictorial review of the last 30 days from around the world.

By The Editors

19 | Tee Time

Zenith welcomes this summer with a range of on-trend blue models.

By The Editors

23 | Around the HKGA

Phil Mickelson is well-known on and off the course as something of a maverick.

The Golf Development Director believes HK can become the Asian equivalent of Sweden by implementing “Vision 54”.

By Mike Wilson

By Jonathan Wallet

64 | Golf Travel

72 | Final Shot

52 | Bunker Mentality

10

News and events from Hong Kong and the region.

Hua H in golf holidays a re centered a mongst ma ny excel lent resor ts, restaurants, entertainment areas, and beaches making it an ideal golf holiday destination.

In memory of Peter Thomson, a true titan of the game, a five-time winner of the Open Championship.

By Louie Chan

By Louie Chan HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION AUGUST 2018 • Issue 138

Managing Editor: Louie Chan louie.chan@hkgolfer.com Contributing Editors: Dr Milton Wayne, Faye Glasgow, John Bruce, Nathan Goulding, Keith McLaren, Paul Jansen, Evan Rast, Mike Wilson, Robin Lynam.

Art Director: Derek Hannah Photo Editor: Daniel Wong Administration Manager Cindy Kwok Publisher: Charles McLaughlin Published by:

TIMES INTERNATIONAL CREATION Times International Creation Limited 10B Lockhart Centre 301-307 Lockhart Road Hong Kong Phone: +852 3590-4153 Fax: +852 3590-4533

D E PA R T M E N T S 10 Divots 12 Global Focus 14 China Focus 16 Local Focus 19 Clubhouse 23 Around the HKGA 28 Cover Story 42 Asian Angle 48 Tour Insider 64 Golf Travel Image courtesy of Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin

72 Final Shot

In association with: thymedesign.hk Advertising: For advertising information, please contact: ads@hkgolfer.com For purchasing information contact: sales@hkgolfer.com For subscription information contact: subs@hkgolfer.com Hong Kong Golf Association Suite 2003, Olympic House 1 Stadium Path, So Kon Po Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Phone (General): +852 2504-8659 Fax: +852 2845-1553 Phone (Handicaps): +852 2504-8197 Fax: +852 2504-8198 Email: info@hkga.com handicaps@hkga.com

HK GOLFER is published by Times International Creation, 10B Lockhart Centre, 301-307 Lockhart Road, Hong Kong.

HK GOLFER is published monthly © 2018 by Times International Creation. Published in Hong Kong. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. PRINTED IN HONG KONG. 8

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HKGOLFER.COM

| DIVOTS

Tommy Fleetwood joins OMEGA’s line-up of golfing greats

Raynald Aeschlimann CEO and President of OMEGA (left) and Tommy Fleetwood

27-year-old Tommy Fleetwood is the latest addition to OM EG A’s a l ready i mpressive roster of gol f i ng ambassadors. A rising star on the European and PGA tours, Fleetwood has already claimed four tournament victories and is the 2017 Race to Dubai Champion.

2017 also saw the young golfer finish strongly in the US Open and World Golf Championships in Mexico.

R ay na ld Ae sch l i ma n n , C EO a nd Pre sident of OM EGA extended a warm welcome to Fleet wood, saying: “At OMEGA, we love golf and it’s a great thrill to have a passionate player like Tommy join our team of ambassadors. We’re proud to play a part in his very promising career”.

Fleet wood wa s equa l ly ent hu sia st ic about t he decision. The driven young professional responded by saying: “OMEGA is very special to me, I’m not only proud to be an ambassador for one of the world’s most prestigious brands, I’m also very honoured to be joining two elite players I’m lucky enough to call friends. I’m really looking forward to all of us working together.”

Arianna Lau Won FCG International Junior Title

Image Courtesy of Hong Kong Golf Association

Arianna Lau won the FCG International Junior Golf Championship with a total score of 2-under 114.

Play i ng t he pa r 58 St. Ma rk Execut ive Gol f C ourse in Sa n Marcos, California, Arianna carded 57-57 in the two-round tournament a nd was t he on ly player f i n ished u nder-pa r i n t he Gi rl s ’ 9 -10 a ge group. This marked the third time that she won the FCG Junior title.

A week after her victory, Arianna cla imed second place at t he I MG Academy Junior World Championships with a total score of 2-under 214, just one stroke behind the winner. She showed consistency throughout the three-round tournament at Sycuan Resort Oak Glen course. Her runnerup spot was a big improvement from her shared-10th place finish last year in the same event.

A ria n na cred ited her success to her coach and t he Hong Kong Golf Association team. She added, “My results at t he FCG and I MG tournaments convinced me that I can achieve my dream in the future.”

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| DIVOTS

HSBC Extends LPGA Tour Event Title Sponsorship HSBC has extended sponsorship of its flagship L PG A event t h rou g h 2020 a s t he HSBC Women’s World Championship returns to the New Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore next March.

For its 11th edition which took place earlier this year, the tournament was renamed the HSBC Women’s World Championship after ten years as the HSBC Women’s Champions.

American star, Michelle Wie, sealed victory over a world-class field with a spectacular final putt on the 18th green for her first win on Tour since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

Reigning Champion, Wie, commented: “This event is a very special one to everyone on the tour. Working together, HSBC and the LPGA have built something unique. I know that everyone will be excited to hear that HSBC has extended their commitment to this fantastic tournament.”

Tony Cripps, HSBC ’s Ch ief Exec ut ive Officer, Singapore, commented: “Our flagship event in women’s golf has evolved at a rapid pace over the past decade and the name change ref lects its hard-earned reputation of ‘Asia’s Major’. We have enjoyed fantastic support from

the players and we have always attracted the best of the best; just look at our previous winners, legends of the game from all corners of the globe - Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa, Karrie Webb from Australia, A i Miya zato from Japan, US star Paula Crea mer and A ngela Stanford, South Korean legend Inbee Park and the ever popular and always charming Michelle Wie. We are especially thankful to the Singapore Tourism Board for all of their support and for sharing our commitment to continue to grow this great event.”

Global Focus Kim Wins First Tour Title in Record Fashion 25-year-old Michael Kim didn’t just win his first PGA TOUR event at John Deere Classic, and he dominated in a fashion never seen before at TPC Deere Run. Kim shot a final-round 66 on Sunday to win by a recordsetting eight strokes. The Korean finished at 27-under 257 to break Steve Stricker’s tournament record from 2010 by one shot.

The former University of California-Berkeley star also qualified for the Open Championship at Carnoustie the week after - an unexpected bonus for a player who had missed five of his last six cuts before his breakthrough in the Quad Cities.

Kim also made 30 birdies for the week, a seasonhigh on TOUR in 2018.

“To be able to finish out in style like this, it means a lot. To be sitting here with a trophy, I’m at a loss for words,” said Kim, who had struggled to find his footing after turning Pro. Photo by AFP/Getty Images

China Focus China Amateur Yuan Triumphs in Qingdao Yechun “Carl” Yuan of China closed with back-to-back birdies to secure a dramatic onestroke victory at the Qingdao Championship and become the second amateur to win a PGA TOUR Series-China title.

The 21-year-old started the day with a two-shot lead and carded an even-par 72 at Tiger Beach Golf Links to finish 6-under, one ahead of England’s Callum Tarren (69).

Yuan, who played college golf for the University of Washington for three years, was competing in Sunday’s final group for his third successive event on the Tour and was delighted to win after previous closing rounds of 71 left him tied 18th at last month’s Kunming Championship and joint third at last week’s Yantai Championship.

Yuan was also pleased to become only the second amateur to win on the Tour and follow in the footsteps of longtime China teammate Cheng Jin, who was 16 when he won the Nine Dragons Open in Zhejiang province in 2014. The pair will represent China in the upcoming Asian Games, which will be held in Indonesia this month.

Photo by PGA TOUR SeriesChina/Zhuang Liu

China Focus Honma Golf as HK Open New Title Sponsor Honma will be the title sponsor of the newly named Honma Hong Kong Open, when the US$ 2 million purse tournament returns to the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling from 22nd to 25th November this year and marks the start of the European Tour’s 2019 season.

The Japanese golf equipment manufacturer takes on the sponsorship of one of Asia’s most prestigious golf tournaments as Honma, and the Hong Kong Open look to celebrate their respective 60th year anniversaries.

The tournament, which was won thrillingly by Wade Ormsby of Australia last November, will continue to be played on the Hong Kong Golf Club’s composite Championship Course in Fanling and will be tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and the Hong Kong Golf Association.

The 2018 edition of the Honma Hong Kong Open presents both organisations with an opportunity to celebrate each other’s history and provide a world-class sporting spectacle for the people of Hong Kong and golf fans around the world.

Photo by Hong Kong Golf Club

Left to right: Kenneth Lam, Vice President of Hong Kong Golf Association; Liu Jianguo, CEO of Honma Golf; Martin Hadawa, Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club; Vicky Jones, Championship Director of European Tour

CLUB

Away from the Fairways | TEE TIME

SHINING IN SUMMER BLUE ZENITH WELCOMES THIS SUMMER WITH A RANGE OF ONTREND BLUE MODELS. ADVENTURERS WITH A THIRST FOR BOARD HORIZONS CAN PREPARE TO TAKE OFF WITH RUNAWAY STYLE WEARING THE DEFY EL PRIMERO 21 BLUE OR THE PILOT TYPE 20 EXTRA SPECIAL CHRONOGRAPH

Zenith Defy El Primero 21 Blue HKGOLFER.COM

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19

What makes the Defy El Primero 21 so innovative (and alluring) is that the technology is integral to the futuristic look of the watch

S

ince 1865, Zenith has been guided by authenticity, daring and passion in pushing the boundaries of excellence, precision and innovation. Soon after its founding in Le Locle by visionary watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot, Zenith gained recognition for the precision of its chronometers, with which it has won 2,333 chronometry prizes in just over a century and a half of existence: an absolute record.

After the fundamental contribution to the chronograph history with the high frequency (5 Hz or 36,000 vibrations per hour) El Primero launched in 1969, Zenith made a giant leap with a new calibre beating at the ultra-high frequency of 50 Hz (360,000 vibrations per hour), ten times faster and more accurate than its predecessor.

This in-house made El Primero 90 0 4 automatic movement is equipped with its own patented balance-springs made of Carbon-Matrix Carbon Nanotube composite.

The exceptional physical and mechanical properties of this balance-springs with its graphene matrix render it insensitive to temperature and the influence of magnetic fields, well beyond the known 15,000 Gauss standard, thereby guaranteeing peerless precision in all conditions of use.

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Performed via a crown with two positions (for winding and time-setting), manual winding works in both directions: clockwise for the chronograph, counterclockwise for the watch. 25 turns of the crown are enough to obtain a 100% charge of the chronograph barrel. A star-shaped open worked oscillating weight handles one-way automatic winding of the watch function.

Framed by a 44 mm case available in various materials, the closed or open worked dial of the Defy El Primero 21 features an inner bezel bearing a scale graduated from 1 to 100 around which a 1/100th of a second hand sweeps at lightning speed of one turn per second.

This new-generation two-barrelled El Primero automatic movement drives the central hour and minute functions, the subsidiary second counter at 9 o’clock.

HKGOLFER.COM

What makes the Defy El Primero 21 so innovative (and alluring) is the technology is integral to the futuristic look of the watch.

Take for example the Defy El Primero 21 Blue with a titanium strap. The cutaway dial has a crisp, industrial design which showcases the fact that the watch chronograph escapement is wholly separate from the timekeeping one.

This marvellous mechanism is housed in a 44 mm case made of grade 5 titanium and has three, high-tech strap options: black rubber bonded with blue alligator leather; blue rubber; or ultralight titanium. These bracelets are all outfitted with a titanium double folding clasp.

Another great addition to the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Extra Special models is the new blue dial version cased in bronze.

Featuring a navy-blue matte dial, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Extra Special Bronze Blue Dial is equipped with a dark blue oily nubuck strap with a titanium pin buckle - the rugged and distressed look of the strap accentuates the vintage-inspired nature of this watch.

Made of patinated bronze, the case has been chemically treated to prevent further patina on it. Powered by the legendary automatic El Primero 4069 chronograph calibre, the dial maintains a bi-complex layout with a 30-minute chronograph register at 3 o’clock and running seconds at 9 o’clock. A clean, easy-to-read design that is further complemented by Arabic numerals in luminescent material as well as the word ‘Pilot’ in yellow. The gold-plated hands are satin-brushed finished matching the warm bronze hue of the case.

The case is equipped with the traditional pilot’s watch attributes with large welded lugs and a broad onion-shaped screw-down crown that takes on a vintage character. Topped by a domed sapphire crystal, the numerals stand out clearly against the dial background. The dial has different hues depending on lighting conditions ranging from almost black to a true navy blue. To make things more vintage looking, the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Extra Special Bronze Blue Dial is equipped with a dark blue oily nubuck strap with a titanium pin buckle. The rugged and distressed look of the strap accentuates the vintage-inspired nature of this watch.

The movement is protected by a solid titanium case back engraved with the Zenith flying instruments logo, and the watch is water resistant to 100 meters.

The Zenith Pilot Type 20 Chronograph Extra Special Bronze Blue Dial is equipped with a dark blue oily nubuck strap with a titanium pin buckle

“After the fundamental contribution to the chronograph history with the high frequency El Primero launched in 1969, Zenith made a giant leap with a new calibre beating at the ultra-high frequency of 50 Hz, ten times faster and more accurate than its predecessor.”

The movement is protected by a solid titanium case back engraved with the Zenith flying instruments logo HKGOLFER.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG 2018

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HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION

Fan and Kwan Crowned Albert Lai Champs Jason Fan and Jasmine Kwan were crowned winners of the 2018 Albert KW Lai Junior Tournament at the Hong Kong Golf Club in another busy month for amateur golf in Hong Kong, writes Louie Chan.

J

Jasmine Kwan and Derik Leung, Men’s and Ladies Gross division winner at the HKGA July Stableford tournament HKGOLFER.COM

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Daniel Wong

Jason Fan and Jasmine Kwan, 2018 Albert KW Lai Junior Tournament Champions

ason Fan, Arnold Lee Jr. and Joon Ho Kim finished in a three-way tie at 32 points over 18 holes on the New Course at Fanling. Fan finally claimed the overall boy’s title by winning the playoff. Jasmine Kwan notched an impressive 30 gross points on her way to a comprehensive victory in the overall girl’s division, 7 points more than runner-up Chloris Lee (23 points).

The long-running championship, which is open to junior golfers aged seven through 17, is named after the late Albert KW Lai, who in 1995 generously donated HK$1 million to the development of junior golf in Hong Kong.

July’s crammed schedule also featured the 2018 HKGA July Stableford Tournament at the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.

Derik Leung won the Men’s Gross division with 30 points over 18 holes, just 1 point over Jonathan Brock and Jonathan Lee, tied 2nd with 29 points. Jasmine Kwan is the winner of the Ladies Gross division with 34 points, completed her July double a week later at the Albert Lai Championship as above. Stephanie took home the runner-up prize with 33 points.

A lbe r t K W L ai Ju ni o r To ur n a m e nt: Overall Boy’s: 32 – Jason Fan, Arnold Lee Jr., Kim Joon Ho; 31 – Chan Hok Him; 27 – Cheung Tsun Yip, Maurice Leung, Lincoln Lau. Overall Girl’s: 30 – Jasmine Kwan; 23 – Chloris Li, Jolie Wong; 21 – Eunice Chan; 20 – Phoebe Leung, Colette Szeto.

HKGA July Stableford: Men’s Gross: 30 – Derik Leung; 29 – Jonathan Brock, Jonathan Lee. Ladies Gross: 34 – Jasmine Kwan; 33 – Stephanie Wong; 29 – Cathy Cheung. Men’s Nett: 47 – Vincent Lau; 41 – Wu Ngai Kong; 40 – Tso Hon Ming, John Yiu. Ladies’ Nett: 41 – Leong Kuo Wa; 40 – Florence Wong, Evang Wong, Jasmine Kwan, Cathy Cheung, Wong Kit Man. 23

Vision 54 Jonathan Wallett, Golf Development Director of HKGA, believes HK can become the Asian equivalent of Sweden, which produced major championship winning golfers such as Annika Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson.

L

et’s take a look at the story of Swedish Golf. Until the mid1980s they had never had a winner on a Professional Tour - and why should they? They were not a golf ing country, and with short summers and cold winters, it was an unlikely environment for success.

Back in 1985, the National Coach was a young female coach called Pia Nilsson. A visionary as a coach, she identified that her most prominent task was to confront this cultural belief that they were not a golfing country and had little chance of success. She understood that this was a limiting belief that acted like a cloud around every player.

At a National Training Camp, she asked the players if they had, at one time in their golfing life, had a birdie on the 1st hole of their home course. Everyone said yes, at one time or another he or she had had a birdie on the 1st hole. She then asked each player if they had had a birdie on hole 2 of their home course. They all said yes. She continued this until hole 18 and then pronounced that if they had at one time or another had a birdie on every hole at their home course, then potentially they can score 54, 18 under par. Everyone laughed and said that would be impossible - but she retorted why. Surely theoretically it’s possible if at one time or another each player had birdied every hole?

The Vision 54 concept was born, and the change was amazing - it shows the power of belief and especially cultural belief. A young player on that team was Annika Sorenstam who went on to become World No.1 and probably the greatest lady player in the history of the game to date.

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In essence what happened is that Pia was able to instil a ‘no limits’ mindset in her players. It was a wonderful piece of big picture coaching which changed the golfing landscape for Sweden forever - with Henrik Stenson’s victory at the 2016 British Open the latest Swedish success of which there have been many over the last three decades.

O u r m ission w it h t he H K Player Development Program is to instil a similar ‘no limits’ mindset and create a platform whereby HK Junior Players can choose their ambitions in the game without limits - so this can range from just playing golf for fun, to gaining a College Scholarship, or at the highest level to play successfully professionally.

Tiffany Chan’s meteoric rise is our best opportunity to now establish a mentor for the next generation and her pioneering exploits - first as a golfing Olympian and then as the first HK player to be a holder of LPGA Tour Card - forge a pathway and a vision for the local players to aspire. The seeds of this success were planted many years ago through t he cont i nued expa nsion of t he Ju n ior Development Program under the auspices of National Coach Brad Schadewitz, HKGA C om m it tee Memb ers, Tea m C apt a i n s, Presidents and past and current Chairmen’s such as Kelvin Inge, William Chung, David Hui and Robert Keys.

H i s t o r ic a l l y t h e H K Te a m ave r a g e position from 2010 to 2015 in team events was two-thirds of the way down the field - or 0.67 - so if there were 100 teams we would on average finish 67th. Now over the last 12 months, we have finished 4th in both the Men and Ladies World University Tea m Cha mpionship, 4t h in t he China HKGOLFER.COM

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AFP/Getty Images

Annika Sorenstam holds the 2006 U.S. Open Championship trophy after the playoff

Daniel Wong

Leon D’Souza not just made the cut in the HK Open last December, and also recently won the NCAA College II Individual Championship in the USA 26

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National Games, 7th at the Nomura Cup and 9th at the World Universidad in Taiwan last summer against such heavyweights as England, USA and Australia. In 2 team tourna ments, we f inished a n agonising one shot behind a medal position, but the big picture is if we continue on the same trajectory over the next few years further success is all but guaranteed.

We are starting to build momentum.

Individual players like Leon D’Souza, who made the cut in the HK Open last December, recently won the NCAA College II Individual Championship in the USA. Matthew Cheung f i n ished 2nd i n t he Wester n Au st ra l ia A mateur Championship earlier this year against a stellar field of 156 elite amateurs.

Terrence Ng recently tied for 1st place in the Selangor Masters in Malaysia and lost in a playoff. Taichi Kho won the HK Junior Championship with a total of -9 and had earned himself a scholarship at the illustrious Not re Da me Un iversit y. I n t he Lad ies section, Mimi Ho has played consistently well in the USA and is currently at a careerhigh World Ranking. Behind her, Izzy Leung has been delivering progressing results with 5th in the World University Championship and T22nd in the HK Ladies Open. Michelle Cheung finished 3rd in the Selangor Masters i n Ma laysia a s wel l a s T 29 i n t he H K Ladies Open and no longer are our players competing in the tournament just to make up the field. Behind these front-line players are talented and smart working youngsters like Chloe Chan, Ginnie Ding and Selina Li to name but a few.

To precipitate this success, it requires processes, structure and systems based on our 4 Quadrants Player Development Model.

The first quadrant is Access - and 24 Golf Memberships from HKGC, four from CWB as well as increasing course access at all HK golf facilities has been a game changer.

The second quadrant – tournaments – has progressed and our top players are getting the opportunity through the HKGA office ad ministration to have rich experiences pl ay i n g a g a i n s t t h e t o p pl ay e r s b o t h regionally and globally.

The last 2 quadrants – Coaching and I nst r uct ion – have progressed whereby we have camps at HKGC utilising worldrenowned experts like Golf Psychologist Dr Brian Hemmings (formerly Lead Psychologist to England Golf for 17 years and nurtured the talents such as Tommy Fleetwood, Danny Willett, Ross Fisher and Chris Wood) and Biomechanist Ryan Lumsden (players like Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Henrik Stenson and Thomas Pieters).

Players in the HK Talent Team get regular and ongoing coaching with me, and we are now launching the HK Junior Talent Team whereby in the future the best 11-16 years old will gain access to these consultants.

T h e n p e r h ap s t h e m o s t si g n i f ic a nt development is the emergence of the HKGA Contracted Coaching Team over the last two years – whereby 8 to 10 local HKPGA coache s a re now reg u la rly i nvolved i n delivering the HKGA class program on a weekly basis marshalled by HKGA Junior Development Manager Ducky Tang. This has allowed us to start building a cobweb at t he lower a nd m idd le level s of t he Player Funnel and whilst we are the first to acknowledge there is a long way to go there is more activity at every level season by season. Alongside this, excellent private coaches are working at golf facilities in HK who have made significant contributions to Player Development in HK. Could HK become the Asian equivalent of Sweden? In several decades time, we may not be churning out the quantity of players Korea or Japan does. However, I firmly believe with the right structure and processes in place we can be the jewel of Asia regarding quality and have male players competing in tournaments like the Masters a nd Br it i sh O p en , a nd fema le player s winning on the LPGA. After all, HK is a high achieving society, so let’s strive to become the Asian equivalent of Sweden in Europe and break down the cultural barriers and absorb a no-limits mindset.

HKGOLFER.COM

COVER STORY

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Motin Yeung has represented Hong Kong multiple times in various international tournaments

Motin Yeung Web.com Tour

Hopeful

Nickolas Kunz talks to the first Hong Kong winner on the PGA TOUR Series-China about how he celebrated his first professional victory, his confidence on earning a Web.com Tour card and his new Ambassador role for the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.

Photography by Zhuang Liu (PGA TOUR Series-China)

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Motin Yeung has recently signed as an ambassador for the Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club

Nicolas Kunz: How did you celebrate your first PGA TOUR SeriesChina win at the Kunming Championship in June?

Motin Yeung: Right after the tournament, I had dinner with a bunch of the guys like Charlie Saxon, Trevor Sluman and some of the Tour staff. We just had a big dinner, and then we went out to have some fun.

NK: How special was getting that first win as a pro?

MY: It was really special for me for a couple of reasons. One was that I got full status on the Tour, so I don’t have to worry about Monday qualifiers again. Two, I haven’t won a real tournament since 2010, so it had been a long time – eight years. I almost forgot what it felt like to win, so it was really exciting. Another thing is that I’m excited to win on the Tour because it put me in the second spot on the money list (as of June 18), so I have a much better chance of getting Web. com Tour status for next year.

NK: Considering before the win, you didn’t have any status on the PGA Tour Series-China, how did it feel for your career to change overnight?

MY: It felt great. I mean, now I don’t have to worry about playing Monday qualifiers or finishing top 20 anymore. I can just go out there, play and not worry about next week and how I’m going to get into next week. That’s a big relief.

Also, it’s a big confidence booster that I know I can win, I can win in a playoff, I can win in a playoff against two players. It’s really a big confidence booster.

NK: Are you confident about earning a Web.com Tour card for 2019?

MY: I think so. I’ve been feeling good, and I’ve been working hard, so hopefully, I will keep those good results coming.

NK: When you had no status, did you think you’d now be in the running for the Web.com Tour – the ‘Path to the PGA TOUR’?

MY: I’ve been feeling good this whole year. When I had my first interview in Chongqing, I was like, ‘My game is feeling good, I’m just waiting’. I’m waiting for the good results to come, so I’m confident some more good results will come.

NK: What would a top-five finish on the Tour mean to you?

MY: It means Web.com Tour status. I’m ready to move up the ladder!

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NK: Are you excited that this year’s Tour will finish in Hong Kong with the Clearwater Bay Open (October 11-14)?

MY: Yeah, I’m super excited about that. I like the course a lot. It’s a beautiful place, a special place.

I’m looking forward to playing there.

NK: The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club would be an exciting place to lock up a Web. com Tour card.

MY: For sure. Hopefully!

NK: You recently signed to be an ambassador for Clearwater Bay, joining Jason Hak. How did that arise?

MY: David Hui (Committee Chairman) sent me an email after I won, and we started from there. We talked on the phone, and I ended up going to Hong Kong. I signed on Monday, July 2.

NK: Are you excited about the new role?

MY: I’m super excited about it. Having a world-class golf course supporting me is something I didn’t even think about. Right after I read the email, I was like, ‘Wow’. I just got so pumped, and I’m excited to work with them in the future and play many rounds of golf there.

NK: Will being an ambassador add pressure to competing at Clearwater Bay in October?

MY: I think it’s good pressure. I want to do better there. I want to play well and represent the club well.

HKGOLFER.COM

Motin Yeung kisses his girlfriend during the prize presentation ceremony at the Kunming Championship

NK: How well do you know the club and what do you like most about it?

MY: I’ve played two tournaments there. I think it’s a really special place there, beautiful views – beautiful, stunning views! That’s the most unique thing about it. Also, a good layout. I really like the layout, conditions are always perfect, so there’s not much more you can ask from a golf course.

NK: What has been the role of the HKGA in the development of your golf career?

MY: I represented Hong Kong multiple times. I played the National Games in 2013 and in 2017, Asian Games in 2014, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2015 and World Amateur in 2012. Those are the times I represented Hong Kong. They were all great experiences, and I had a lot of fun travelling with my teammates. At the time, Brad Schadewitz was the coach, and I had multiple captains – Rob Keys and a couple other good guys. I had a great time.

NK: When did you start playing golf?

MY: I started playing in 2003 when I was nine years old. At that time, bird flu affected Beijing pretty badly, and I was out of school for a pretty long time, maybe from around April all the way through summer, so our whole family went to Hainan where there was no bird flu. My dad played golf, and he brought me to the course since I had nothing to do. It was a good time for me to learn it and that’s how I picked it up.

Even when I was 13, 14, I still wasn’t too attracted to golf. It was more of my parents saying, ‘Oh, just go play this sport, it’s good for you’. They wanted me to use it to get a scholarship to go to college. When I was about 15, I started playing a lot of AJGA tournaments, started getting into the big tournaments, the invitationals, and I really liked the touring life. I got a taste of the touring life, and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the competition, the travelling, everything.

NK: Having grown from an elite junior to a Hong Kong representative to a touring pro who has won his first title, do you have any advice for Hong Kong’s junior and amateurs?

MY: I would say work hard, believe in yourself and never give up. You’ll make it one day – you have to believe it.

NK: What’s your best-ever round?

MY: I shot 61 one time back in my high-school days. It was a 61, but it wasn’t a par-72 course. It was a par-70 or 71, and the tournament was called Florida Azalea.

HKGOLFER.COM

NK: Do you have a favourite course around the world?

MY: Maybe Sage Valley. It’s a super nice course in South Carolina, right next to Augusta National. Basically, the owner built it because he couldn’t get into Augusta, so he built his own version – it’s super nice! We played a tournament there, and it was definitely the best tournament in junior or amateur golf. Like, the best! The course is super pure. We played in April around the time of the Masters, and the course was in really excellent condition. It’s a good track, good food, everything about it was good. Good gifts also!

NK: Who would be in your dream fourball?

MY: Hold on, I need some time to think. I need to think of somebody who is inspiring. Who is inspiring? Elon Musk, definitely. I think he is super cool, so I’d choose him. I’m not going to say Tiger Woods or Jordan Spieth … I’ll play against them. Leonardo DiCaprio because I like his movies and I think he’s a great actor. It would be cool to hang with him and see him in person and play golf with him. Also Lebron James.

NK: Why Lebron James?

MY: Because he is God!

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Montana Pritchard/PGA of America

US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

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CenturyMaker

Moving to May The 2018 U.S. PGA Championship, the 100th edition of the event promises to be something of a landmark.

As Mike Wilson writes, this will be the end of an era and the dawning of a new epoch as the event moves to Bethpage Black in New York State next May.

Who will lift the giant Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday 12th of August?

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AFP/Getty Images

S Pete Bevacqua, CEO of PGA of America 36

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ometimes and often unfairly viewed as the runt of the Majors, the U.S. PGA Championship founded in 1916 comes of age this year, 100 not out. But the US$10.5m tournament, which has evolved from a match play event until 1957 is about to transition into the third phase of its evolution. The venerable event is remaining a stroke play format but moving to mid-May in what is arguably the most significant scheduling change in PGA TOUR history.

The 2016 U.S. PGA Championship was impacted - ‘compromised’ might be a more appropriate word - by golf’s readmission to the Olympic Games. Rio de Janeiro saw the season’s fourth and final Major squeezed in between the Open Championship and the Olympics.

And with the biennial Ryder Cup, and to a lesser extent the President’s Cup demanding not only a place on the global golf schedule but also multi-million-dollar TV airtime and column inches, something had to give.

And it did. The tectonic plates of global golf shifted inexorably; having undergone a relativelyminor rescheduling for August to July 2016, world golf’s powerbrokers, the PGA TOUR, decided significant surgery was required. With the U.S. PGA Championship brought forward

to May from next year onwards, perfectly placed between April’s Masters and June’s U.S. Open. With the Open Championship - the oldest and, arguably the most prestigious of all - drawing the ‘Grand Slam’ roster to a close by maintaining its mid-July slot.

But, given the logjam surrounding the world golf calendar and the competing interests - and the naked supremacy - of the PGA TOUR, any scheduling change inevitable results in cause and effect, action and reaction. On this occasion the - at best - weakening of the European Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship at worst - moving the Wentworth event to a less attractive event, most probably towards the end of the English summer.

However, the ‘big beasts’ of the golfing jungle, the U.S. PGA and the PGA TOUR, individually and collectively the leaders of the pack are unquestionably delighted with the switch, irrespective of the impact on their transatlantic cousins.

"In weighing the complex evolution of the golf calendar, the PGA of America's key objectives was to promote the best interests of our signature spectator Championship, do what is best for the game, and find the most advantageous platform to fulfil our mission of serving our nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals HKGOLFER.COM

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Championship to a more favourable date from 2019 onwards.”

But, lest we get ahead of ourselves, there is the small matter of the 100th U.S. PGA Championship to consider. And it promises to offer its traditional autumnal date a rousing send-off, at the Robert Trent Jones-designed Bellerive Country Club, near St. Louis in Missouri, USA. Having hosted the U.S. Open in 1965, when Gary Player took the title - and, with it, the South African achieving the career Grand Slam following an 18-hole play-off against Australian Kel Nagle - Bellerive has staged the U.S. PGA Championship once before. In 1992, Zimbabwean Nick Price won the first of his three Major titles, winning the PGA again in 1994, having broken Greg Norman’s heart earlier that year by snatching the Open Championship from the jaws of the ‘Great White Shark.’

The course was subsequently upgraded to meet the demands of 21st-century golf and its awesome, technology-driven power and distance

by Rees Jones, son of the so-called, ‘Father of modern golf course design.’

Today, Bellerive stands at 7,500-yards, a muscular Par-71, and a true test of golf for the event which tips a wink to its influential

The Robert Trent Jonesdesigned Bellerive Country Club, near St. Louis in Missouri HK GOLFER・AUG 2018

AFP/Getty Images

and growing the game," said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Pete Bevacqua.

He added, "Our analysis began in 2013 and included an extensive list of factors, including having to shift the date every four years to accommodate the Olympic Games,” continued the PGA chief, adding, “In the end, we determined that playing the PGA Championship the week prior to Memorial Day in May, making it the second Major championship of the [annual] golf calendar, will achieve those three objectives.”

Tellingly, Bevacqua attested, “Television markets, in general, are stronger in May”.

Meanwhile, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said, “We are thrilled to announce these two significant changes, which will greatly enhance the professional golf calendar starting in 2019,” adding, “Our thanks to the PGA of America for its partnership in what will allow both organizations to meet our short- and longterm objectives, while delivering incredibly compelling golf to our fans around the world.

And European Tour CEO Keith Pelley tried to shore-up the situation, presenting it as a positive development rather than the threat it inevitably is, commenting, “Significant changes to the global golfing calendar have given us the opportunity to move the BMW PGA

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Montana Pritchard/PGA of America

Only one, Tiger Woods has successfully retained the Wanamaker Trophy, can Justin Thomas win it again this year?

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members of the PGA of America by reserving slots for the 20 lowest scorers from its PGA Professional National Championship out of its near 20,000-strong membership.

Bellerive, which is only the third course in the USA to have hosted all of the country’s recognised blue-chip events, the U.S. Open, U.S. PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open and Senior PGA Championship. At first glance, a feel of Augusta National about it, beautifully, but perhaps overly manicured, tree-lined, narrow fairways and enough sand and water to trip-up those taking liberties with RTJ’s creation.

The front nine should hold few fears. The sixth hole, a tricky 215-yard Par-3 is welldefended by water, sand and thick, mature deciduous woodland. The eighth, a fraction over 600-yards will offer-up as many birdies as it does bogeys over the week, a big hitter’s paradise.

But it is the back-nine in general, and the finishing stretch, called ‘The Ridge,’ comprising five finishing holes at Bellerive which will test the nerve of those in contention for the Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday afternoon, when those pesky U.S. PGA officials plant the pins in their most severe positions.

Hole 15 is viewed by many as a classic Robert Trent Jones hole. Par-4, five-yards short of 500, into the prevailing southerly wind, well protected

by bunkers. The contenders will be happy to come through on level fours for the week. The 16th, a long Par-3 into an upturned saucershaped green where birdies will be at a premium.

17th is a typical risk-and-reward hole.

603-yards, long by the club golfer’s standard, reachable in two for a final birdie opportunity for the 156 top professionals in the field. 18th is a demanding 462-yard Par-4, Sunday’s pin position, and scoreboard pressure could be critical.

The U.S. PGA Championship has thrown-up an intriguing mix of champions in the quarterof-a-century since the event was last at Bellerive.

From thoroughbreds like Rory McIlroy, twice in 2012 and 2014, at the peak of his powers; Tiger Woods four times whilst at the pinnacle of his career; Jason Day winning at Whistling Straits in 2015 following a raft of near misses, defending champion Justin Thomas breaking his Majors’ duck last year.

But, for every Woods and McIlroy, there is a Jason Dufner, YE Yang and Mark Brooks, champions in 2013, 2009 and 1996 respectively.

And, whilst many of the great names in world golf in the post-war era appear on the U.S. PGA Championship roll of honour, Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player amongst them, only one, Tiger Woods has successfully HKGOLFER.COM

HKGOLFER.COM

game to overpower the 7,500-yard St. Louis track. Perhaps an Italian job, Francesco Molinari, runner-up last year, winner of the BMW PGA Championship this, 15th on OWGR, fourth on the Race to Dubai, a maiden Major title for the country that will host the 2022 Ryder Cup. Or, might it be one of t he 10 0 -plus journeyman professionals, those in the lower reaches of the PGA TOUR ranking and those club professionals who have made it through to the culmination of their career?

Rya n Ver me er, S e a n Mc C a r t y, Bob Sowards the top three in the PGA Professional Championship held in California in June. Ever heard of them?

No, me neither and it’s unlikely they will ever be heard of again. The odds of a U.S. PGA club professional topping the leaderboard of the flagship event at 5,000 - 1, much the same as an extra-terrestrial meteor hitting earth of a club golfer making a hole-in-one.

Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure.

Whoever lifts the giant Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday 12th of August will enjoy the shortest reign of a Major champion as the U.S. PGA, at 100 not out, jumps the queue into a prime date in May 2019, just nine months before he has to defend his hard-won crown at Bethpage next year.

Scott Halleran/PGA of America

retained the Wanamaker Trophy, suggesting Justin Thomas may not be the man on the podium at Bellerive this month.

Asked about the influence of Woods on his fledgeling career, Thomas, briefly world #1 earlier this year, says, “Oh, huge deal, he motivated me to get where I am now.” Perhaps accentuating the generation gap and a changing of the guard, explaining, “When you're seven or eight or nine or ten, and you're up there on the putting green, I was making putts to try to beat Tiger Woods in my head [and] it's great to have him back now.”

Looking back 12-months to his first Major victory, which many observers believe will prove to be one of many, Thomas reflects, “It was just kind of one of those crazy weeks that you may have once a round in your career or one, two, three times a week in your career where just everything is on and everything is clicking, and pretty much you just try to stay unconscious as long as you can,” adding, “The shot that I hit at 17th in the PGA was I would call the best shot of my career.”

So, will it be a thoroughbred, like McIlroy; a two-time U.S. Open champion like Brooks Koekpa; a stalking horse like Justin Rose, at #3 on the OWGR, victory at Bellerive might take the Englishman to the summit. DJ who has the

Perhaps an Italian job, Francesco Molinari, runner-up last year?

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ASIAN ANGLE

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HKGOLFER.COM

Asian

Talents Realising

American

Dream

If all roads lead to Rome, it would be an apt sporting analogy to accede that all fairways meandering across the world of golf will steer the dreamers and gifted into golfing heaven that is known as the PGA TOUR, writes Chuah Choo Chiang.

Ben An came agonisingly close to his first victory in June when he lost in a playoff to Bryson Dechambeau at the Memorial Tournament HKGOLFER.COM

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AFP/Getty Images

Zecheng ‘Marty’ Dou’s path began at home, with the PGA TOUR SeriesChina, one of three development tours run by the PGA TOUR 44

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epresenting the pinnacle of professional tournament gol f, t he PG A T OU R undoubtedly attracts the g reate st gol fer s on t he planet which now includes a cosmopolitan line-up of 88 international players from 27 nations.

Interestingly, each member has undertaken unique journeys beginning from different starting points but eventually reaching their ultimate destination. And many will attest that Tiger Woods has been another major inspiration in their bid to shoot for the stars.

For Asia, a growing legion of young and exciting talents from South Korea, China, Japan, India and Chinese Taipei now realise their A merican dream, with big-hitting K iradech Aphibarnrat being t he latest.

Kiradech has garnered sufficient FedExCup points to virtually become the first Thai golfer to earn a PGA TOUR card for the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season.

T he 28-yea r- old K iradech bega n h is g ol f i n g advent u re on t he A sia n Tou r where his success led him to the European Tou r. From t here, he sec u red mu lt iple victories to gain entry into the World Golf Cha mpionships, a nd t wo top-5s in t he WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play have since paved his way to the PGA TOUR this year.

In the case of Japan’s rising son Hideki Mat suya ma , t he 2 6 -yea r- old si mply skyrocketed into the big league in 2013 after amassing six top-25s in seven starts to earn his card via the non-member category. His talent was for all to see after he won the AsiaPacific Amateur Championship twice (2010 and 2011) and he has since won five times on the PGA TOUR, including two World Golf Championships tournaments.

Other Asian aspirants have ventured on windier routes. One such golfer is South Korea’s Byeong Hun A n, k nown better as Ben An. He learned to play the game when he was five despite both parents being Olympic Games medallists in table tennis.

And as his interest in golf grew, An was sent to the United States at 15 to attend school and undergo the golf programme at the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida.

In two years, not only did he learn to speak and write in English, An sensationally won the prestigious U.S. Amateur, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament history. A college career at the University of Ca l iforn ia-Berkeley ensued , but t he powerful South Korean cut short his college stint as he knew professional golf was his calling. An failed in his first attempt at PGA TOUR Qualifying School and landed on the European Challenge Tour, sending him to the far reaches at destinations such as Kenya, HKGOLFER.COM

Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan, into his second season on the PGA TOUR, also took the development tour route

HKGOLFER.COM

represented China in the Asian Games, dreamed of playing alongside Woods and turned professional at a tender age of 17 after accepting an invitation to compete in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

With the PGA TOUR Series-China prospering, the teen phenom swept all before him in 2016, winning four times to earn playing rights on the Web.com Tour in the U.S. His career continued to trend upwards when he made history by winning the Digital Ally Open outside Kansas City last July, which made him the first Chinese to win on the Web.com Tour. He finished 16th on the money list to become the first golfer from mainland China to earn a priceless PGA TOUR card.

“It’s like a dream come true as since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be on the PGA TOUR. It’s been 12 years of practice and a lot of hard work.

You have to give up a lot of your own things, your hobbies,” said Dou, who is an avid E-sport gamer and a regular user of WeChat to keep in touch with family and friends in China.

Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan, into his second season on the PGA TOUR, also took the development tour route. Following a strong amateur career where he was a four-time All-American at the University of Washington, he competed on the Mackenzie Tour PGA TOUR Canada and quickly won twice in 2015. After gaining ‘promotion’ onto the Web.com Tour, the 26-year-old registered seven top-10s to finish 11th on the money list to secure his PGA TOUR card. He enjoyed three top-10s in his rookie season last year and had seven top-25s to date in 2018.

“I thought I had to spend a few years on Web.Com, but if you look at my pro career, it took me 15 months to get onto PGA Tour, which I’m happy about. It’s my dream. I always felt I belong on the PGA TOUR,” said Pan. From growing up in cities like Taipei and Vancouver and then competing in destinations such as Toronto, Muscat and Nairobi, the likes of Pan and a growing band of rising Asian stars have shown there are more than just one way to get onto the PGA TOUR. Chuah Choo Chiang is Senior Director, Communications of the PGA TOUR and is based in TPC Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

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AFP/Getty Images

Azerbaijan, Oman and Kazakhstan.

However, the hard knocks on Europe’s secondary circuit toughened him up, and A n’s class eventually shone as he played h is way onto t he Eu ropea n Tou r, a nd then breaking through with a massive win at t he 2015 BM W PGA Cha mpionship at Wentworth. In the following year, he produced five top-25s in 14 starts to earn his PGA TOUR card through the non-member category and the amiable South Korean had continued to knock on the door to the first victory in America, coming agonisingly close in June when he lost in a playoff to Bryson Dechambeau at the Memorial Tournament.

“The PGA TOUR is the ultimate. I was always prepared to move up slowly. I lost my European Challenge Tour card in the first year, went back to Q-school and then finished 30th and fourth to earn my European Tour card. And now I’m on the PGA TOUR. It’s worked out,” said An. In contrast, Zecheng ‘Marty’ Dou’s path began at home, with the PGA TOUR SeriesChina, one of three development tours run by the PGA TOUR, playing a pivotal role. As a six-year-old, he learned the game in Vancouver where he spent five years in Canada with his family as his father wanted he and his sister to learn English and experience Western living.

Dou started winning junior tournaments including the World Junior 13-14 age-group,

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TOUR INSIDER

In

Conversation

With…

AFP/Emmanuel Dunand

Quotes are what make a story, and over the last decade with the Asian Tour, they have formed the cornerstone of Calvin Koh’s literacies.

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Bangladesh's Siddikur Rahman competes in the men's individual stroke play a during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games HK GOLFERăƒťAUG 2018

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Arep Kulal/Asian Tour

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Calvin Koh (right) is in conversation with Siddikur Rahman on the Asian Tour event in South Korea 50

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h i le ma ster i n g t he grammar of golf, the n a r rat ive for mo st golfers on Tour has a lways b een t hei r desire to l ive t heir dreams and be the best they can.

Beyond the public relations armoury lies an honest answer.

The casual chit-chats at the players’ lounges and dinner conversations have often provided me wit h i nt rig u i ng i nsight s i nto t heir background and life as professional golfers.

Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman was not born with a silver spoon. In fact, it was more like there was no spoon. Life was hard, and he worked as a ball boy at Kurmitola Golf Club in Bangladesh at the age of nine.

The pittance he earned back then was ‘big money for a poor boy’.

He made his first club with a broken seveniron head stuck on a metal rod and would always stand behind the professionals while they practised and imitated their swings.

“I even sat there dreaming about how nice it would be to one day playing professionally like them,” he shared.

Money was scarce, but he was rich with talent.

Siddikur said: “I had always wanted to turn professional earlier, but I didn’t have

much money back then. It was only after I won the Bangladesh Amateur Open for three consecutive years that my golf club said they would support me if I turned professional.”

As fate would have it, the Bangladeshi was picked from out of 100 kids to train by his club and would go on to become the first player from Bangladesh to win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open in 2010.

The Olympics beckoned in 2016, and for someone who did not even know about the world’s greatest spectacle when he first stepped onto the golf course, he soon found himself thrust into the global spotlight.

He became the first sportsman from his country to qualify for the games on merit and was accorded the honour of becoming Bangladesh’s flagbearer during the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The gentleman from Dhaka has come a long way since his early days as a ball boy, but his desire to be the best he can be remains the same. “I started with a dream, and it has taken me this far. Faith, courage and perseverance made that possible too” said Siddikur.

Dreams do come true if you, like Siddikur who works and believes in them.

Calvin Koh heads the press operations and media partnerships for the Asian Tour.

HKGOLFER.COM

Read HK Golfer anytime, on PressReader

BUNKER MENTALITY

Mickelson – or

Mischief

Mindlessness?

Following two clear and well-documented rules violations, five-time Major champion Phil Mickelson is well-known on and off the course as something of a maverick. But as Mike Wilson writes, the left-hander must understand that the game of golf is bigger than any one individual as he chases his 50th professional title.

P

hilip Alfred Mickelson, aka ‘Lefty,’ is without question, not only one of the most talented, successful and intriguing professional golfers of his generation - and arguably of all time. 49 wins worldwide including five Majors, having spent almost 750 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). But, perversely, without once reaching the coveted #1 slot on the world rankings.

A hat-trick of Green Jackets plus the 2005 U.S. PGA Championship and, most recently, the 2013 Open Championship, not to mention a trio of World Golf Championship events. The latest only this year at the WGC Mexico, oncourse earnings fast approaching US$100m, Phil Mickelson’s roll of honour would set most professional sportsmen in general and golfers in particular apart. As an icon of his sport, a colossus straddling more than a quarter-

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of-a-century in the upper echelons of one of the world’s most competitive, precarious and unpredictable sports.

But, for all that, there are question marks.

Some, not all serious, many of them, not over his ability on the golf course where the lefthander’s touch, feel and an ability to win from both the front and from the chasing pack are the envy of most, but over his integrity and his character.

Most recently, Mickelson has been embroiled in two severe controversies over rules violations.

In June this year, chasing an elusive US Open title to complete the set of all four Majors, the Californian was sitting comfortably at four-overpar on the vital Saturday round at Shinnecock Hills. When he clumsily over-hit a putt on the 13th green and, on seeing where it was headed, rushed around the ball and struck it again. A breach of rule 14-5, thus incurring a two-shot penalty, taking matters from bad to worse.

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AFP/Getty Images

Phil Mickelson reacts during round one of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier

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AFP/Getty Images

Jason Day also expressed disappointment over Mickelson’s rule violation during the U.S. Open 54

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However, some fellow professionals thought the left-hander escaped lightly, eventually signing his card for an 11-over-par 81. But 1995 U.S. PGA Champion Steve Elkington, a man never short of a few words accused Mickelson “trying to embarrass the USGA.” Several others calling for the 48-year-old to be disqualified, or, as a matter of conscience, to withdraw himself from the season’s second Major.

Elkington’s compatriot and fellow U.S. PGA champion Jason Day went further, telling reporters, “I mean it’s obviously disappointing to see what Phil did," adding, "A lot of people have mixed reviews about what he did.

“They [the USGA] probably should have enforced a different outcome for Phil,” concluded the 2015 U.S. PGA Championship winner.

But, Mickelson did not remove himself from either the tournament or the controversy. Lining up for the final round on Sunday, eventually shooting a one-under 69, finally finishing in a tie for 48th place, a full 15 shots behind eventual champion Brooks Koepka. But, nevertheless, banking over US$28,000 for his controversial week’s work.

Following the sort of rules-based brouhaha that only professional golf can muster, USGA

chief executive Mike Davis later revealed that Mickelson had telephoned him to clarify whether or not he should have been disqualified.

The Tournament Director explained, “Phil really did want to understand how the rule operates because he didn’t want to, ‘Play in this championship if I should have been disqualified’.”

Mickelson, who has, ‘Form’ when dealing fast-and-loose with the authorities belatedly sent a message to an exclusive coterie of, ‘Tame,’ US golf media offering-up a tardy mea culpa.

“I know this should’ve come sooner, but it’s taken me a few days to calm down,” he is reported to have said, explaining, “My anger and frustration got the best of me, I’m embarrassed and disappointed by my actions,” admitting, “It was clearly not my f inest moment, and I’m sorry.”

The moving-ball rules ruckus had scarcely died-down – or been killed-off by Mickelson himself. However, ‘Lefty’ again fell foul of the rules when he was hit with another penalty during the final round of the PGA TOUR event at the Greenbrier.

Mickelson was preparing to play the seventh tee at the A Military Tribute tournament at the HKGOLFER.COM

Steve Elkington, a man never short of a few words accused Mickelson “trying to embarrass the USGA”

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and I wish I could take it back, but there's not much I can do about it now other than just try to act a little better.”

All of which could be interpreted to suggest the man inaugurated into the World Hall of Fame in 2012 was well aware that his conduct was unbecoming of a game governed by rules and regulations.

Nor has Mickelson ever been far from controversy off the golf course with unfounded allegations of gambling debts. And in the 2014 Ryder Cup postgame press conference, undoubtedly heightened by the USA loss to Europe at Gleneagles, the Californian launched a withering, blistering attack on the captaincy of Tom Watson.

Meanwhile, ‘Lefty’ looks sure to go head-to-head, mano-a-mano against his greatest adversary and arch-rival, Tiger Woods. Two giants of the sport and amongst the best who ever played the game, a US$10m showdown set to take his career earnings to over US$100m, just on the course.

Apparently something of a maverick on and off the golf course, a trait that undoubtedly adds to his appeal in a sport occupied mainly by safe, bland and serial avoiders of controversy. Perhaps the last word is best left to ‘Lefty,’ who admitted ahead of his 25th appearance at the Open Championship, “I do a lot of dumb stuff.”

Just two years before the 48-year-old Mickelson becomes eligible for the Champions Tour and officially becomes an ‘Elder statesman’ of a sport that has rewarded him richly, beyond his wildest dreams, Phil Mickelson needs to cut out the “Dumb stuff,” and focus on what he does best - playing swashbuckling golf, winning golf tournaments and acting like the role model he is to millions of young, aspiring golfers around the world.

But, in the court of public opinion, matters on and off the golf course regarding Philip Arthur Mickelson, champion golfer, come arguably flawed individual, the jury must remain firmly out.

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AFP/Getty Images

Greenbrier when he tamped down some rough grass at the front of the tee box.

Although the violation appeared to be unintentional, it technically improved his lie and line of play. Mickelson, after consulting his caddie/brother/confidant/agent Tim and a rules official, was forced to call a two-stroke penalty on himself.

Mickelson said, at the time, that he "wasn't really thinking." A nd his rules wrangles subsequently followed him across the Atlantic, to the Scottish Open, where he missed the halfway cut in preparation for the Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Confronted by a less obsequious UK press over the double whammy, Mickelson fronted-up, admitting, “Yeah, it's not been my best month, okay. I've had a rough month, I haven't been my best, so I'm working on trying to fix that.”

Asked if he had any regrets then about has transpired over the past month, he said in what appeared to be an authentic statement of remorse and a sincere attempt to draw a line under the situation, the popular American conceded, “Oh, sure. I made a big mistake, and I wish I could take it back, but I can't,” concluding, “Yeah, it wasn't a great moment,

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FEATURE

©Rolex/Matthew Lewis

The Rise of The

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Rolex New Guard Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, Jon Rahm, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Thomas Pieters, Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson represent a new era of golfing excellence and are part of a collective known as the Rolex New Guard.

Brooke Henderson is the youngest of the Rolex New Guard, who continues to make waves in the golfing world HKGOLFER.COM

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Three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth was awarded the AJGA Rolex Player of the Year in 2009 as an amateur

I ©Rolex/Chris Turvey

t was The Masters 1997. Tiger Woods had announced his arrival on the worldstage by winning his first of four green jackets at the Augusta National Golf Club.This would be the American’s first of a remarkable 14 Major championship wins,signalling an era of dominance that took golf to heights never previously reached.In the women’s game, Sweden’s Annika Sörenstam had already claimed two U.S.Women’s Open titles and would go on to win an unprecedented 10 Major championships.

These two iconic golfers changed the face of the sport, introducing it to a broader global audience. At the same time, and away from the spotlight, a generationof future elite-level golfers, many of whom would go on to attribute their inspirationto Woods and Sörenstam, were just at the start of their journeys towards becomingworld-class golfers.

Motivated to achieve greatness and follow in the footsteps of their iconic predecessors, every member of the Rolex New Guard prepares for pressure situations with unrelenting emphasis on precision, performance, passion, reliability and uncompromising quality. They play with the utmost respect for one another while sharing a mutual bond and close friendship.

Rolex has championed golf since 1967, nurturing a relationship with its worldclass family of Testimonees, all of whom exude excellence on and off the course.

Their raw talent and quest for precision and performance have helped them reach

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the topwith integrity, maturity and respect.

Among them are Americans Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler. Fiercely competitive on the course, all three men have already accomplished great feats, with Jordan Spieth winning the 2015 Masters Tournament and the 2015 U.S. Open, followed by a victory at The 146th Open, in 2017. Justin Thomas claimed four PGA TOUR events in 2017, including his first Major victory, on route to being named PGA TOUR Player of the Year.

Rickie Fowler, who turned professional in 2009 shortly before his 20th birthday, held the accolade of number one ranked amateur golfer inthe world for 37 weeks between 2007 and 2008, and in 2016 reached a career highof fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory at the Abu DhabiHSBC Golf Championship.

Away from the course, each of these elite competitors is hugely supportive of one another, having built a friendship based on years of seeing each other develop. The evolution of their personalities can partly be attributed to the support received from the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), an organisation dedicated to the growth and development of young men and women aspiring to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. As a Premier Partner since 1986, Rolex has seen many of its Testimonees benefit from the AJGA, including Phil Mickelson,Lorena Ochoa, Lexi Thompson and Tiger Woods. Aside from creating bondsbetween golfers and teaching them the importance of tradition, etiquette and respect, the AJGA also rewards the best junior golfer in its ranks with the Rolex Junior Player of the Year award, instilling the recipient with the confidence and desire to go on and achieve further success throughout their professional careers.

Reflecting on his memories of being awarded the prestigious title, Jordan Spiethstated that: “My first personal connection came when I was awarded the AJGA Rolex Player of the Year in 2009 and my affinity with the brand has grown as our relationship has evolved.”

Fellow American Brooks Koepka is another member of the Rolex family who hasexperienced Major cha mpion sh ip succe ss, w i n n i ng consecutive U.S. Open title in 2017 and 2018.

Australian Jason Day experienced his first Major triumph in Wisconsin, aged 27 when he won the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

His commitment to precision on the course, persistence and consistency saw him become the No.1 ranked golfer in the world the same year.

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Nobody has achieved more at such a young age than the supremelytalented New Zealander Lydia Ko to play in the U.S. Women’s Openbefore turning professional in 2015. Her incredible level of performance saw her seta record as the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA tournament, aged just 16. Threeyears later, she obtained one of the pinnacle achievements in the sport by winningthe ANA inspiration at age 19 and, with two LPGA Tour victories in 2017, continuesto contest for top honours in the ladies’ game.

Born in September 1977, the youngest of the Rolex New Guard, OntariobornBrooke Henderson continues to make waves in the golfing world. Having turnedprofessional in 2014, the Canadian won her first Major at the 2016 KPMG Women’sPGA Championship, the event’s youngest winner at 18. Respect and camaraderie,as well as a desire to win were evident before Henderson’s dramatic playoff winover Ko at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2016 after which the Canadianstated: “Lydia Ko is definitely a role model for me, and being able to become friendswith her on tour and see her week to week is really cool, even if I know that she isthe competition.”

The achievements and accolades of the New Guard are a shining example to younggolfers of what can be achieved in the unrelenting pursuit of individual excellence.Every member displays the integrity, respect and sportsmanlike behaviour that is socrucial in inspiring the next generation of true ambassadors of the game.

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©Rolex/Matthew Lewis

Having only turned professional in 2013, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is one of Asia’sfinest golfers, with an impressive Majors record to accompany his five PGA TOURwins. The 25-year-old will expect further accolades in the near future.

Both Rolex Testimonees since 2016, two of the golfers making up the European contingent of the New Guard are Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick and Spain’s JonRahm. Following his second win on the European Tour in 2017, both of which wereRolex Series events, Rahm said: “To win two of the European Tour’s Rolex Seriesevents as a Rolex Ambassador has made these victories that much more special.”The European Tour, a partner of Rolex since 1995, introduced the Rolex Series in2017, an initiative four-time European Tour event winner Matthew Fitzpatrick commends: “The Rolex Series highlights Rolex’s continued commitment to our gameand has been an exceptional addition to the season, enabling both European Tourplayers and fans to enjoy an elevated level of golf, closer to home.”

Along with Fitzpatrick and Rahm, 26-yearold Thomas Pieters, from Belgium, isanother European counterpart who made a name for himself at the 2016 Ryder CupWhen he set a new rookie record for points earned. He is sure to play an integralrole in The 2018 European Ryder Cup Team, the esteemed event founded in 1927that Rolex has been a partner of, when in Europe, since 1995.

Rolex is also proud to support many of the world’s best female golfers in the world.All three women in the New Guard are incredibly young yet have experienced success beyond their years.

Nobody has achieved more at such a young age than the supremely-talented NewZealander Lydia Ko. At just 20 years old, Ko holds 12 LPGA Tour wins, as well as twoMajor titles.

Having spent a record 130 weeks as the topranking amateur, Ko wenton to become the youngest player of either gender to achieve number one statusin the Rolex Rankings as a professional. She then became the youngest womanto win a Major championship in 2015 at The Evian Championship, where Rolex isthe Official Timekeeper and made history by becoming the youngest golfer to wintwo Major championships in a row with victory at the ANA Inspiration in 2016. Ko, like the great Annika Sörenstam, plays with accuracy and elegance found only in the very best.

A nother rising star is A merican Lexi Thompson. At just 12 years of age, Thompson became the youngest golfer ever to qualify

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GOLF TRAVEL

James Au

Hua Hin: Thailand’s Cradle of Golf

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Home to Thailand’s oldest course, Hua Hin was discovered in the early 1920’s

by King Rama VII and soon became a favourite of the Royal family and Thailand's upper-class. As Louie Chan writes, Hua Hin golf holidays are centred amongst many excellent resorts, restaurants, entertainment areas, and beaches making it an ideal golf holiday destination for just about anyone.

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The testing opening hole at the Black Mountain East Course plays into a North-Easterly prevailing wind

H

ua Hin is among Thailand’s most attractive and exciting travel destinations. There is everything here that anyone could want; a pleasant environment, excellent beaches, an excellent choice of dining options, entertainment and colourful history.

Also, being the holiday destination of the Thai Royal Family for the past 90 years makes Hua Hin an exceptional place.

With no traditional rainy season to speak of, Hua Hin has perfect year-round golfing weather, plus a collection of great courses that appeal to golfers of all levels as well as families. With these perfect ingredients for a memorable golf holiday, it’s no surprise that Hua Hin was recently named “Golf Destination of the Year” in Asia-Pacific.

James Au

Hole 5 is a very testing uphill par-4 the Black Mountain East Course

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BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB (****1/2) www.blackmountainhuahin.com Tucked away in the foothills outside of Hua Hin, Black Mountain opened in 2007 and had retained the philosophy it started out with: to strive to be the best golf course in Asia and rank amongst the best courses HKGOLFER.COM

The demanding 10th hole at Banyan

The signature 15th hole at Banyan

Image courtesy of Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin

in the world. At the same time, to give its members and guests the ultimate and most enjoyable golfing experience. They seem to be succeeding and achieving their goals, judging by the string of awards that they have garnered, including Golf Digest’s 2017 “Best Golf Resorts in Asia”, Asian Golf Monthly’s “Best Course in Thailand and Asian Pacific” from 2014 to 2016.

What is noticeable at Black Mountain is the enthusiasm and dedication of all the staff and their untiring efforts to make every aspect of a visit to Black Mountain a memorable one. Whether it’s the quality of the greens and the fairways delivered by the greenkeeper and his staff, the enthusiasm that the chefs display in the kitchen, or just the warm welcome at the clubhouse, you can sense that their driving passion is to give everyone an experience they will fondly remember for a long time. Black Mountain has hosted some prestigious tournaments over the years, including the True Thailand Classic, a European and Asian Tour cosanctioned event, and the 2011 Royal Trophy, annual Asia versus Europe Ryder Cup-style tournament.

This eleven-year-old course, a 25-minute drive from the centre of town is a highquality venue, one that is kept in mindblowing condition year-round. While some of the routings is a little contrived – the mountainous terrain the developers had to work with isn’t exactly perfectly suited to golf – there are great many fun and fabulous holes out here, particularly on the scenic back nine, which rises and plunges continuously. The surprising thing about Black Mountain – and one of the keys behind its popularity among recreational players is its playability. Many large manmade lakes make this Phil Ryan design look a lot more menacing than it really is. The landing areas are wide, the greens large, receptive and not ridiculously contoured, while the rough is kept to a minimum. Not everyone will immediately take to it perhaps – the purists out there may not appreciate a few of the more ornamental features, such as the sculptured rock creation and babbling brook fronting the second green – but the majority will salivate over Black Mountain’s lush landscaping, superlative views and fivestar clubhouse – and will undoubtedly do so for years to come.

YARDAGE: 6,881 PAR: 72 Designed by Phil Ryan/Pacific Coast Design HKGOLFER.COM

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The aerial view of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin

BANYAN GOLF CLUB HUA HIN (****1/2) www.banyanthailand.com/en/golf/golf-club Occupying one of the most significant sites in Thai golf, Banyan is a magnificently natural layout, one that this correspondent hopes to play time and time again. Built over a former pineapple plantation, the front nine here thunders across the relatively open country, while the closing stretch plays through a series of particularly lovely and densely vegetated valleys.

Mother Nature could have been credited with its design, but Banyan was, in fact, the work of Piraporn Namatra, the young Thai architect who made a name for himself after somehow carving out the spectacular – and seriously high – Santiburi course on Koh Samui. Namatra’s reputation has only increased since Banyan opened in 2008. His routing is sublime, the green complexes have been particularly well thought out, and he’s been kind enough to leave enough width on the longer holes for recreational golfers to open their shoulders.

Signature hole honours at Banyan have been given to the 15th, a short downhill par-three with views across the Gulf of Thailand, but quite honestly, there is quality laced right through this course. Unlike most of the tracks in the region, Banyan uses local Zoysia grass on its fairways, which has proved to the right call; the turf is firm, but you seldom get a tight or “skinny” lie.

It is a delightful surface to play from. Although the course is part of a more substantial real estate and resort concern, playing Banyan does give you a wonderful sense of seclusion. Unlike at Black Mountain, where the residential villas are in full view from many parts of the course, Banyan’s residences are located further afield… indeed, the only property you see, aside from the tasteful clubhouse, is a cliff-top home inhabited by monks.

Image courtesy of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin

YARDAGE: 7,361 PAR: 72 Designed by Piraporn Namatra/Golf East

Located in the original hotel lobby, The Museum Coffee & Tea Corner highlights the classic atmosphere of the bygone era that characteristics the hotel 68

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CENTARA WORLD MASTERS I have had the opportunity to participate in the Centara World Masters amateur golf tournament on the 2nd week of June. Billed as the most prominent and most affluent tournament for club golfers in all of Asia and again attracting 500 plus players from 27 countries at Hua Hin alone, Go Golfing’s Peter McCarthy founded the concept in Australia 23 years ago. There are now five World Masters Golf Championship events hosted throughout Australia, Thailand and Vietnam each year.

As an interested observer, you can see this

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The Premium Deluxe Room is an exquisite and intimate retreat, tastefully decorated with dark woods, Thai silk and rich fabrics

WHERE TO STAY CENTARA GRAND BEACH RESORT & VILLAS HUA HIN 1 Damnernkasem Road, Hua Hin 77110, Thailand +66 (0) 3251 2021 -38 www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/chbr/

WHEN TO GO: Hua Hin is one of the driest spots in Thailand, and even during the so-called "Wet Season" from July to October, mid-afternoon showers are generally shortlived. The ideal golfing time is winter, from November through February, which experiences very little rainfall and is considerably cooler than the early summer months. Turf conditions are generally at their best during this time.

GETTING THERE The Hong Kong to Bangkok air route is one of the busiest in the world and a plethora of carriers, including Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways, fly between the cities numerous times a day. It's a three-hour drive from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport to the heart of Hua Hin - but try to avoid travelling on the first day of a public holiday, when Bangkok's notorious traffic bleeds out on to the southern expressway, increasing the journey time significantly.

Image courtesy of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin

event is a well-oiled machine. Players are guided onto buses and arriving at courses there’s a chorus of caddies welcoming them with big smiles that make you want to smile. There’s a real party atmosphere with loud music playing ABBA, BeeGee’s and rock anthems bringing the energy. Right before tee-off, the caddies rush together to perform the Macarena, and the players join in.

The event is a week-long celebration of golf, social and entertainment events in the famous seaside resort town of Hua Hin in Thailand.

The tournament is open to all male and female golfers over the age of 35.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is the major sponsor and have confirmed their involvement through to 2019. Most golfers stay at the ideally located Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin. Established in the 1920’s, the resort has modern luxuries while retaining its bygone age of elegance. Taking full advantage of Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin’s beachfront location, the opening night welcome dinner and gala presentation dinners are hosted around the resort pool with the beach and ocean as a stunning backdrop. Golfers gather each night during the tournament for 19th Hole festivities where tempting Thai cuisine and Chang beer flows and daily golf winners are celebrated.

Next year’s tournament will feature four outstanding courses. Players will enjoy one round each at Springfield Royal Country Club, Black Mountain, Banyan Golf Club and Imperial Lake View. Carts and caddies will be provided at each course, and each player will be assigned a caddie wearing a bib with the player’s name and country flag.

“At Centara, we have 20 hotels and resorts internationally, including many in golfing paradises such as Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Danang in Vietnam. We look forward to welcoming many more golfers, friends and families not only to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas, Hua Hin, for the acclaimed Centara World Masters event next year but also to our array of city and tropical beachfront locations year-round,” said David Martens, General Manager at Centara Hotels & Resorts.

The tournament is played in 15 divisions based on age and handicap. Golfers play each day with competitors of a similar age and handicap. The sixth annual Centara World Masters Golf Championship returns to Hua Hin, Thailand, from 9 to 15 June 2019. For complete event information and to book, please visit www.thailandworldmasters.com.

NEED TO KNOW While booking rounds directly through the golf courses themselves is not usually too much of an ordeal, various tour operators offer tailor-made packages including hotels and land transfers. As in China, tipping your caddie at the end of the round is expected at the vast majority of clubs in Thailand. The amount is of course up to you, but THB300-500 for 18 holes is considered the norm.

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A two bedroom lateral apartment, overlooking the prestigious Cadogan Square.

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FINAL SHOT

In

Memory of Peter Thomson

A true titan of the game, a five-time winner of the Open Championship, dies at 88 with Parkinson’s disease in June. One of his final acts for golf was to urge the Hong Kong government to spare the Hong Kong Golf Club’s Old Course in Fanling, writes Louie Chan.

C

onsidered one of Australia’s greatest golfers, Thomson assisted with the renovation of the Old Course and was also involved in designing the Eden Course. He played in the first Hong Kong Open held at Fanling in 1959, going to win the tournament in 1960, 1965 and 1967.

In his letter dated May 15 this year, Thomson wrote to land supply task force chairman Stanley Wong Yuen-fai urging him to spare what he labelled “an incredibly special place in the world of golf”.

“I do not wish to make light of Hong Kong’s need for public housing. Clearly, this is a significant and important issue that needs to be addressed and overcome.

“But it should not be at the expense of what is undoubtedly a historical and world-class golfing venue. I feel a close affinity with the city and the Hong Kong Golf Club itself.

“Let me state clearly: the Hong Kong Golf Club is an incredibly special place in the world of golf. Not only is it historically important – its courses, notably the Old Course, are architectural gems that have been laid out over pristine, ancient terrain – but its role as the focal point for all of Hong Kong golf cannot be understated.”

The Australian legend further addressed a number of “falsehoods” about public access to Fanling.

“While it is a private members’ club, it is one of the most open members’ clubs anywhere in the world, with over 40 per cent of rounds played by non-members.

“It has been at the very epicentre of golf’s development in Hong Kong, allowing countless youngsters an opportunity to

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get their start in the game and grow into accomplished players.

“Furthermore, as the home of the Hong Kong Open – unquestionably one of the most significant golf tournaments in all of Asia – the club has enhanced Hong Kong’s reputation as a bona fide sporting centre.”

Thomson also highlighted Fanling’s status as a “vital green lung”, before finishing: “Let me end this letter by being frank with you. Take away the Hong Kong Golf Club and the game of golf, and indeed Hong Kong itself, will be a much poorer place.”

Thomson, who was the first Australian to win the Open Championship at age 24 and won 84 professional events, returned to the city in 2008 to celebrate the 50th edition of HK Open. HK Golfer’s Alex Jenkins had an interview with the Hall of Fame golfer at Shek O Country Club. Below are some of his forthright opinions on various topics.

ON LINKS GOLF: “Golf, like sailing, needs wind,” says the man who, in 1965, bested a field which included Nicklaus, Palmer and Player to lift the Claret Jug for the fifth time. “What I don’t really like about the courses the professionals play today is that they’re all the same. You can play one week in America and the next in China, and the conditions are the same. It’s the same type of grass, and they play the same way - too soft. There’s no challenge in that. Links courses, if prepared properly, are firm and bare and the wind is normally a factor. It’s the purest form of the game there is.”

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Image Courtesy of Hong Kong Golf Club

The elegant swing of Peter Thomson earned him three Hong Kong Open titles

Peter Thomson with our Publisher Charles McLaughlin

ON MODERN GOLF BALL TECHNOLOGY: “A lot of skill has been taken out of the game because of the ball and the sheer number of dimples it has now. It isn’t affected by the wind as much, it flies so far, and it’s easy to spin, which makes the short game a bit one dimensional. You don’t often see players running shots up to the flag anymore. Royal Melbourne is the best course we have in Australia, but it’s almost defenceless nowadays. Limit the number of dimples, and you solve the problem. But having said that, it’s hard to argue with the results.

The best player is still winning.”

ON SLOW PLAY AND THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE SURROUNDING THE RULES: “We used to take three hours and 15 minutes when playing in three balls,” he remembers. “[Bobby] Locke was accused of being a slow player, but he would take three hours and 20 minutes. Now a player doesn’t even have to know the rules because they’re encouraged to call in rules officials at every turn.

We never got into tangles; the players used to watch each other.

Rule 6.7, which governs undue delay, should be paramount. If a player says ‘I want a ruling because I don’t know what to do’ then 15 minutes passes before it’s sorted out and he plays his shot. If that isn’t slow play, I don’t know what is.”

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RHYTHM: “[Sam] Snead was the best. I used to love watching him play. He was incredibly fit, too. People talk about how fit Tiger Woods is, but Snead was just as fit and incredibly flexible as well.”

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Thomson scored his first victory as a pro in 1950 when he captured the first of his nine New Zealand Open championships.

He was among four golfers with five British Open triumphs, and a total exceeded only by Harry Vardon’s six.

His only victory on the regular PGA Tour came in 1956 at the Texas International Open. He was fourth in the 1956 U.S. Open and fifth in the 1957 Masters. He never played in the U.S. PGA Championship.

Thomson had largely forsaken competitive golf by the late 1970s in favour of designing courses and making a foray into politics. He narrowly lost a bid for a seat in the Victoria State Parliament in Australia in 1982.

However, America’s Senior Tour (now the Champions Tour), which began play in 1980, provided a new and lucrative challenge. Thomson won the U.S. PGA Seniors Championship in 1984. His nine senior victories in 1985, a single-season mark matched only by Hale Irwin 12 years later, put him atop the year’s earnings list with $386,000 in prize money, a record at the time.

Thomson was the nonplaying captain of the international team that defeated the United States in the 1998 Presidents Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, and he was captain in its losing efforts in 1996 and 2000. He was president of the Australian P.G.A. from 1962 to 1994 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.

In his later years, he concentrated on international golf course design as a director of Thomson, Perrett & Lobb (now Thomson Perrett).

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