Calibre Magazine issue 18 2018

THE PINNACLE OF SPORTS LUXURY

DUSTIN JOHNSON

MICHAEL JORDAN

The first of his kind.

His love for the game, of golf.

ISSUE 18 | 2018 S$8.50

• Golf Equipment • WTA Legends on the cream of the crop • Preparing for the World Cup • Singapore Yacht Show 2018

MIKE HORN ISSUE 18 | 2018

Taking exploration and adventures to a whole new level.

B O L D I N K M A G A Z I N E S P T E LT D

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CONTENTS IS SUE 18 | 2018

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THE CLUBHOUSE

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FEMME FATALE

HSBC Womens Champions are back in town

THE ANTI-HERO Dustin Johnson, world number one

DESTINATION BALI UOB Travel takes you to Bali to unwind in heaven.

SURFING INTO THE NEW YEAR An unorthodox interview with Clay Gary.

34- LATEST GOLFING EQUIPMENT F8, TaylorMade’s M3 and M4, Titleist SM7 40 Cobra and more.

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THE LOCKER ROOM COOKING UP THREES

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Stephen Curry is on the verge of breaking records

PUTTING WITH A VIEW NOCTURNAL MUSIC

KEF’s latest collaboration

MUSICAL ART

Bang and Olufsen’s art of sound

BESPOKE FOOTWEAR

Diamond Walker takes customisation a step above the rest

RETURN OF THE LEGEND

Fed Express is back, with two slams

THE BRAHMA BULL SHARK’S BUGGY

Golfing legend Greg Norman and his latest smart-buggy

September 2014

SMOOTH SAILING

The Singapore Yacht Show is back and bigger than ever

WTA LEGENDS Two of the sports’ greatest discuss the next generation

GUNNING FOR GLORY World Cup 2018 preview

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Marina Bay Golf Course unveils new putting course

Dwayne Johnson X Under Armour

COMPETE

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CONTENTS IS SUE 18 | 2018

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MVP THE G.O.A.T

Michael Jordan on his love for the game of golf

EXPLORATION

Mike Horn is not your usual traveller

FRONT ROW SMBC SINGAPORE OPEN

Highlights of the tournament

VICTORY VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Overseas Dual Time and Traditionelle Complete Calendar

CHOPARD

L.U.C XP Urushi – Year of the Dog

MAURICE LACROIX

Double Retrograde & Moon Retrograde

HUBLOT

Big Bang Unico Golf & Classic Aerofusion

by Richard Orlinski

AUDI S4

Power and efficiency in a family friendly package

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PORTRAITS TAYLORMADE AND ADIDAS GOLF LAUNCH PERFORMANCE MOTORS GOLF DAY MACALLAN QUEST SERIES LAUNCH BRUICHLADDICH OCTOMORE MASTERCLASS

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September 2014

THE PINNACLE OF SPORTS LUXURY

PUBLISHERS Jacqueline Wong jacqueline@boldink.com.sg Jasmin Oh jasmin@boldink.com.sg

EDITORIAL Editor / Jackie Teo jackie@boldink.com.sg Associate Editor / Lionel Kong lionel@boldink.com.sg

CONTRIBUTORS Sean Long, Nick Po, Jonathan Lee

CREATIVE Creative Director / Johnny Tan Art Director / Lydia Foo Associate Art Director / Jacinta Chong Graphic Designer / Wendy Ling

ADVERTISING SALES Director / Jacqueline Wong jacqueline@boldink.com.sg Tel: +65 9790 0905 Senior Executive / Fiona Lee fiona@boldink.com.sg Tel: +65 9368 7560

MARKETING Senior Marketing Executive / Estelle Teo estelle@boldink.com.sg Tel: +65 9737 0869

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Tel: +65 6223 4258 circulations@boldink.com.sg Printed in Singapore by Stamford Press Pte Ltd, Co. Reg. No. 196300196M

is a publication of Bold Ink Magazines Pte Ltd 201A Thomson Road Singapore 307637 Tel: +65 6223 4258 Bold Ink Magazines Pte Ltd, Co. Reg. No. 201202104C MCI (P) 098/06/2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

The views and opinions expressed or implied in CALIBRE are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers and advisory board.

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CONTRIBUTORS

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SEAN LONG

JONATHAN LEE

As an avid tennis fan, Sean Long lives and breathes tennis and not content with living vicariously by watching women’s or men’s tennis, he also hits the ball on weekends. Aside from tennis, he digs eating out, going to the gym, travelling and watching the latest Hollywood flicks. This issue, Sean sits down with two WTA legends to pick their brains on the sport.

Jonathan is a young and budding writer, with an equally fervent love for speaking. He is quite the bookworm, a life-long martial artist, and a traditional Chinese tea enthusiast. He is usually spotted on rooftops with a book and a pot of tea.

Jonathan talks about the upcoming Singapore Yacht Show and its activities.

NICK PO An avid traveller and sports enthusiast, Nick has his head wrapped in the athletic industry for a long time. A wealth of experience in western pop and sports culture, Nick is a walking Wikipedia. Still reeling in disappointment from the Patriots Super Bowl let down, Nick discusses about the ‘other’ football – soccer.

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EDITOR’S

NOTE

ONE FOR THE ROAD

Golf had always been a staple in my life, since I was a nine-year-old. My dad used to bring me to Orchid Country Club’s driving range once or twice a week.

There, I would watch my old man hit balls, and he would try bribing me in subtle fashion with a bottle of Yakult to give his clubs a go. You could say I started hustling as a child.

Soon thereafter, I began to negotiate for two bottles of the creamy probiotic goodness in exchange for more practice time every session. Every callous on my palm, every blister on my finger, they were worth every sip of the drink. It never dawned upon me that it was a scheme for bigger things.

After spending a handful of years representing the nation on the U21 level, being the brick-head I am, I thought I could compete with the very best of our country. I made the snap decision to turn professional five years ago, and now I’ve given up my status after a lacklustre stretch.

Did I regret at any point of this journey? Absolutely not.

The Yakult motivation from seventeen years ago drew out career paths for me. The only reason I’m writing this right now is because I started out as a average golfer writing tolerable golf-related stories for influential friends I’ve made through the glorious sport. I’ve met countless of great souls and carved invaluable friendships throughout this journey, something I wouldn’t trade the world for. After removing myself from a professional capacity, all I need to worry about are the hole-in-ones at corporate events because seriously who doesn’t want a spanking new Audi TT. of the With possibly three r met . best editors I've eve

The callouses, the blisters, the hours under the sun at the range, was actually for something intangible. It was for the future.

JACKIE TEO Editor

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THE LOCKER ROOM EQUIPMENT, GADGETS, NEWS AND REVIEWS

Under The Brahma Bull’s Armour Dwayne Johnson

Photo from Under Armour

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THE LOCKER ROOM

COOKING UP TRIPLES

Photo from Under Armour

Back in November of 2016, Golden State Warriors’ two-time league MVP Stephen Curry defied history by burying 13 3-pointers in a single game, decimating the New Orleans Pelicans. The red hot performance from the ice cold veined point guard came after the end of his streak of 157 consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer. The previous record of 12 3-pointers were held by Kobe Bryant, Donyell Marshall, and Curry himself.

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championships later, he dropped 2973 triples after appearing in 1300 games. Coming in a distant second is Indiana Pacer’s Reggie Miller, at 2560 treys. Inside the top ten on the coveted list, every player has been in the NBA for at least 15 seasons, and individually boasting over 1000 games under their belt.

Curry on the other hand, a meagre 597 games played after 9 seasons.

The projection is out of this world.

Fast forward to the December of 2017, the Ohio-born guard is now 8th in the list of all-time 3-pointers made, at 2000. Not impressed yet?

Read on.

Cavaliers’ Kyle Korver, Timberwolves’ Jamal Crawford, Kings’ Vince Carter, Bucks’ Jason Terry, and Jazz’s Joe Johnson are the only other active players, and all of them coming to the end of their illustrious careers.

Perched at the pinnacle of the list is of course the messiah of shooting, Ray Allen himself.

After 18 seasons and two

Under Armour has arguably scored the coups of the century in Curry alongside fellow ambassador and record-breaker Jordan Speith.

Photo from Marina Bay Golf Course

PUTTING WITH A VIEW The gateway activity to golf has always been putting, ergo mini-putts and putt-putt courses were set up to invoke the curiosity of non-golfers.

Marina Bay Golf Course however, took the initiative to grow the game of golf by setting up a dedicated six-hole putting course.

Known as the Marina Bay Putting Course, the 211-metre course is miles apart from just a miniature putting course. The holes range from 20 to 62 metres, and are categorised with par threes, fours, and fives. The terrain requires a sneaky combination of course management and playing

capacity to navigate fully. However, the undulation and contour sculpted by the landscaping crew showcases a strong understanding of the equilibrium between competitiveness and recreation. The designers also tactfully fashioned the course to be playable in reverse order, including alternating teeto-hole direction.

The putting course is a major step in developing new golfers in Singapore, and its emergence might just halt the poignant decline of the sport. Priced at $15 on weekdays and $18 on weekends, it just might be the spark needed to ignite passion within beginner golfers.

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THE LOCKER ROOM

With history dating back to the 60’s, KEF has a mastered the art of sound. Countless technologies has been developed by the British audio brand, most notably the Uni-Q; a patented implementation of coincident midrange and tweeter drivers that preserves phase integrity and match dispersion for improved stereo imagery.

Their most recent release is the LS50 Wireless Nocturne, a collaboration with leading product and interior design artist Marcel Wanders. Inspired by the circular arrangement of time, a structured, architectural-type pattern with musical notes and symbols added

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to the seemingly unending depth of the rhythmic design, like a musical composition.

Wanders wanted to ‘digitise’ the sounds into visual patterns, hence the speakers designs are similar to how he envisioned a computer converting numbers and texts into 1s and 0s. The Dutchman dubs this ‘a balance between the eyes and the ears’, and how the two primal senses are satisfied.

Playing off the product name, when the lights are turned off the product continues to captivate late into the evening as selected elements glow in the dark.

The LS50 Wireless Nocturne essentially encompasses all the technology of a modern day smart device, from touch controls to a built-in microphone for communication. The speaker implements an end-to-end HRA digital signal path, with a dedicated DAC for each channel, and comes with a streaming pre-amplifier and two 230-watt amplifiers in a bi-amp mono configuration.

KEF Flagship store is at Adelphi Singapore, 1 Coleman Street.

Photo from KEF

ACOUSTICS OF THE NIGHT

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THE LOCKER ROOM

WHEN MUSIC MEETS ART Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Shape is a wireless speaker system that combines both superb sound and definitive visual for the contemporary consumer. The honeycomb-styled, hexagonal tiles are designed to be mounted on the wall, and its dynamic model provides a user with unlimited creativity for visual balance throughout the room’s design.

A collaboration between Danish textiles manufacturer Kvadrat, the speakers provide an array of unique options for the minimalist to the swank. Ten different colours are available, from darker shades Parisian Night Blue to lighter hues such as Brazilian Clay. With each complimenting one another, the contrast between the brilliances allow you to mix and match to create infinite designs.

Technological wise, the BeoSound Shape consists of a combination of speakers, amplifiers and acoustic damper tiles that scale the sound performance and visual design of the system. The BeoCore is the main wireless hub for the system, and being upgradable, it allows B&O to add new software in the future without needing a major overhaul.

The basic set comes with six tiles; two speakers, one amp, two dampers, and one BeoCore.

Photo from Bang & Olufsen

Bang & Olufsen is at 10 Scotts Rd, Grand Hyatt Singapore.

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STRUT IN STYLE

A classic range that includes Oxfords, Brogue, Derbys to semiformal such as loafers, moccasins, and even golf shoes, the 300 designs available are made-tomeasure and custom fitted to every unique customer before being handcrafted in Korea.

The customisability allows customers to choose the mixing of different leather types & colours, heels, outsole types, insoles of various heights, inner lining, laces, colour of stitching, type of shoe-making techniques like hand-sewn welt or cementing for their shoes.

A variety of over 100 types of leather is available aside from Italian full-grain calfskin; eel, snake, crocodile skins to accentuate the diversity.

and Scoop NYC. The opulent footwear has been on the feet of countless celebrities including Korean heartthrobs Rain and Lee Min Ho, as well as home-grown musicians JJ Lin and Tay KeWei. Diamond Walker Boutique is at 277 Orchard Road, #04-03 Orchard Gateway.

Photo from Diamond Walker

A Singaporean owned and based bespoke luxury shoemaker, a visit to Diamond Walker is a definite need for every discerning individual looking to spruce up their wardrobe. Their service with their wide range of shoe styles and type compliments the purchasing process and makes it an unforgettable experience.

A long list of collaborations and accolades sees the brand pair up with fashion names Marc Antoine-Barrois, Ted Baker

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THE LOCKER ROOM

LIVING LEGEND

The two future hall-of-famers embroiled in a tumulus battle for the end of season rankings, wire-to-wire until the Paris Masters in November, where the King of Clay came out on top, securing the top rank for the season.

The Swiss legend recently admitted that it was tough for him to return to the top of

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the standings, citing his age as a major factor. The high-endurance player refused to stop playing competitively, and said in an interview, “We’ll see how much longer I can play. My fans know I would like to continue this way, until when I will enjoy playing tennis and am able to reconcile my sports’ activity with family life.”

“There are many speculations about my retirement, and they won’t end until when it gets real. I try not to think about retirement too often, because I think the more you think about it, the closer it gets.” said the four-time Laureus Award winner.

The sustainable longevity of the Federer Express is merely one of many justifications of him being the greatest of all time.

Photo from Nike

Roger Federer has had a stellar 2017 despite missing majority of the 2016 season. With 95 titles to his name, the current world number two is still etching his name into history year after year. A fiveyear title drought since 2012, the 36-yearold Swiss’ Wimbledon win this year is also his first major victory against long-time rival Rafael Nadal in ten years, with the previous meeting coincidentally at SW19 in 2007.

Photo from Under Armour

LAYIN’ THE SMACKDOWN Proclaimed by himself as the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson reinvigorated professional wrestling during the early millennium and went on to be one of the biggest action-stars in Hollywood. Jumping onto the comic-book bandwagon, Johnson has also been confirmed as primary antagonist Black Adam, in the upcoming DCEU’s Shazam.

The former Miami Hurricanes line-backer is regarded as one of the most influential celebrities in the world, and his portrayal of Luke Hobbs in the Fast and Furious

franchise has led to widespread acclaim, with movie critics and fans amazed with his superhuman physique. The Samoan descent’s intense workout regime and crazy diets have also been actively documented on social media and has since garnered an immense amount of followers.

It is definitive for ‘The People’s Champion’ to collaborate with a fitting sportswear brand, ergo Under Armour.

and tanks emblazoned with quotes such as, “Blood Sweat Respect” and “Never Full”. The whole collection includes the signature Brahma Bull logo that Johnson is associated with.

Johnson is also involved with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness platforms, which includes being part of the Under Armour Health Box, and the Record app. In these projects, the user can follow Johnson, watch his workouts and get exclusive training tips and content.

Dubbed the ‘Project Rock Collection’ the apparel range consists of hoodies, socks, shoes

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Photo from Greg Norman Company

THE LOCKER ROOM

SHARK EXPERIENCE What do you get when you cross a legendary golfer and a penchant for innovation?

all integrated into one,” Norman said. “They now have all of this technology brought into one place, in a golf cart.”

The two-time major winner Greg Norman unveiled his latest masterpiece, the “Shark Experience”, a technology loaded golf cart that he hopes will revolutionise the on-course experience for golfers of all ages and abilities.

The carts will be equipped with speakers that will allow golfers to stream music and entertainment without distracting other golfers who may be nearby. The speakers are designed to angle in a way so that majority of the sound emitted is directed at the driver and passenger in the cart. Golfing wise, the carts also enable the instant measurement of yardage for shot distances to the pin.

The Australian partnered with Verizon, Club Car and GPSI to produce a golf cart equipped with a HD-touchscreen that streams music, live sports and highlights, premium videos and golf tips from the Shark himself.

“Golfers have had little bits and pieces of this available to them with their iPhone, earbuds and Bluetooth speakers. Now it’s

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In addition to the entertainment features, the carts will have food and beverage options, shot tracer and hole in one technology.

Shark Experience is currently in pilot and will preview at the 2018 PGA Show.

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FEMME FATALE When the top women golfers of the world collide, it can only mean one thing; the HSBC Women’s Champions.

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star-studded line up is guaranteed every year at the HSBC Women’s Champions, and this year is no different. With heaps of entertainment on site as well as the Saturday Music Festival featuring Korean pop group MONSTA X, the month of March looks to start on a thrilling note.

Dubbed ‘Asia’s Major’, the USD $1.5 million event will be held at Sentosa Golf Club’s New Tanjong Course from 1-4 March 2018.

Defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Inbee Park will be returning to the field, alongside winners of the five majors in 2017.

A slot will also be secured for the winner of the Women Amateur Asia Pacific Championship.

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Having etched her name into history books by being the first Chinese golfer to be world number one, Feng Shanshan is seeking for yet another milestone with a maiden win at the HSBC Women Champions. The Guangzhou native strung together a series of brilliant performances including two back to back victories and three top-3s finishes in the last five events of 2017 to dethrone So Yeon Ryu in November. Feng said “I’m really looking forward to playing back in Asia. That’s where I feel most at home and I guess it’s no surprise that that’s where I play my best golf.”

Set to feature all of the world’s topten ranked players, spectators can be assured of a wire-to-wire battle for this prestigious tournament.

Current world number one - Feng Shanshan.

“The HSBC Women’s World Championship always stands out as one of the highlights of the year, both on and off the course, so it’s definitely an event I’m targeting.”

- Danielle Kang

Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko share a joke on the fifth hole during the first round.

Korean Sung Hyun Park looking to emulate her fellow countrywomen.

Former world number Lydia Ko might have had a winless 2017 since going through an equipment overhaul from Callaway to PXG, but the twenty-year-old Kiwi looks to get back to familiar territory; the podium.

South Korean duo So Yeon Ryu and Sung Hyun Park whom are second and third respectively on the official world golf rankings are poised to join the list of Koreans (3) who has won at the event in the past three years. Fan favourite So Yeon Ryu underwent a diagnosis of her game in 2016 and rose like a phoenix from ashes the following year. Tipped to a group of Australian greats which included former Open champion Ian BakerFinch and swing coach Cameron McCormick, Ryu improved dramatically on her putting as well as her shot versatility. Park, on the other hand became the first LPGA Tour rookie in the history of the rankings to reach the top position, overtaking Ryu in early November. The Seoul-born Orlando resident made all 23 cuts in as many events in 2017, showcasing her unbelievable consistency and concentration week-in and week-out.

Danielle Kang should also be raring to add to her victories, ironically her only win being a major at the KPMG Women’s

PGA Championship. The sweetsmiling Pepperdine graduate had a breakout season in 2017, and coming 2018 should be where she cements her spot as a top-contender in major tournaments. “Last year was a brilliant year for me so I can’t wait to get back on the course to see what 2018 brings. The HSBC Women’s World Championship always stands out as one of the highlights of the year, both on and off the course, so it’s definitely an event I’m targeting.” said Kang.

Lexi Thompson would be pleased to put the turbulent 2017 behind her. After getting robbed by arm-chair referees at the ANA Inspiration for her second major, the American demonstrated true grit and excellent character by winning two more times in the calendar year, propelling her to fourth of the world rankings.

Women’s golf has evolved to be extremely competitive, with the top player rotating five-times between as many players players.

Lydia Ko’s 85-week dominance from late 2015 faded off as she slid to 10th while a laundry list of other dormant players took their chances at claiming the top position.

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn whom came within a sliver of winning this event last year, reigning Evian Championship winner Anna Nordqvist and LPGA veteran Cristie Kerr are all within grasp of becoming the numero uno.

Be prepared for a clash of the goddesses, the ladies are back in town.

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Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

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AGAINST ALL ODDS Being the world number one is hard, being Dustin Johnson is harder.

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ntiheroes are commonly associated to a central character who lacks conventional heroic attributes but still garner support nevertheless.

In pop-culture, that includes characters like Han Solo to Rick Grimes, The Punisher to Wolverine.

The idea of the golfing community having an anti-hero seems absurd, but the case of Dustin Johnson says otherwise.

That was not his first suspension.

Just the first ‘official’ layoff.

According to a Golf.com report, he had failed three drug tests: one for marijuana and two for cocaine.

He was previously suspended for the failed test, but that suspension was never made public. Under the PGA Tour’s drug-testing policies, the Tour is not required to announce any disciplinary actions against players who test positive for recreational drugs.

By all accounts, the American’s year can be considered a success, depending on who you ask.

Some might put an asterisk on his year – how can one become the finest golfer on the planet when he has not figured in any of the four majors?

For those who have followed his career, Dustin Johnson is a sort of modern day John Daly.

Like the former Open and PGA Champion, the 6’4” long bomber from Columbia, South Carolina has led a decadent life throughout his early playing years, and until that abeyance, had a long list of misdemeanours that includes known dalliances with two married wives of fellow tour players, causing one of them to separate.

But when one arrives at the pinnacle of sport, it is something to be celebrated, regardless of how one gets there. To be considered “The World No. 1” is to tell a story of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and in this case, substance abuse.

That does not seem right, and it rightfully is not, but the current numero uno actually managed to get there despite a controversial six-month suspension period enacted by the PGA Tour after testing positive for an addictive stimulant back in 2014.

Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images

TEXT: BENJAMIN T

His courtship and subsequent hard partying with social media starlet Paulina Gretzky, who also happens to be the daughter of legendary hockey star Wayne Gretzky added to the notoriety of it all.

Although he holds the distinction of being the first player since Tiger Woods to win at least once in each

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Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR)

TH EC L U B H O U S E

of his first seven seasons coming out of college (now 10) up till 2014, many felt he did it in spite of his lifestyle, rather than despite it.

The funny thing is, golf history is riddled with guys like that.

Walter Hagen would’ve put many to shame with his midnight trysts before arriving at the first tee, still in yesterday’s clothing.

When finally he was faced with a reality check, no less due to a proper talking to by his future father-in-law, the world held its breadth and wondered what will come out of his leave of absence from professional golf.

“I will use this time to seek professional help for personal challenges I have faced,” he issued a statement then.

“By committing the time and resources necessary to improve my mental health, physical well-being and emotional foundation, I am confident that I will be better equipped to fulfil my potential and become a consistent champion.”

And then, the rest was golfing history. Like a phoenix rising from

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the ashes, Dustin Johnson cleaned up, had a child (now two) with Paulina, and by February 2017, 32 years of age, he rose to the top of the world rankings for the first time, won a Major championship, and arrived at the potential that everyone had been waiting to see.

That blowout victory at Riviera that shot him to the top of the world rankings was his first of three consecutive titles (including two WGCs), as he achieved Tiger Woods-like levels of dominance and arrived at the Masters as favourite.

Through a series of unfortunate events however - mainly stemming from a rain soaked Augusta causing the small American town to become rather slippery, allegedly causing our hero to slip on a flight of steps in his rental house and fall on the eve of his attempt at the year’s first Major – his year began to crumble just as it had literally reached a climax.

The resulting back injury meant that he was to miss teeing off on Thursday at the Masters, and however that may have affected Sergio Garcia’s eventual victory, nobody knows. But what we do know is that Johnson would go on the rest of the year without challenging at the majors.

He missed the cut at Erin Hills, a course set up to suit long hitters, and instead, first-time winner Brooks Koepka stole away with a record equalling 16-under-par total at the US Open. Who is to say if anyone can stop the freight train that is Koepka during this tournament? But if there is, the money would have been on Johnson.

Then, there is that 64 at the third round of The Open. While failing to match Brendan Grace’s 62 on the same day at Carnoustie, he also failed to mount a charge on Sunday and wound up shooting a 77 for a T-54 finish at a tournament that

Photo by Hublot

“It’s all due to what happened right before Augusta, slipping and hurting my back. But I feel like the game is coming around.

It’s starting to feel a lot better. Got confidence in it.

Definitely rolled the putter a little bit better today. It’s close to being really good.”

belonged to Jordan Spieth after his heroics. His most credible finish came in the year’s final major, The PGA Championship. Tied for 13th at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, the final assault on what was to be his best year on tour fizzled out leading to another first-timer, Justin Thomas, stealing his march.

As suggested, expectations for this star-crossed talent are always different, and so begets the polar opinions on his ability to stay atop the golfing world now that he has gotten there. The man himself admitted as much after the final major of the year.

Photo by adidas

“Definitely a little frustrated for sure,” Johnson said Sunday after his round. “Because going into Augusta I’m playing the best golf of my career. Everything is working very well, and then unfortunately I didn’t get to play the Masters and then just struggled a little bit this whole summer.

“It’s all due to what happened right before Augusta, slipping and hurting my back. But I feel like the game is coming around. It’s starting to feel a lot better. Got confidence in it. Definitely rolled the putter a little bit better today. It’s close to being really good.”

Though he added a playoff victory at the end of the season to make it the biggest haul of his career, Johnson’s failure to factor in any of the majors make this a bittersweet season to remember or forget. Johnson is also one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, having been ranked in the top five annually from 2008 and leading in 2015. It is however, his confidence with the driver that separates him from the pack.

Blessed with the ability to call upon his power fade on cue, Johnson’s finesse with the driver is second to none. Although his severe bow of the left wrist is unorthodox, the tenyear TaylorMade ambassador possesses astonishing precision to unload a ton of energy on the ball.

In a day and age where virtually every run of the mill professional could clear the 300-yard mark, Johnson is still a pedigree on his own in the ‘see it to believe it’ category.

If the verdict is still out there on whether or not Dustin Hunter Johnson has had a good year in professional golf, just imagine what a ‘proper’ great year could be for him.

No one has been spoken of in those terms since Tiger Woods’s dominating reign. Mark my words.

2018 is the year of Dustin Johnson.

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BLISS IN BALI Opening another dimension on the glorious island.

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UOB TRAVEL SPECIAL

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n idyllic island with no fewer than fifteen pristine beaches, Bali has been a prominent destination for tourists as well as golfers.

Surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Indonesian hotspot claimed the Traveller’s Choice Award as the world’s top destination on review platform, TripAdvisor. The extraordinary development of the province’s culture and arts has provided the world a glimpse of perhaps only a fraction of its true heritage. For golfers, the six tracks constructed received numerous accolades, a precursor for an excursion of a lifetime.

Bali National A golfers’ paradigm of an ideal resort, Bali National Golf Club reopened in 2014 after undergoing an extensive renovation that introduced new agronomics, design aesthetics, as well as competitiveness capability.

The renovation project was so successful that it was awarded the 3rd Best Renovated Golf Course in the World for 2015.

The Robin Nelson and Rodney Wright designed Hawaiian-styled golf course hosted the Alfred Dunhill Masters in ‘94, and was voted one of Asia’s top five by Fortune Magazine later in ‘97.

After the major overhaul, the course now hosts the Bali National Championships as part of the Asian Development Tour. Measuring at 7100 yards off the tips, golfers can take a shot at beating the course record of 65.

The front nine is characterised with by its tropical jungle ambience, as you play through the hills. Views of the Indian Ocean are available on every hole, and stone walls have been integrated into the course design to fringe the side of fairways and tee-boxes to establish a countryside atmosphere.

Coming back in, the golfer would navigate through flatter terrain albeit a series of man-made lakes.

The signature hole awaits nearing the end on the 17th. Coincidentally, it is Bali’s very own interpretation of TPC Sawgrass’s notorious counterpart. Both holes are parallel in various design including distance, as it measures a tricky 130 yards off the resort tees.

The overall experience in Bali National constitutes to its penchant for ever improving, and seeing minor changes that sweetens every visit. For high-rollers, a helicopter landing pad is available should you decide to arrive in style.

New Kuta Golf Club Pecatu Located on the southern shore of the island, you can find one of Bali’s finest golf courses; New Kuta Golf Club. Rhythmic waves can be heard crashing onto the cliffs at the base of many holes, justifying New Kuta Golf’s award as 10th best course in Indonesia by Golf Digest. Aside from that, the course has held the 2009 Indonesian Open, an Asian Tour event.

The breathtaking view is just one of many reasons to visit the acclaimed course. The links-styled design provides a hint of European taste to the course, and offers a challenge with the undulating greens and the smooth rolling fairways. Adaptive to golfers of all playing capacity, the course employs five different set of tees to complement each individual player.

New Kuta Golf’s course designer is Ronald Fream, who is also the man behind Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course - a hint of its brilliance. Hole 6 is aptly named ‘Fream’s Island’ as an ode to the architect, and the veteran designed it to be surrounded with sand instead. The ample space allocated provides a fresh take on the term ‘island green’.

The par-3 15th is their signature hole, constituting to its cliff side placement. Situated by the bay of Uluwatu, site of one of Bali’s four sacred temples, this ocean view is one of the many reasons golfers visit New Kuta Golf. The landscape and design draws comparisons with Ria Bintan’s 9th, which is coincidentally also one of Asia’s most photographed holes. The tricky crosswind coming in from the sea might hinder the scoring for this 115m hole.

The breezy nature of the island translates into a cooling round for golfers despite its tropical heat.

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The stretch of holes 14, 15, and 16 are perched some 200 feet above one of Bali’s hidden gems; Dreamland Beach.

JMP Golf Design Group whom also designed the acclaimed Royale Jakarta Golf Club, this course is no walk in the park even for the seasoned golfer.

Bukit Pandawa Less than a year since breaking into the golf scene unlike any other in Southeast Asia, Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club captured a significant international award in 2017 - ‘World’s Best Par-3 Course.’

Located on the most southern coastline of Bali overlooking the surf breaks of Bukit Peninsula, the course is a contemporary take on golf, with each full round lasting only two and a half hours due to its par-54 nature.

Despite being only 3027 yards, Bukit Pandawa provides an extensive experience. From the back tees, the course is a few hundred yards longer than Turtle Hill Golf Club at Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, which ranks among USA’s top 10 par-3 courses in the world. Designed by Bob Moore of California-based

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Characterised by intricate green complexes and deep trenches, short-game competency will be in full effect for the entire round.

The signature 148-yard 13th is framed by three bunkers and features curved stone walls in the foreground and a traditional Balinese kul-kul tower in the background, an acknowledgement to its cultural heritage.

Dedicated to provide a holistic golfing experience, a 3,000-square-meter clubhouse was constructed, drawing inspirations by the ancient temples and towers of Bali.

The golf course is also a luxurious complementing feature to a cluster of international five-star establishments in development on the premises; Mandarin Oriental, Fairmont and Waldorf Astoria to name a few.

UOB TRAVEL SPECIAL

BALI GOLF EXPERIENCE UOB Travel is offering a 4D3N holiday starting from $1,168.

The minimum number of four adults is required to travel.

The package is inclusive of two twin rooms with daily breakfast.

Karma Kandara Located at the southernmost region of Bali, Karma Kandara is a five-star resort perched on the side of a cliff, overlooking the ocean.

Breath-taking views are one of many reasons to visit the Bukit Peninsular, but the experience at the all-villa establishment is why tourists are inclined to return for the second time.

The entire resort consists of 54 villas, ranging from one to five bedrooms. A wide variation of choices, some of the villas boasts private infinity pools, enclosed courtyards, generous ocean views, or a combination of all three. The Balinese heritage is retained with the majority of decor and furniture being made of wood, the interior warm and vibrant while the marble

flooring ensures a cooling walk around the quarters. As for the general area, the sanctuary utilises stone steps and tiling to complete the ambience, truly immersing the traveller in the mountainous surroundings.

One of the main attractions is the award-winning di Mare Restaurant that serves top-of-the-line Mediterranean inspired cuisine, with flavours from the Asia-Pacific region. Stocked with over 3000 varieties of wine and paired with exquisite fusion food, be prepared to have a gastronomical experience.

The Karma Beach Club located a stone throw away offers private cabanas, a turquoise blue lagoon and an extensive list of activities daily to provide endless entertainment.

Private transfer arrangement based on the above mentioned itinerary.

Three rounds of golf per person, including green fees, caddy and buggy fees in New Kuta Golf Club Pecatu, Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club and Bali National Golf Club Nusa Dua. A licensed local English speaking guide to help navigate.

KARMA KANDARA STAY 4 PAY 3 PACKAGE. UOB Travel is offering a travel package for four nights at the price of three.

The package is inclusive of daily gourmet breakfast for two persons at the di Mare Restaurant.

Offer is only valid for 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom, 3-Bedroom and 4-Bedroom Pool Villas.

Booking period: 01 February – 30 April 2018 Stay period: 01 February – 31 December 2018 Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions or discounts.

Confirmation of booking is subject to availability.

Blackout dates apply.

For more information visit UOB Travel at www.UOBtravel.com or call 62526822

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CROUCHING PUMA HIDDEN COBRA Calibre sits down with Clay Gary, South East Asia’s Head honcho for Cobra Puma Golf (CPG).

PHOTOS: LIONEL KONG

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Calibre: How has 2017 been for CPG or for golf in general?

Clay: Being in and around the golf business for nearly two decades, I went through the period where everyone believed golf was impervious to recession because it was a rich man’s sport, but later found out during the dot-com bust that it wasn’t true. Based on research done by Golf Datatech in the US, indications are that the market might have flattened, but it’s not going on the decline.

Attributed to economic and political issues, there has been a decline in consumer markets. We’ve faced some challenges, like working through inventory from previous seasons, and with new products releasing, we needed to calibrate our expectations to maximise profitability.

Calibre: Onwards to 2018, what is the company’s direction?

Clay: For us, it has always been in our DNA to be a mixture of being youthful, fun, and aggressive while respecting the traditions of the game. These values are personified by three of our ambassadors, Lexi (Thompson), Rickie (Fowler) and Bryson (Dechambeau). For 2018, we are focused on experimenting with new trends and fashions, like the Aloha series that we primed for Rickie’s participation at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. The brand is trying to remove the stigma from golf being an old-school activity, and introduce consumers to a different way to play the game.

Calibre: Can you share with our readers what is “the different way to play the game”?

Clay: The ruling bodies of the sport have introduced restrictions which limit opportunities to convert technology into meaningful gains in all launch parameters, such as

launch angle, spin rate, ball speed; the elements that allow you to hit the ball higher and further, which is essentially what every company out there is striving to do. However, CPG is capitalising on this situation to pave the way to the future of golf by being data driven. Using the raw knowledge of data, we managed to improve both the club manufacturing process as well as the golfer’s playing capacity.

Calibre: Gathering data has been a trend, is CPG continuing to use the ‘Arccos Golf’ technology from the F7 series for the F8?

Clay: Yes, ever since we started our partnership with Arccos in our F7 range, they have been consistently improving their software, hence the Arccos 360 and the recently approved usage of the ‘Arccos Caddie’ by the USGA. The data accumulated by the algorithm does more than just tell you how far you hit. The latest version tries to replicate questions from a real caddie, for example how much the wind affects this shot, and whether it is uphill or downhill. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence has been revolutionising the game and I believe it enhances the overall golfing experience.

Calibre: Will the Arccos technology be present for all the drivers in the F8 line?

Clay: Even better! The sensor will be available in every club, from the irons to fairways. As an introductory promotion, when a customer purchases a set of our irons, we will be offering a full set of Arccos sensors to allow them to wire up their current set of woods, regardless of its brand, with no extra charges involved. We want our consumers to be fully immersed in this data-driven playing environment so they can understand what we mean by ‘a different way to play.’ We are also

excited about the aftermarket shafts from Fujikura and Aldila; both stock options for the drivers.

Calibre: The F8 drivers features CNC Milled face, the first time ever on a driver. Can you share with us its benefits?

Clay: The biggest claim for us, is the incredible consistency for each driver manufactured. Every driver off the shelf is exactly the same, because of the CNC milling. All drivers have variable face thickness, and club makers usually grind the face by hand after measuring the contour of the face for tolerance. By using CNC milling we can remove the human error, and promise absolute precision for the final product. All golf equipment brands want the final result, however it’s our manufacturing process that truly differentiates our product from the rest.

Calibre: How do you view the position of Cobra and Puma in the market right now?

Clay: I feel that throughout the years we have evolved to become a brand for the receptive advanced players, and also for tech savvy individuals. Our ambassadors have performed exceptionally well and shown true character throughout this past season. Seeing how Lexi handled the situation with the ruling officials, Bryson employing his engineering brilliance to construct the single-length irons with us, and Rickie starting the 2018 season with a huge win after a spectacular 2017, we are in safe hands on with them on board. The Puma brand has generally been hot in the fashion industry. The ‘Athleisure’ segment includes pop-stars like Rihanna and Selena Gomez, while the footballing deputies include Sergio Aguero and Marco Reus as faces for the brand. I believe the world will be eager to see what we have to offer for 2018.

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COBRA KING F8 & F8+ Smart is the new way to play.

The Cobra KING F8 and KING F8+ will be the first range to feature precision milled forged faces and also have built-in smart technology from Arccos Golf. The sensor in the grip relays shot data with the Cobra Connect app to truly deliver a precise and smart driver.

Both drivers are designed to provide golfers of varying playing abilities a choice between oversized performance with maximum forgiveness or traditional shaping with workability and precision.

The first in the industry, the full CNC machined driver face provides incredible consistency with every manufactured piece. The milling

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process removed human errors and the variable thickness remains true throughout the face, so every piece off the rack will be exactly the same.

The entire family of the Cobra F8 will be equipped with an embedded sensor built into the butt end of the grip, thus making it the first ever full set of smart clubs. The Arccos 360 paired with the Cobra Connect app, helps players of all skill levels make smarter, data-driven decisions, and in overall provide a more enjoyable golfing experience.

The brand’s proprietary 360° Aero Technology is strategically

positioned around the perimeter of the face to improve drag reduction through the downswing for increased speeds at impact.

The adjustable hosel provides eight loft options, from 9° to 12°, and three draw settings. The KING F8+ utilizes the same technologies with the addition of two CG settings to allow for different trajectories and spin.

The F8 drivers come with three aftermarkets shaft as stock options, Fujikura, Tensei, and Aldila.

The Cobra KING F8 and F8+ are available at all authorised Cobra Puma Golf retailers.

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PUMA GOLF ‘ALOHA COLLECTION’ Channel your beachside cabana image onto the golf course.

PUMA Golf’s ‘Aloha Collection’ debuted at the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Rickie Fowler, who finished tied 4th place.

Inspired by Fowler’s respect for his Japanese heritage, this series adopt a modern take on the classic Hawaiian style combined with traditional elements from the land of the rising sun. The final product is a collection that transitions seamlessly from the course to the beach in style.

The Aloha Collection’s key motif are hibiscus with a classy and subtle print of two golf clubs crossed in the design accompanied with the

Honolulu inspired patterns.

Keys pieces such as the Aloha Woven Shirt which sports a blue tonal print in a more traditional button-up and the Aloha IGNITE Golf Shoes boasting an athleticstyling, premium leather accents as well as the Aloha prints on the interior mesh bootie allow golfers to hop off the golf course and on to the beach without looking out of place. The Aloha shorts utilize a rebalanced pattern, curved stretch waistband featuring PWRSTRETCH, a high-stretch elastic, silicone gripper for comfort and mechanical stretch for maximum range of motion

Other part of the Collection include Aloha GOTIME Flex Snapback Cap, Big Cat Golf Tee, and Aloha Polo.

The PUMA Golf Aloha Collection is available online at www.lazada.com.sg or at authorised Cobra PUMA Golf retailers.

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TAYLORMADE M3 AND M4 A twist to the conventional club face.

“The driver was what really won me the tournament.”

A week into its premier, world number-one Dustin Johnson scoops the first title of 2018, the Sentry Tournament of Champions using the M4. On the final day, Johnson nearly aced the 433yard par-four 12th, talk about impeccable timing.

The Twist Face technology is TaylorMade’s solution for golfers’ most common misses off the driver; high toe and low heel impacts. The face of the driver is

curved open at the high-toe to add loft and curved closed at the low-heel area to decrease loft, both compensating for common miss hits. Ultimately, off-centre hits will fly less offline than they would with traditional bulge and roll club faces.

M3 In addition to Twist Face technology, the M3 of both 460cc and 440cc also exclusively possesses the new Y-Track system for weight adjustments. An upgrade from last year’s T-Track, the Y-track provides the golfer with more adjustability.

The new Hammerhead slot in the M3 is also engineered to work in combination with the Twist Face and Inverted Cone technologies to deliver maximum ball-speed across a larger area of the face, producing a larger sweet spot.

The M3 driver will be offered in 9.5° and 10.5° loft options. The shafts available are the KuroKage TM50 and the Tensei CK Red/Blue.

The M3 440cc is available upon custom order and has two dozen premium shafts as options.

M4 The M4 utilises both the Twist Face and Hammerhead technologies similar to the M3, only without the adjustability of the Y-Track.

However, the M4 uses Geocoustic engineering for increased forgiveness as well as sound.

The M4’s Hammerhead slot features reinforced outer portions for a lighter, more flexible face, which results in a larger sweet spot. The centre portion of the slot increases ball speed low on the face and reduces spin off miss-hits. To increase the stability of the driver, the rearward mass pad has been increased from 22 to 41 grams.

M4 D-Type TaylorMade is also offering a higher-launching, draw-biased model - the M4 D-Type. The 460cc D-Type combines multiple drawbiased design technologies to help players who fight slices. The D-Type is heel-weighted to encourage draws, has a slight offset and uses advanced visual cues to promote draw-biased shots.

The M4 and M4 D-Type will be offered in 9.5°, 10.5° and 12° loft options. The shafts available are the Fubuki TM50 MCC and the Fujikura Atmos Red shaft.

Available at all authorised TaylorMade retailers.

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ADIDAS TOUR 360 EQT BOA BOOST When golf meets streetwear.

Pious devotees of adidas should be fleeting with excitement following their latest release of the most successful footwear series; the Tour 360 EQT BOA BOOST. The latest Tour 360 comes with a laundry list of new innovations to provide golfers with maximum comfort without sacrificing performance on the course. adidas’s BOOST technology made famous by Kanye West’s Yeezys and the booming popular NMDs, are finally incorporated into golf shoes. The foundation of the technology is the cushioning material used, which stores and releases energy for more bounce in every step.

The upper is constructed from a premium leather with ClimaProof technology for a soft feel and long lasting waterproof protection.

The inside of the shoe has a FitFoam collar and tongue combined with a FitFoam insole that provides exceptional support and comfort. The anti-friction lining reduces wear and tear while helping to wick moisture from the inside of the shoe.

The advanced BOA Closure System also introduced incremental pull & push structure for customised micro-adjustability.

In addition, the BOA-Integrated 360LOOP is also designed to connect to the heel area for a snug and tighter fit The Tour 360 EQT BOA BOOST is available at all authorised adidas Golf retailers.

The strategically placed dualdensity 10-cleat PureMotion TPU outsole allows this to be the first cleated BOOST golf shoe with CenTraxion and ThinTech that provides maximum grip even on rough conditions.

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TITLEIST SM7 Dialling in the distance.

Arguably one of the most revered wedge artisans of all time, Bob Vokey introduced the Vokey SM7 to the delight of the golfing community.

Their latest series, the SM7, offers increased shot versatility and trajectory control, as well as expanded fitting options.

Moving forward from their SM6 which introduced progressive centre of gravity design, the latest series boasts 100% inspected spin milled grooves cut at even tighter tolerances. This results in the grooves having a more precise cut and longer lasting spin through the life of the wedge.

With a unique R&D team that consist of the whole

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PGA Tour, Vokey developed six tour-proven sole grinds available to cater to golfers of various playing styles.

The F, S, M, K, L and the new D grind are individually exclusive to certain features.

F Grind is designed primarily for full swings and square face shots. It is the only grind available in the 46ยบ-52ยบ models.

S Grind is designed based on feedback from Steve Stricker, the S is best for square faced shots with a touch more versatility than the F Grind.

M Grind is designed for players that like to rotate the club face open and shut for shots around the green.

D Grind offers high measured bounce with the crescent shape of the M Grind for shot making versatility.

K Grind has the highest bounce wedge in the line-up.

The ultimate bunker club and the most forgiving wedge in the line-up for all shots.

L Grind features a narrow crescent shape allowing maximum green side versatility in exchange for forgiveness.

The Vokey SM7 offers 23 different combinations to suit virtually any and every type of play-style and swing.

Titleist Vokey SM7 is available at all authorised Titleist retailers.

TH EC L U B H O U S E

TITLEIST SM7 Dialling in the distance.

Arguably one of the most revered wedge artisans of all time, Bob Vokey introduced the Vokey SM7 to the delight of the golfing community.

Their latest series, the SM7, offers increased shot versatility and trajectory control, as well as expanded fitting options.

Moving forward from their SM6 which introduced progressive centre of gravity design, the latest series boasts 100% inspected spin milled grooves cut at even tighter tolerances. This results in the grooves having a more precise cut and longer lasting spin through the life of the wedge.

With a unique R&D team that consist of the whole

38

PGA Tour, Vokey developed six tour-proven sole grinds available to cater to golfers of various playing styles.

The F, S, M, K, L and the new D grind are individually exclusive to certain features.

F Grind is designed primarily for full swings and square face shots. It is the only grind available in the 46ยบ-52ยบ models.

S Grind is designed based on feedback from Steve Stricker, the S is best for square faced shots with a touch more versatility than the F Grind.

M Grind is designed for players that like to rotate the club face open and shut for shots around the green.

D Grind offers high measured bounce with the crescent shape of the M Grind for shot making versatility.

K Grind has the highest bounce wedge in the line-up.

The ultimate bunker club and the most forgiving wedge in the line-up for all shots.

L Grind features a narrow crescent shape allowing maximum green side versatility in exchange for forgiveness.

The Vokey SM7 offers 23 different combinations to suit virtually any and every type of play-style and swing.

Titleist Vokey SM7 is available at all authorised Titleist retailers.

TH EC L U B H O U S E

MIZUNO MP-18 Four models for one player.

Japanese giants Mizuno has a rich history of producing the sleekest and softest of irons, most notably the MS and MP series made famous by six-time major winner, Sir Nick Faldo as well as ball striking maestro Luke Donald.

The latest MP-18 series now features four new iron models to cater the trend of combo-irons both on and off the tour; a combination of blades and cavity backs gradually throughout the set. Available at all MST Golf outlets.

MP-18 MMC (Multi-Material Construction)

MP-18 (Muscle Back)

The MP-18 MMC irons are grain flow forged but uses multi-material construction to distribute weight to the centre of the club head.

Tungsten is added in the toe section of the irons while a titanium insert is placed behind the club face and toward the heel section of the club for forgiveness.

A classic design that showcases the craftsmanship of the revered manufacturers, this muscle-back is the smallest of the entire MP series.

The simplicity of the irons represents the elegance of this model, and can be dutifully considered a set made for the ‘player’.

MP-18 MMC Fli-Hi MP-18 SC (Split Cavity) The Split Cavity irons feature a half-cavity design. Weight has been redistributed to concentrate the centre of gravity lower on the club head for added forgiveness and higher launch. Only a fraction larger than the muscle-back models, this model is for players who seek for easier play on the longer irons but does not want to give up on workability.

The Fli-Hi has an insert forged into the inside of the cavity, to allow a hollow face for more deflection at impact that results in ball speed.

The top-lines are also cambered to look thinner than they measure, creating a look that will suit the eye of aesthetic-driven players.

The entire MP-18 series comes in either True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts or Nippon N.S. Pro shafts.

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FLIGHTSCOPE MEVO Practice with precision.

Hustling into the age of data and technology, industry pioneers FlightScope developed a portable launch monitor for the modern day athlete. The pocket-sized device is capable of tracking numbers for a variety of sports; golf, baseball and soccer.

For golf, instant feedback is often required during club fitting as well as game improvement, and the Mevo provides extensive information such as ball speed,

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smash factor, vertical launch angle, carry distance and spin rate.

The set-up is an easy process.

The user simply syncs a smartphone with Mevo using its bluetooth technology after downloading the free app, and it will be ready for use. Technology wise, Mevo uses a simplified radar technology to track the ball through the first few feet of flight, unlike the full system which tabulates the entire flight of the ball.

The crunched numbers are sufficient for teaching professionals or elite players to work on specific techniques.

At a fraction of the price of a normal launch monitor, the Mevo is a valuable investment for tech-savvy golfers looking to one up their counterparts.

The FlightScope Mevo is available at Big Fish Golf, 1003 Bukit Merah Central #03-11.

COMPETE TRENDS, ANALYSIS AND KEY HAPPENINGS

World Cup Fever 32 teams, 1 victor

Photo from Nike

Page 50

COMPETE

SINGAPORE YACHT SHOW 2018 The ebb and flow of the annual boat show TEXT: JONATHAN LEE PHOTOS: BLUEIPROD, REEL PRODUCTIONS, SUPERYACHTTIMES

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I

magine sailing the seven seas in a vessel touted to be the pinnacle of luxury and decadence. One cannot disagree that riding in a 24m-long super yacht is the ultimate bragging right. Yachts are the preferred vacation luxury transport of the affluent, and are among the most expensive asset purchases.

Juggernauts in the yacht-building business such as dutch duo Amels and Feadship, and German builders Lürssen Yachts, will be present to grace this year’s event. SilverYachts, Gulf Craft, Sunbrella, Reel Torque, and Ferretti Group are some of the other prominent manufacturers that will also be featured at the showcase.

Come April 12-15, Asia’s leading yachting and on-water luxury lifestyle event, the Singapore Yacht Show (SYS), makes a triumphant return to dazzle visitors and yacht fanatics alike for its eighth edition at ONE˚15 Marina at Sentosa Cove.

Acting as a launch pad for world and regional yacht premieres, the Yacht Show also serves as a platform to introduce new concepts to the Asian market, while also assuming position to showcase a fleet of world-class yachts in Asia.

The globally-recognised on-water exhibition, fully supported and backed by the global yachting industry and the Singapore Tourism Board, promises nautical lifestyle seekers an unparalleled opportunity to discover some of the world’s finest vessels and boating brands on the shores of sunny Singapore.

Last year, SYS drew in an unprecedented 14,286 visitors over the course of four days. There were 20 premieres, and 150 exhibiting brands, in what was widely considered to be the most successful edition ever. Over 90 vessels were on display, including the largest super yacht to make its appearance at the SYS to date.

The luxurious event drew a crowd upwards of 14,000 in 2017, setting a record attendance.

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COMPETE

The vessels on exhibition were lit up and displayed opulently for event-goers.

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The 77m-long SilverFast, built by Australian builder SilverYachts, wore a S$119 million price tag and blew boating buffs away. The enormous vessel boasted outstanding capabilities such as its ability to take its passengers from Australia to Europe in just 21 days with a single fuel stop, and accommodates up to 18 guests in seven en suite cabins and a dedicated master apartment.

Though a super yacht of that stature will not be showcased, SYS 2018 promises an exciting line-up of 36 vessels. Among the super yachts set to be featured, Gulf Craft’s 34m-long Majesty 110, Plymouth based Princess’s Princess 30M; Azimut’s Grande Metri 27, and Ferretti 780 by Italy’s Ferretti Group, will be making their regional debut on Singapore’s waters.

Smaller yachts such as the Boston Whaler 315, Lagoon 50, and the Fountain Pajot MY 44 amongst others, will be making their Asia Premiere too.

The largest vessel to be showcased, and the only vessel to make its world premiere at this year’s SYS, is the magnificent 52m-long M/Y Prana built by builders Phinisi and brokered by Yacht Sourcing.

Phinisi are historically known as an elegant wooden sailing yacht that was born from the legend of an ancestral tradition of the Southern islands of Sulawesi.

For the longest time, it was used in the commercial trade and played a key role in the distribution of spices and other goods from Indonesia to every corner of the world.

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The largest vessel to be showcased, and the only vessel to make its world premiere at this year’s SYS, is the magnificent 52m-long M Y Prana.

Cabanas are available to take a breather and enjoy the ambiance.

Built by Yacht Sourcing’s finest Indonesian craftsmen, the yacht can easily reach 18 to 50 metres and is traditionally constructed entirely out of teak and ironwood. Based on the ship’s structure, Yacht Sourcing offers a customised finish that is tailored to any specific requirements, making the M/Y Prana’s world premiere and exciting one. The SYS is known to epitomise luxury lifestyle with world-class yachts, glamorous parties, high-end entertainment, and a range of prestige products and brands such as supercars, fine dining, high fashion, art, and beautiful timepieces.

This year, SYS’s returning partners for the event include lifestyle partner Resorts World Sentosa, luxury motor vehicle partner BMW Singapore, airline partner Turkish Airlines, venue host ONE˚15 Marina, canvas partner Sunbrella, watch partner Moritz Grossman, and captain’s lounge sponsor MTU. On top of the exhibitions available throughout the entire affair, SYS 2018 caters to the diving, fishing, and water sports enthusiasts as well. The “Floating Leisure Hub” is a highly anticipated feature of this year’s exhibition.

Attendees from all walks of life came to experience the posh life on a yacht.

Even Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs was in attendance.

Arthur Tay, CEO of SUTL Enterprises, kickstarts the event with the air-horn together with his guests.

Located in the heart of the show, the “Floating Leisure Hub” will be packed with the latest leisure and recreational water-crafts, hourly giveaways, activity try-outs, equipment demonstrations, retail space and evening networking events for visitors.

For anyone willing to go the distance, industry conferences such as the Asia Pacific Superyacht conference (APSC) and the Asia Boating Forum (ABF) will run concurrently with the show.

Martin Redmayne (The Superyacht group), MaryAnne Edwards (Australian International Marine Export Group, Superyacht Australia), Nigel Beatty (Super Yacht Logistics, Asia Pacific Superyacht Association), Farouk Nefzi (Feadship), and Carmen Lau Stratton (Camper and Nicholsons Asia) will be engaging attendees in the 2018 programme.

The 2018 edition promises to have more entertainment and activities for attendees.

The ASPC will deliver a focus agenda to support the development of the super yacht industry in the Asia Pacific region, while the ABF explores the in-depth issues and challenges surrounding the development and sustainability of the more general boating business.

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COMPETE

PREDICTABLY UNPREDICTABLE Calibre sits down with two WTA legends to pick their brains on the emergence of tennis stars.

TEXT: SEAN LONG PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES FOR WTA

W

hen asked to pick a winner for the Singapore WTA Finals 2017, Chris Evert furrowed her brows and threw her hands in the air. “This tournament reflects the whole year, you just can’t predict anything!”

The unpredictability, on the other hand, piques former world number one Kim Clijsters’ interest. “I like the fact that you can look at the draw and be like, this is a tough match-up for this person, and either player can go through to the next round. I like seeing potential upsets and surprises, and that’s part of the game.” With nine different winners claiming trophies for the nine biggest tournaments in 2017, we explore how the topsy-turvy season transpired, and what to look out for in 2018.

SIMONA HALEP: SEAT WARMER NUMBER ONE? Clijsters feels for Simona Halep, given that she has been in a similar situation before. Halep reached the pinnacle before winning a Grand Slam in 2017, and has been fielding questions about her legitimacy at the top. “I am always very surprised why the Grand Slam gets added to the same question. I was in the same situation and that question was asked almost every week in every country I went to. Becoming number one was such a great achievement and they actually made it look like something negative.” commented Clijsters.

Judging by her results this year, there is no doubt that Halep had one of the best seasons of her career; clinching a Premier Mandatory title in Madrid, she reached the finals of Roland Garros, Rome, Beijing and Cincinnati as well – all tournaments with substantial ranking points.

After failing to qualify for the semi-finals in WTA Finals, Halep responded to reporters with diplomacy and grace, “I will not let this tournament ruin everything I built this year, so I’m okay and already looking forward to the next year to have a good, a better start.”

46

Simona Halep

CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: DESTINATION GRAND SLAM Speaking of consistency, former world number one Caroline Wozniacki had posted similarly steady results in 2017. Reaching the finals a staggering eight times and clinching two titles including the WTA Finals here in Singapore, the Dane posted the most number of match wins this season at 60. Clearly seeing improvements, Evert mentioned that the courts in Singapore suited her game and picked Wozniacki as the winner when she was pressed to choose one.

However, just 16 months before Singapore, it seemed as if the Dane’s career as a top player was over.

Losing matches to players she used to dismiss under an hour, Caroline’s ranking dipped to 74, her lowest since February 2008. The tenacious Wozniacki refused to give in though, and started her resurgence with a semi-final finish at the 2016 US Open. It sparked her revival that continued to 2017, ending her stellar season with her first win over Venus Williams. After manoeuvring to her biggest victory in Singapore, the twenty-seven year old seems prepared to step up in the Grand Slams to add to her collection of tour titles next season.

Caroline Wozniacki

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COMPETE

KAROLINA PLISKOVA: THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY Despite reaching the top ranking in July 2017, Karolina Pliskova could not dominate the tour during Serena’s absence as critics predicted. Evert argued that she does not think that anybody will be able to dominate the tour like Serena did. Still, she is suitably impressed with the Czech’s improvements and believes that Pliskova will be a staple in the top 4.

The ice cool serve queen captured three tour titles in 2017, but only managed to reach the last four in Roland Garros on clay, arguably her worst surface. Suffering shock losses in all the majors except Paris, the Czech will look back at the past season as the one that got away.

Nevertheless, she can take comfort from the fact that she reached the world number one ranking and was two matches away from ending the year at the pinnacle.

Venus Williams

WTA LEGEND:

CHRIS EVERT Born: 21 December 1954 Age: 63 Nationality: American Career titles: 157 Grand Slam titles: 18 Weeks at no. 1: 260 Year-end Championship titles: 4 Fun fact: Chris Evert is best known as the best female clay-courter, winning Roland Garros seven times, registering a whopping 125 match winning streak on the surface from 1973 to 1979.

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VENUS WILLIAMS: EVERGREEN CHAMPION Like a phoenix emerging from the ashes, Venus Williams defied the odds and posted one of her best results in Grand Slam tournaments in 2017. Her resurgence surprised Clijsters, who admitted that she didn’t think the American had the capacity to win another Grand Slam. “The way that she’s changed and she’s back to playing some of her best tennis like she was at the start of her career, that’s incredible to see. I would like to see her do well and see her playing big matches like that.” the Belgian said.

Reaching the finals in the Australian Open, Wimbledon and in Singapore, the 37-year-old is not ready to call it a day. Even though she didn’t win a title in 2017, her constant improvement in terms of movement impressed Evert so much that she will be keeping an eye out for her next season. “She’s got the game, she knows how to be a winner, and she’s a champion anyway. If she has that passion next year for 2018, she will be a contender for a Grand Slam.” said Evert.

Karolina Pliskova

CAROLINE GARCIA: THE SURPRISE PACKAGE Ranked 20 a month before Singapore, Carolina Garcia was not expected to grab the last qualifying spot among the “elite 8”. However, the Frenchwoman went on a blistering streak, winning titles in Wuhan and Beijing to arrive in Singapore on an 11-match winning streak. She further stamped her authority by qualifying on top of her group despite losing her opening match to Simona Halep. A narrow lost to Venus Williams in the semifinals earned the young Spaniard plenty of fans here in Singapore and her stock is steadily rising as a contender next season.

Evert said, “Caroline Garcia has been playing awfully well, and is one to watch because she’s made a good start.” With her impressive results at the end of 2017, the future clearly bodes well for the up-and-coming star. However, Evert also mentioned, “It is increasingly difficult to dominate and to consistently win tournaments because the players are so good. But mentally, that might be a problem too, because nobody’s really been in that position before, being number one consistently and taking that leadership role. No one’s been able to do that because well, there’s Serena.”

Caroline Garcia

SERENA WILLIAMS: RETURN OF THE QUEEN It remains to be seen if Serena Williams can snap right back into Grand Slam winning form for the 2018 season, but fellow mum Clijsters is convinced that having a baby will not distract her from playing tennis at the highest calibre. “As a mother, I don’t see it as a distraction. It’s an added part of your life. She knows what’s it like and what she has to do to play some of her best tennis, that doesn’t change with or without a baby. So that’s a big advantage that she already has, and it’s just a matter of being physically ready for it. I believe if she’s ready to do it, she can do well.” Clijsters added.

Evert has her doubts though. “When you factor in a baby, who knows how she’s going to react. Is that going to take away the intensity or is that going to motivate her more?

Everybody’s going to be very interested in seeing how she reacts and will she have that same intensity when she comes back.” The American quipped.

Serena Williams

2018: MORE CHALLENGES AHEAD With so many players capable of winning big titles, 2018 promises to be another thrilling and unpredictable year.

As the five-year contract between Singapore and WTA comes to an end, next year’s WTA Finals guarantees exhilarating drama and brilliant play as the ladies battle it out in Singapore for one last time.

WTA LEGEND:

KIM CLIJSTERS Born: 8 June 1983 Age: 34 Nationality: Belgian Career titles: 41 Grand Slam titles: 4 Weeks at no. 1: 20 Year-end Championship titles: 3 Fun fact: Kim Clijsters became the first unranked female player to win a Grand Slam in 2009 US Open and the first mother to win a major title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980 Wimbledon.

49

COMPETE

Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to the Euro 2016, will he be able to repeat this feat for the World Cup?

ONE CUP TO RULE THEM ALL The football season is midway, but the real challenge awaits; the 2018 World Cup.

Photo from nike

TEXT: NICK PO PHOTOS: BY NIKE, ADIDAS, AND REDBULL

50

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very time a World Cup approaches there is an undeniable presence that looms over the game.

So coveted is that gleaming golden chalice that things big and small are over magnified.

Every episode is detailed and explained away with the summer’s international tournament as an impending reason. The top players in the World’s biggest leagues tend to play for big footballing nations. Meaning that the usual suspects generally have a vested interest to make it through a club season unscathed for a chance at World Cup glory.

Decaying, unused infrastructure and subsequent negative socioeconomic ramification are discussions for another time and place. For now, we’re just going to stick with sports. And beginning that discussion brings us to the two names that have dominated football for the past decade – much like their respective club teams Barcelona and Real Madrid keep the Spanish La Liga largely a duopoly.

Photo from Red Bull

Legacies have been built on World Cup triumphs. After all, the names Pele or Maradona need no explanation.

Sure, those two may have played in a different era, but the likes of Zidane and Ronaldo (Fenomeno) both played in an era that hasn’t long passed. And both have had much of their legacies defined by moments of spectacular triumph and crushing defeat. This does not take away from the prestige of club glory that Champions League crowns and league titles bring. But such is the rarity of winning the World Cup for your country that victory can often cement one’s place in footballing.

Brazil's Neymar has been in lethal form for Paris St Germain. Will he be able to continue the form for his country?

Photo from adidas

MESSI AND RONALDO For both Messi and Ronaldo this may prove to be their curtain calls at international football’s grand extravaganza. The preening Portuguese may have diminishing athletic gifts. He did not have a significant part to play in the 2016 European Championship Final, an early injury saw him substituted. But the 2017 awards definitely saw Ronaldo sitting atop the heap.

Successive Champions League crowns, plus the instrumental role he played in leading Portugal to the point where it bagged its maiden international trophy.

Count a grateful home nation and the recently won fifth Ballon d’Or award, it makes one believe that Ronaldo has secured his legacy for both club and country.

Messi, on the other hand, has always had the spectre of El Diego lurking in the shadows. Because in a nation as football-crazed as Argentina, this diminutive talisman still hasn’t brought in the international silverware the way the first little genius almost singlehandedly did.

The team however, is constantly relying on Messi despite having Sergio Aguero and Paulo Dybala on board.

La Pulga may be the most successful player in Blaugrana history, but his story with the Albicleste is littered instead with repeated heartbreak in so many finals at international level GERMAN REIGN Yet the fact of the matter is that distinction fell to Mario Gotze and Germany who added World Cup title number four back in 2014. The reigning world champions are still awash with talent. Heading into the summer, holdovers such as Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels will vie for places alongside talented veterans like Ilkay Gundogan, and gifted upstarts, such as Julian Draxler, that have risen through the ranks.

The 2018 World Cup could very well be the last international appearance for many Spanish stars such as Sergio Ramos, Andres Iniesta and David Silva.

REVENGE IS SWEET Speaking of Paris, notice the little Brazilian revolution taking place at the Parc de Princes. A large Brazilian contingent led by captain Neymar is already playing regular competitive football together. He and the Selecao will be looking to avenge the humiliation suffered on home soil, and in particular wash away the stain of the 7-1 trouncing a Neymar-less Brazilian side suffered at the hands of the all-conquering Germans.

Neymar has long been the touted as the next global superstar for the post Messi-Ronaldo era, and this summer he and the rest of Brazil could very well be saying From Russia with Love.

51

REPENT, NOT REPEAT Russia 2018, like every world cup before it will have no shortage of drama and thrills. As always there will be the favourites, sleepers, and disappointments. Traditional European powerhouses like Italy and the Netherlands won’t be there, ending the international careers of both legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and speedster Arjen Robben with his Dutch generation in the Oranje.

You can count on Spain being motivated to prove their mettle after a horrendous display at Brazil. A little further removed from the era in which La Roja simply dominated the world game, the conveyor belt of talent hasn’t stopped producing. So as veterans Sergio Ramos, Andres Iniesta, and David Silva say goodbye, we will soon be more familiar with the likes of Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio and Thiago Alcantara.

POTENTIAL DISAPPOINTMENTS Belgium will also be present and accounted for.

Armed to the teeth with depth, skill and talent, including Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.

It’s really still too early to start naming the tournament favourites, but the Belgian have the firepower that will see them heading into the Moscow summer as a team to watch. Their only issue: getting the superstars to link up together.

Sticking with the English theme, at the time of this writing Manchester City are runaway leaders of the Premier League at the midway point. Manchester United are beset by injuries. And the electrifying Liverpool offence comprises the likes of Eygpt’s Mo Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane, both torchbearers for Africa, alongside Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia – a continent that has provided many World Cup thrills in recent tournaments past.

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England themselves will surely be keen on thrills of their own, a young national squad led by the likes of Tottenham’s Harry Kane, top goal scorer in Europe for club and country after surpassing Lionel Messi’s tally and breaking Alan Shearer’s record. The Three Lions however, rarely lived up to expectations on the grandest stage of them all, exiting the past two appearances before the quarter finals.

POWER OVERLOAD There’s always too much to cover, particularly in the final six months preceding the global showcase. After all, we only have so much room that this is only the first mention of another favourite in the form of France led

by Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba. And in the little space left, we still managed to remind you that the Asian representatives in 2018 will include Japan, South Korea and Australia. So buckle up and don’t hold your breath, because every injury and coaching change, every debatable squad inclusion or exclusion, could ultimately have some impact on what goes down in Russia this coming June. You can practically taste the excitement of the punters around you.

Photo from Nike

A young French team led by the likes of Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe is sending strong signals to oppositions.

Photo from adidas

Photo from adidas

Photo from Red bull

COMPETE

MVP THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SPORT’S BIGGEST STARS

When impossible means nothing Mike Horn

Photo from Mercedes-Benz

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F

ROM COURT TO TEE He remains arguably the greatest basketball player in the history of the NBA, but as Calibre discovers, there’s always been another sporting love in Michael Jordan’s superstar life.

Photo from Nike

TEXT: IAN FAULCONBRIDGE PHOTO: NIKE, FLICKR, SHUTTERSTOCK

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ith his name firmly cemented in the basketball hall of fame – the product of incredible athletic ability and instantly recognisable high-profile marketing endorsements – Michael Jordan is one of America’s most famous sports stars. And while MJ spent his professional career on the court – and sometimes on the bases – it’s his love of the fairway that now dominates his time in retirement.

Wind forward and Jordan now works off a handicap of four – the statistical product of having played golf’s greatest courses, along the way sparring with some famous faces, both sporting and otherwise. And given that the satisfaction he has taken from striding out onto the tee has inspired him to launch his very own eponymous charity tournament, it appears the hard work seems to have paid off.

“I always think it’s about giving something back, and launching my own tournament was just a small way of doing that. It also means I get to play more golf!”

Greatness isn’t just something that Jordan knows a lot about. One of his regular fairway competitors is none other than Tiger Woods, but while the pair have teed off together many times, the former Chicago Bulls megastar isn’t about to be draw on which sportsmen, and which sports, are better.

“It’s just an impossible question to say who the best of all time is,” he nods. “It’s impossible to do it within the same sport, let alone between different sports. When people start asking questions like that it becomes about hype rather than achievements, or it’s more about marketing and publicity than it is about skill. Tiger, or Jack Nicklaus, you just can’t compare because they never played each other on the same course with the same equipment, so it’s never a fair comparison. It’s like trying to compare me against pros who I never played against on the same court.

Photo by shgmom56/Flickr

Not that MJ needs to – he admits to routinely playing 36 holes “pretty much every day”. But while the modes of golf and basketball couldn’t be much further apart, the multimillionaire considers the pursuits very well matched, psychologically, at least.

“Obviously golf and basketball are two very different sports, but that doesn’t mean the path to greatness is any different, I think any professional athlete can tell you that.”

“I think becoming a great basketball player and a great golfer are similar ideals,” says the 54-year-old.

“To become great at any sports requires discipline, dedication and hard work all your life. Obviously golf and basketball are two very different sports, but that doesn’t mean the path to greatness is any different – I think any professional athlete can tell you that.”

55

MVP

Photo by Sipa Press/Shutterstock

One of his regular fairway competitors is none other than Tiger Woods, but while the pair have teed off together many times, the former Chicago Bulls megastar isn’t about to be draw on which sportsmen, and which sports, are better.

“The one thing you can say is which of them changed the wider game more during their career, and in golf, that’s definitely Tiger. He did more for this sport’s profile in the media, and the world, than anyone has in history.”

Jordan is also quick to emphasis the different situations that top-performers in any sport face now, compared to with when he was dominating the NBA. “People like Tiger, it’s a very unique situation,” he explains. “I don’t know if I could have dealt with the same things he has had to deal with. You have to look at the circumstances and the world as it was at the time, because between me retiring and Tiger hitting his prime, so much changed off the field that affects high-profile stars. You have social media now, Twitter, and that loss of privacy. So I think it’s far harder for athletes these days to contend with those pressures, day in day out.”

It’s not just Woods either that Jordan is able to run the rule over on the course. His appearances at the President’s Cup, Ryder Cup, and very own Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, have allowed him the unique experience of getting up close and personal with a slew of the professional game’s biggest players, both past and future.

And while he has opinions on everyone from Jordan Spieth – “played with him at Cabo, very talented and polite - a great putter” – to the “phenomenal” Rickie Fowler, there’s one recent golfing great who provides endless fascination and frustration for MJ. “Rory McIlroy is just amazing, in the way he can generate so much power for a small guy,” says the 6’6” former shooting guard. “When I think about how big I am, and then there are guys like Rory who can just breeze past me, it’s incredible. It’s sometimes quite annoying! But it’s certainly impressive, I respect that a lot.

56

“Rory is another player who has had to dig deep at times during his career. You always have to respect players who do that – be that because they’ve changed their equipment or have suffered losses in form. They say the mark of a good sportsman is how he recovers from a setback, and that must be truer in golf than most other sport, because the margins are so small.”

Photo by Matt Campbell/Shutterstock

“But if you’re asking me whether I would swap any of my championship rings for a career in golf?

Never. Those successes are priceless to me, and I worked very hard to achieve them.

I would never exchange any of that for anything.”

(Photo by Raul Valdez/ Flickr)

Photo from Nike

As for Jordan’s own game, it would be fair to assume that his long proven history of being a champion in multiple sports gives the star an added advantage on the fairway.

But in spite of his lengthy list of basketball accolades, MJ is adamant that his impressive track record of winning on court is relatively tempered by the specific challenges faced on the golf course.

“You do have moments on the fairway when you just play unbelievably, and you don’t need to think or force it,” he agrees. “But I can’t do that every time; to be able to play like that every time would make me a professional!

Searching for that effortless game, and enjoying it – that’s the beauty of golf, and the key to its uniquely challenging nature.

“Most of the time when I follow the PGA tour, or I’m lucky enough to go and support my good friends at the Ryder Cup or President’s Cup, I hope that my experiences of competing at the highest level can provide a small pool of knowledge for some of the guys to tap into it. I’m not going to presume to tell these guys how to play, and I think that’s why they know I respect and love the game, but it’s just such an honour to see how professionals compete in their own spheres. I think that’s true of any sport.”

One way in which Jordan’s daily games are marked out from the professional circuit, however, are the almost mythical stories of big bets – the bigger, the better. There’s even talk that Jordan – who is listed by Forbes as the thirdrichest African American today with a net worth of over $1billion – once put $300,000 on a single putt. In the past there have been a few clandestine whispers concerning golfing debts of over $1million, but thankfully those days appear to be in the past.

“I don’t think there’s much point in playing if you’re not playing for something!” he laughs. “I think I’m pretty good at getting in my opponent’s head. I really take my time with them, listen to them, and just watch everything they do. It can tell you a lot about a player to see how they react to a shot, whether it’s good or bad.”

So could there have been an alternate reality in which Jordan had discovered the fairway before basketball, and we could have seen MJ doing for the game of professional golf what he managed with the NBA? “Never,” he concludes, with a laugh. “I think I’ve always been driven to play basketball, it’s always been my path,

and I’ll always be grateful for the things that basketball has done for me. But having said that, I have a massive relationship with golf, in that it’s my favourite hobby hands down.

There’s even talk that Jordan – who is listed

by Forbes as the third-richest African American today with a net worth of over $1billion – once put $300,000 on a single putt.

(Photo from Nike)

“But if you’re asking me whether I would swap any of my championship rings for a career in golf? Never. Those successes are priceless to me, and I worked very hard to achieve them. I would never exchange any of that for anything – even the ability to play like a pro on every round.

“But, you know, as a fall-back, there’s nothing better than this sport!”

57

MVP

F

ROM COURT TO TEE He remains arguably the greatest basketball player in the history of the NBA, but as Calibre discovers, there’s always been another sporting love in Michael Jordan’s superstar life.

Photo from Nike

TEXT: IAN FAULCONBRIDGE PHOTO: NIKE, FLICKR, SHUTTERSTOCK

54

W

ith his name firmly cemented in the basketball hall of fame – the product of incredible athletic ability and instantly recognisable high-profile marketing endorsements – Michael Jordan is one of America’s most famous sports stars. And while MJ spent his professional career on the court – and sometimes on the bases – it’s his love of the fairway that now dominates his time in retirement.

Wind forward and Jordan now works off a handicap of four – the statistical product of having played golf’s greatest courses, along the way sparring with some famous faces, both sporting and otherwise. And given that the satisfaction he has taken from striding out onto the tee has inspired him to launch his very own eponymous charity tournament, it appears the hard work seems to have paid off.

“I always think it’s about giving something back, and launching my own tournament was just a small way of doing that. It also means I get to play more golf!”

Greatness isn’t just something that Jordan knows a lot about. One of his regular fairway competitors is none other than Tiger Woods, but while the pair have teed off together many times, the former Chicago Bulls megastar isn’t about to be draw on which sportsmen, and which sports, are better.

“It’s just an impossible question to say who the best of all time is,” he nods. “It’s impossible to do it within the same sport, let alone between different sports. When people start asking questions like that it becomes about hype rather than achievements, or it’s more about marketing and publicity than it is about skill. Tiger, or Jack Nicklaus, you just can’t compare because they never played each other on the same course with the same equipment, so it’s never a fair comparison. It’s like trying to compare me against pros who I never played against on the same court.

Photo by shgmom56/Flickr

Not that MJ needs to – he admits to routinely playing 36 holes “pretty much every day”. But while the modes of golf and basketball couldn’t be much further apart, the multimillionaire considers the pursuits very well matched, psychologically, at least.

“Obviously golf and basketball are two very different sports, but that doesn’t mean the path to greatness is any different, I think any professional athlete can tell you that.”

“I think becoming a great basketball player and a great golfer are similar ideals,” says the 54-year-old.

“To become great at any sports requires discipline, dedication and hard work all your life. Obviously golf and basketball are two very different sports, but that doesn’t mean the path to greatness is any different – I think any professional athlete can tell you that.”

55

MVP

Photo by Sipa Press/Shutterstock

One of his regular fairway competitors is none other than Tiger Woods, but while the pair have teed off together many times, the former Chicago Bulls megastar isn’t about to be draw on which sportsmen, and which sports, are better.

“The one thing you can say is which of them changed the wider game more during their career, and in golf, that’s definitely Tiger. He did more for this sport’s profile in the media, and the world, than anyone has in history.”

Jordan is also quick to emphasis the different situations that top-performers in any sport face now, compared to with when he was dominating the NBA. “People like Tiger, it’s a very unique situation,” he explains. “I don’t know if I could have dealt with the same things he has had to deal with. You have to look at the circumstances and the world as it was at the time, because between me retiring and Tiger hitting his prime, so much changed off the field that affects high-profile stars. You have social media now, Twitter, and that loss of privacy. So I think it’s far harder for athletes these days to contend with those pressures, day in day out.”

It’s not just Woods either that Jordan is able to run the rule over on the course. His appearances at the President’s Cup, Ryder Cup, and very own Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational, have allowed him the unique experience of getting up close and personal with a slew of the professional game’s biggest players, both past and future.

And while he has opinions on everyone from Jordan Spieth – “played with him at Cabo, very talented and polite - a great putter” – to the “phenomenal” Rickie Fowler, there’s one recent golfing great who provides endless fascination and frustration for MJ. “Rory McIlroy is just amazing, in the way he can generate so much power for a small guy,” says the 6’6” former shooting guard. “When I think about how big I am, and then there are guys like Rory who can just breeze past me, it’s incredible. It’s sometimes quite annoying! But it’s certainly impressive, I respect that a lot.

56

“Rory is another player who has had to dig deep at times during his career. You always have to respect players who do that – be that because they’ve changed their equipment or have suffered losses in form. They say the mark of a good sportsman is how he recovers from a setback, and that must be truer in golf than most other sport, because the margins are so small.”

Photo by Matt Campbell/Shutterstock

“But if you’re asking me whether I would swap any of my championship rings for a career in golf?

Never. Those successes are priceless to me, and I worked very hard to achieve them.

I would never exchange any of that for anything.”

(Photo by Raul Valdez/ Flickr)

Photo from Nike

As for Jordan’s own game, it would be fair to assume that his long proven history of being a champion in multiple sports gives the star an added advantage on the fairway.

But in spite of his lengthy list of basketball accolades, MJ is adamant that his impressive track record of winning on court is relatively tempered by the specific challenges faced on the golf course.

“You do have moments on the fairway when you just play unbelievably, and you don’t need to think or force it,” he agrees. “But I can’t do that every time; to be able to play like that every time would make me a professional!

Searching for that effortless game, and enjoying it – that’s the beauty of golf, and the key to its uniquely challenging nature.

“Most of the time when I follow the PGA tour, or I’m lucky enough to go and support my good friends at the Ryder Cup or President’s Cup, I hope that my experiences of competing at the highest level can provide a small pool of knowledge for some of the guys to tap into it. I’m not going to presume to tell these guys how to play, and I think that’s why they know I respect and love the game, but it’s just such an honour to see how professionals compete in their own spheres. I think that’s true of any sport.”

One way in which Jordan’s daily games are marked out from the professional circuit, however, are the almost mythical stories of big bets – the bigger, the better. There’s even talk that Jordan – who is listed by Forbes as the thirdrichest African American today with a net worth of over $1billion – once put $300,000 on a single putt. In the past there have been a few clandestine whispers concerning golfing debts of over $1million, but thankfully those days appear to be in the past.

“I don’t think there’s much point in playing if you’re not playing for something!” he laughs. “I think I’m pretty good at getting in my opponent’s head. I really take my time with them, listen to them, and just watch everything they do. It can tell you a lot about a player to see how they react to a shot, whether it’s good or bad.”

So could there have been an alternate reality in which Jordan had discovered the fairway before basketball, and we could have seen MJ doing for the game of professional golf what he managed with the NBA? “Never,” he concludes, with a laugh. “I think I’ve always been driven to play basketball, it’s always been my path,

and I’ll always be grateful for the things that basketball has done for me. But having said that, I have a massive relationship with golf, in that it’s my favourite hobby hands down.

There’s even talk that Jordan – who is listed

by Forbes as the third-richest African American today with a net worth of over $1billion – once put $300,000 on a single putt.

(Photo from Nike)

“But if you’re asking me whether I would swap any of my championship rings for a career in golf? Never. Those successes are priceless to me, and I worked very hard to achieve them. I would never exchange any of that for anything – even the ability to play like a pro on every round.

“But, you know, as a fall-back, there’s nothing better than this sport!”

57

MVP

M

IKE MAN OR MACHINE Calibre sits down with Mike Horn, a man who has removed ‘limits’ from his vocabulary.

PHOTOS: MERCEDES-BENZ

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B

y prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.”

The voyages of Christopher Columbus established the trade routes for the Europeans, and later the documentation of colonisations throughout the Americas acknowledged his influence throughout history. Although widely considered in pop-culture as the discoverer of the New World, the Italian navigator was barely even the first to arrive on its shores, as he was preceded by the Nordic Vikings. A legend in his own right albeit with nuances of his legacy, Columbus is indeed a true explorer.

Four centuries later, a modern day pioneer in trailblazing exploration emerged; Mike Horn.

Recognised as one of the world’s greatest adventurers, Horn’s chronicles include being the first man to circumnavigate the equator with no motorised support, scaling the Himalayas range, and together with Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland, became the first men to travel to the North Pole in permanent darkness during winter. Unsurprisingly, the Swiss’s illustrious life encompasses tales that see him cross paths with rebel factions in a civil war, being arrested by the KGB, and being a part of a winning team at the coveted FIFA World Cup.

RELATIONSHIPS Things have not always been a smooth sail for Horn, who lost his wife Cathy to breast cancer three years ago. “I had my best twenty-six years with her, and she helped me raise two beautiful daughters. Frankly, I never thought I would have outlived her, since I was the one taking the risks all the time.” said the affable Horn in a bittersweet fashion. “We can’t be sad for what we didn’t have, but rather we should be happy for what we have right now.”

Horn’s girls, Annika and Jessica, filled the void left by their late mother and are both assisting him for his expeditions. They are in charge of logistics and communications as well as contracts with sponsors.

Essentially, they are the nucleus of the organisation.

“In my sport, you have to work in a tight knit circle, it is important for me to know that the people working with me are committed and I can trust. I could be in a major crisis and one of them decides to just leave me hanging, it might be the end.” said the graduate from Stellenbosch University.

WORLD CUP WINNER In 2010 and 2011, he was employed by Gary Kirsten from the Indian Cricket Team, to conduct motivational sessions. The Men in Blue eventually won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, but Horn did not stop there. The mental coach then followed Kirsten to the South African

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team and brought them on a team-bonding exercise; an expedition to the Swiss Alps. The Proteas were facing an uphill task against the then number one ranked team, England. Needless to say, South Africa won the match and the rest is history.

“Winning is not everything, it’s the only thing.”

That was what Horn said to the German Football Team during their pre-tournament sailing trip. The DFB claimed the 2014 FIFA World Cup in dominating demeanour, including a 7-1 thumping of host nation and favourites, Brazil. It was their first trophy in 24 years.

Philipp Lahm said of the experience, “It was incredible what the human body can achieve. We must be well prepared, and we have to respect the opponent.” added the recently retired Bayern Munich left-back.

Horn recalled sending a message to German legend Oliver Bierhoff, who was a coach for the team. “I told him to remind the players not to show weakness, intimidate them, and most importantly don’t show desperation for free-kicks and penalties.” During the finals against Argentina, midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger took a vicious blow to the face from Sergio Aguero, which left a stream of blood flowing down his face.

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Recognised as one of the world’s greatest adventurers and explorers, Horn’s chronicles include being the first man to circumnavigate the equator with no motorised support, scaling the Himalayas range, and together with Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland, became the first men to travel to the North Pole in permanent darkness during winter.

Uncompromisingly, the German left the pitch hastily for medical attention and came back almost immediately.

“I don’t score goals or make runs, but sports in this era you can do a lot with the mental capacity. My job was to allow the boys to play with freedom and remove their mental obstacles. These guys possess amazing talent and they worked very hard to get there. But sometimes, they get too comfortable.” Horn said emphatically.

“Athletes are always in their comfort zone, but you need to widen the zone to exceed your limits. Similarly to being in the wild, I’m always on my toes, I cannot be comfortable or else I might fall asleep and get eaten by a polar bear.” he quipped.

FLIRTING WITH DANGER “There is no such thing as a ‘close call’. A miss is as good as a mile.”

Living on the edge on a daily basis, Horn has had his fair share of brushes with death. “If you get influenced by thinking it was a close shave, you tend to operate significantly more defensive, and that will cause a stagnancy in your journey.” he said.

“Fear is an ingredient for me to make decisions, and it is also something that indicates how close I am to the limit.” says Horn. His biggest fear however, might just shock you.

“Humans. Humans have always been my biggest fear.” said Horn, as he stared into his coffee. “When a polar bear comes to you, weighing almost a ton and standing three metres tall, he can eat you as and when he wants. Lions, hippos, tigers, they all behave the same. The animals are trying to gather information from you, by listening, smelling and tasting the air. The human on the other hand, you will never know what he or she is thinking, and that scares me.” he exclaimed.

During the expedition “Latitude Zero”, Horn was going through the Democratic Republic of Congo during a civil war, where rebel factions were waging war against one another. Horn was caught with another traveller and both of them were declared as spies of the opposition.

“You can tell them (rebels) what you want to, but they’ll believe what they want. I was actually in front of a death squad, and they were going to shoot me. When they lifted up their AK-47s and shot the guy next to me, I walked up to the executioner and put the gun against my head, telling them to shoot me. The hesitation played a major part of saving my life, as no one does that. In the end, a passing-by police officer saved me. He said it was a police affair, not a military one.”

Horn had originally been exchanging messages with Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and was granted a safe passage through the continent. “Being in a near death situation in unmanageable because your fate does not lie in your hands, and the vast difference in primal instincts between humans and animals is terrifying.” Horn added.

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The close shave in Africa is just one of many.

“Fear is an ingredient for me to make decisions, and it is also something that indicates how close I am to the limit.”

In 2004, Chelsea FC owner, Roman Abramovich invited Horn to cross over to the Russian border. “Abramovich gave me a call, told me he loved what I’m doing and he is a great supporter of the human effort. My permits and visas were cleared to enter from Alaska.”

Horn recalled.

Good news eventually turned sour as the Governor of Chukotka was threatened by politics and had to leave for London to stay under the radar. Horn arrived at the border during the worst possible time and was detained by border security before being thrown into the KGB jail. His permits were deemed invalid.

“I was told I could not cross into Siberia because of the paperwork, and they wanted an American plane to fly into Russia, pick me up without landing and go back into Alaska. No one in the right mind would fly into Russia, especially during bilateral discussions, and where cold war still existed.” bellowed Horn.

Coincidentally, it was his relationship with Mercedes whom had sponsored him since 2001, that aided his safe return. “Cathy had made some calls and eventually upper management from Mercedes had contacts in Russia who were able to discuss, and agree on an extradition process for me.”

His efforts were recognised and won the Laureus Award in 2001. It was then Mercedes Benz that offered to be part of Horn’s journey.

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“I needed the best available SUVs or four-wheel drive with the least issues. Mercedes, being a pioneer in the motor-industry was the perfect partner. To find a transport with such reliability is rare, and the G-Class is the embodiment of safety and security; ticking both my checkboxes.” Horn added.

At the same awards ceremony, he met Johann Rupert, chairman and founder of the Richemont Group which owns luxury watch brands such as Panerai and Vacheron Constantin.

Rupert took off the Panerai he was wearing and entrusted it to Horn. “We will follow you as long as you live.” said the South African tycoon. The watchmaker has made three different timepieces for Horn since.

On the topic of undertaking virtually the hardest expeditions, the former member of the South African Special Forces said, “The impossible exists simply because we have not tried to make it possible.”

Horn is currently on the Pole2Pole expedition, a journey that sees him travel the around the world once.

Starting in the French Riviera, Horn will be passing through all seven continents. Sailing to Namibia, driving in Botswana, skiing through the Antarctic, before crossing the Pacific Ocean through the islands of Oceania to Asia. He will then navigate to the North Pole through the Arctic before heading back to the sovereign city-state of Monaco.

The rugged adventurer said in cadence, “I do what I do not to die, but to live.”

FRONT ROW THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

An annual highlight of the national tournament SMBC Singapore Open

Photo from Lagardére Sports

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FRONT ROW

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MBC SINGAPORE OPEN

2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia stormed his way to victory at the SMBC Singapore Open after closing his week with a 68 to win comfortably by five strokes.

The Spaniard was spotted using Callaway equipment while donning Adidas apparel. He ended his 15-year run with TaylorMade late in November last year.

PHOTOS: LAGARDÉRE SPORTS.

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Looking adjusted to his new equipment, it will be interesting to see if Garcia can continue his fine form through 2018 to capture another major title.

The big-hitting Gavin Green who became the first Malaysian to win Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, finished at tied eighth position.

South African Shaun Norris rallied with three birdies on his last six holes to finish tied second, with Japanese Satoshi Kodaira.

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Two-time Singapore Amateur Open champion Gregory Foo closed his week at four-under-par. The 24-year-old is planning to turn professional after a string of brilliant performances in the last two years.

Chapchai Nirat looks to revive his career after losing his Asian Tour card.

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Photo from Hublot

THE SWEETEST TASTE IN SPORT

A stroke of mechanical genius Big Bang Unico Golf Page 74

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VACHERON CONSTANTIN OVERSEAS DUAL TIME Time is in your hands.

TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Presented at Dubai Watch Week as a Pre-SIHH 2018 release, the new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time is equipped with an in-house movement that enables the simultaneous display of two timezones in an elegant and practical timepiece. The traveller-dedicated dual time watch flaunts a distinctive design epitomizing fine watchmaking with a six-sided bezel inspired by the emblematic Maltese cross, and embodies a modern lifestyle resolutely open to the wider world. This latest addition to the Overseas collection joins the adventure equipped with the eponymous function representing a complication much favored by globetrotters.

At the heart of the 41mm stainless steel case is the new mechanical self-winding movement, the Vacheron

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Constantin Caliber 5110 DT, which stems from years of development to enable the simultaneous reading of separate timezones via coaxial hands.

The 4-hand display is intuitive with both current time and ‘home time’ easily referenced. The 234-component movement is supremely elegant and has a comfortable 60-hour power reserve, thanks to its twin barrel.

Aesthetically, the watch is extremely versatile. In addition to a stainless steel bracelet with polished and satin-brushed links, the Overseas Dual Time is delivered with two additional straps in alligator leather or rubber, giving you the ability to dress up, or down, to fit any occasion your travels may take you.

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VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRADITIONNELLE COMPLETE CALENDAR COLLECTION EXCELLENCE PLATINE Transcendence of the classic triple calendar.

TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: VACHERON CONSTANTIN

Since 2006, through its Collection Excellence Platine concept, Vacheron Constantin has been offering exceptional watches to a select clientele. Ranging from the simplest to the most complex, and issued in limited editions. The watches in the range are offered only in prestigious 950 platinum, with the secret “Pt950” inscription between 4 and 5 o’clock. For pre-SIHH 2018, Vacheron has released an eminently useful and refined horological complication, the complete calendar.

With water resistant up to 30 meters, the 41mm case of the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar Collection Excellence Platine houses the manufacture’s Calibre 2460 QCL, a mechanical self-winding movement with a 22 carat gold oscillating weight and a 40 hour power reserve. Beating at a frequency of 4Hz, the movement drives the central hours, minutes and seconds, complete calendar (day, date and month), precision moon phase and age of the moon. This remarkably accurate moon-phase indication requires just one adjustment every 122 years.

Aesthetically, the watch is a contemporary expression of the grand Geneva watchmaking tradition. With an “Etagé” case and lugs, a fluted case-back, Dauphine hands and “batons de Genève” hour markers all the signatures of the Excellence Platine code are present.

Finally, each exceptional watch is fitted with a dark blue alligator leather strap and is part of a 100-piece limited edition.

Vacheron Constantin is at 2 Orchard Turn, 02-07 The Orchard Residences

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CHOPARD L.U.C XP URUSHI YEAR OF THE DOG Barking with elegance.

TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: CHOPARD

The elegance, refinement and technical nature of the ultra-thin L.U.C XP Urushi watch has evolved into a cult following, often highly anticipated by collectors as Chopard annually offers a fresh interpretation of its Urushi dial - inspired by Chinese astrology.

This enchanting encounter between beauty and precision, East and West, is Chopard’s commitment to perpetuating traditions.

As 2018 marks the Year of the Dog, Chopard has decided to embody the zodiac representative through a depiction of the extremely beautiful Asian ‘Akita’ breed, set in a lush natural environment with wild orchids and a dragonfly, regarded as a lucky charm.

In addition to the superb construction and mechanical precision of the L.U.C watch and movement, the Urushi dial is a work of art in itself. An ancestral lacquer technique originating from Japan, a unique resin is harvested once a year in very small quantities. Three to five years after being collected, the resin is treated to become a highly resistant lacquer and applied in a number of extremely fine layers. Only a rare few artists have the skills to perform the technique, and Chopard called upon Master Kiichiro Masumaro, a recognized “national human treasure” in Japan, to oversee the creation of the L.U.C XP Urushi dials.

Encased in an ultra-thin 39.5mm rose gold case, beats the exceptional mechanical self-winding L.U.C 96.17-L movement with a 65-hour power reserve. Beveled, engraved and guilloche, with the bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève, the movement decoration is performed by the expert hands at Chopard Manufacture in Fleurier.

A single timepiece that encapsulates the tradition and fascinating range of skills ranging from Switzerland to Asia, a true collaboration of age-old cultures and the pinnacle of their respective craftsmanship.

Chopard Boutique is at 391 Orchard Road, #01-03 Ngee Ann City.

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MAURICE LACROIX DOUBLE RETROGRADE & MOON RETROGRADE Two masterpieces, one collection TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: MAURICE LACROIX

The perfect example of Maurice Lacroix know-how, the Masterpiece Collection spearheads the brand and is a wonderful illustration of complications, especially retrograde displays, which Maurice Lacroix has been specializing in since 1999. This year, the brand returns to its roots, unveiling two types of retrograde watches; the Masterpiece Double Retrograde and the Masterpiece Moon Retrograde, each model an embodiment of watchmaking craftsmanship and is delivered in either a classical or a modern design style.

The Masterpiece Double Retrograde is presented in a 43mm stainless steel case with a choice of either a silver or black dial. Each dial features hours, minutes, a small second- display at 9 o’clock, with a power reserve indicator right next to the crown. Below noon, a retrograde hand displays a second time zone’s hour, and at 6 o’clock, the date is indicated through a retrograde hand. Even with several displays, the dial remains classy and simple to interpret.

The various indications of the Double Retrograde are powered by the automatic in-house movement, the ML191, proudly on display via the case-back. The time-piece is complimented with a black crocodile leather strap.

The Masterpiece Moon Retrograde is also presented in a 43mm stainless steel case, with a choice of three dials, silver, black or blue. The silver dial is classical in nature, while the black and blue dials feature a Côtes de Genève motif or a vertically brushed effect. The hands are diamond-cut and colored to suit the choice of dial.

This model features the automatic manufacture movement ML192, containing 344 movement components and powers an array of indications, most exceptionally the moon-phase indication at 6 o’clock.

The date is displayed at 10 o’clock with a retrograde hand, as well as a power reserve indication at 2 o’clock.

The watch features an exhibition case-back providing clear sight to the movement within, and is also supplied with a black crocodile leather strap, paired with a deployment buckle.

Maurice Lacroix is at 2 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

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HUBLOT BIG BANG UNICO GOLF Equilibrium of power and finesse.

TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: HUBLOT

Joining forces with world number one golfer Dustin Johnson, Hublot has unveiled a watch dedicated to the gentlemen sport. Much like a fine Swiss mechanical watch, professional golfers require the delicate balance of power, control and precision delivered with steadfast regularity. Unsurprisingly, both Hublot and Dustin Johnson represent the ultimate levels of these virtues in their respective fields.

Designed, developed, manufactured and assembled inhouse by Hublot, the watch allows golfers to seamlessly calculate their score whilst on course with custom aperture displays and is also ultra-lightweight. Carved from Texalium®, an amalgamation of carbon-fiber and aluminum and exclusive to Hublot, the entire watch is only at a featherweight of 97.93 grams.

At the heart of the Big Bang Unico Golf is the MHUB1580 full-skeleton movement, which displays the number of strokes taken per hole, as well as the total number of strokes played. The counters are controlled via pushers at 2 & 4 o’clock with the strokes counter at 6 o’clock on the dial. A lockable pusher at 8 o’clock resets the mechanism and sets all counters to zero at the end of the round. Impressively, this entire mechanism is completely mechanical and operates with no compromise to the regular functions of the watch.

The Hublot Big Bang Unico Golf is supplied with two interchangeable wristbands, one made of white leather and rubber designed like a golf glove, and the other made of technical fabric with a Velcro fastener, ensuring a perfect fit on the wrist.

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HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION AEROFUSION CHRONOGRAPH ORLINSKI Futuristic aptitude of chronology.

TEXT: KEEF WONG PHOTO: HUBLOT

Already considered works of mechanical art, Hublot continues to push the envelope once again, collaborating with Richard Orlinski, the world’s bestselling contemporary French artist to create the Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph Orlinski, bringing to life the artist’s graphic universe, and the first work of art which shows time.

Featuring Orlinski’s multi-facetted pop-art style, the watch features a brand new design playing with angles and reflections. True to his inimitable style of cutting his sculptures like diamonds, the Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph is adorned with his iconic mirror polished facets. Sharp ridges and facets on the watch reflect each other, from the case to the bezel, and from the push buttons to the hands, resulting in a mesmerizing play of light.

A watch on the frontier of vintage and neo-futuristic styles, just like his works inspired by the Pop Art movement, the hands of the watch become a symbolic metaphor for Richard Orlinski; since it never stops turning, it embodies infinity.

Released at the Hublot Boutique and the Markowicz Fine Art gallery in Miami simultaneously, the 45mm watch is available in two variants, one in titanium and the other in blue ceramic.

Hublot Boutique is at 2 Bayfront Avenue #01-58, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

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THE SILENT H WARRIOR

ow do you classify a car as a serious sports sedan? With all the marketing hyperbole being slung around these days, brands would like you to believe that every half-decent sedan that they sell is a ‘sports sedan’ to give it a suitably youthful image.

The new Audi S4 ups its game by improving on efficiency.

TEXT: LIONEL KONG PHOTOS: AUDI

Then there is also the real thing. Sleek, unassuming cars that don’t look all that different from its compatriots, but packing some serious engine power and a trick drivetrain as well. The Audi S4 is one such beast. While the brand’s standard cars carry the ‘A’ nameplate, Audi’s ‘S’ cars are built around the German marque’s motorsports heritage.

The Audi S1 was in fact its world championship rally car from 1985.

The S4 driven here packs a 3.0-litre, V6 turbocharged engine that packs 354 horsepower, making it a veritable wolf in sheep’s clothing.

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With just one turbo though, the S4 is already a commanding drive and it has more power than you’ll ever need in an urban setting. The tractability and wide power band of the engine allows it to accelerate quickly not just from a standstill, but also in the 80km/h to 150km/h range. This is more significant because at cruising speeds the car is pushing against significant wind resistance, and a torquey engine allows the car to punch hard through it for faster overtaking on the highway.

The interiors of Audis have always been comfortable places to be in, and the S4 can be ordered with electrically actuated, fully adjustable sports seats and a heads-up display, which displays the car’s speed and navigation instructions hovering two metres ahead of the windscreen so your eyes can stay on the road. The main instrument cluster is a TFT display screen, with multiple display modes that you can select depending on your mood.

The S4 also has an exclusive sport mode.

Rear passenger room and the luggage compartment is respectable for a car of this size, though like all quattro Audis the tall central tunnel running the length of the car does restrict legroom a little.

The new 8-speed automatic transmission gives the car better cruising economy than the previous generation’s 7-speed gearbox, and Audi’s highly advanced quattro all-wheel drive system gives the car a surefooted hold on the road in slippery conditions and under serious dynamic driving.

The S4 driven here packs a 3.0-litre, V6 turbocharged engine that packs 354 horsepower, making it a veritable wolf in sheep’s clothing.

This isn’t the most powerful A4 based Audi currently in production though. The RS4, which is only available as a sports wagon, or avant in Audi-speak, packs a twinturbo version of the S4’s engine for an additional 100 horsepower.

On the whole, it’s stealthy and understated enough for your parents to think that it’s really a nice, luxurious continental sedan, but once you’ve dropped off the passengers, lean on the accelerator and the car transforms into a no-nonsense piece of performance machinery. While it’s not the most powerful or fastest of its class, a well-packaged car is more than just about numbers. The Audi S4 is competent, comfortable, efficient and better equipped than much of its competition.

At $309,600 with COE at time of writing, it’s also almost twice as expensive as the base model Audi A4.

AUDI S4 Engine: 1995cc, V6 turbo Power: 354hp @ 5400-6400rpm Torque: 500Nm @ 1370-4500rpm 0-100km/h: 4.7secs Top speed: 250km/h Fuel consumption: 7.7l/100km

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TWIST INTO THE NEW YEAR showcased the products on the range, and also engaged in a friendly competition with various guests. Later into the evening, Adidas Golf held a fashion show of the latest apparel from the Spring/ Summer 2018 collection at Sofitel Sentosa. Collections from adi Pure, adidas performance and adicross were exhibited by the models.

Photos from TaylorMade, Adidas Golf

TaylorMade launched its M3 and M4 series on the 16th of January 2018 at Sentosa Golf Club. Asian Tour Order of Merit Winner Gavin Green, along with fellow Asian Tour stars Panuphol Pittayarat and Jazz Janewattananond joined guests from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam.

The three professionals

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GOLFING WITH PERFORMANCE The trio will be representing Singapore at the World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International in South Africa from 5 to 10 March 2018. Customers of Performance Motors were treated to a round of golf filled with novelty activities on various holes, as well as a sumptuous dinner spread to close the night.

Photos from Performance Motors

The Performance Motors Golf Association Tournament 2017 held from 25 to 26 October 2017 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course. Mr. Ng Choon San, Mr. Raymond Chee and Ms. Sara Lew emerged as the winners in their respective categories after two days of intense competition at the18-hole golf course.

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Bringing together over 150 guests, The Macallan unveiled The Macallan Quest Collection, a two day event comprised of a thematic global landscape of travel, as well as an intimate tasting session where guests experienced the expressions Quest, Lumina, Terra and Enigma.

In Singapore to guide

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the journey was Head of Education, Sietse Offringa, who shared the inner makings and The Macallan’s never-ending quest for discovering the best and the world’s finest oak. This event also marks the Global First Launch of The Macallan Quest Collection in Singapore Changi Airport.

Photos from Macallan

MACALLAN QUEST COLLECTION

PORTRAITS

OCTOMORE MASTERCLASS

Photos from Bruichladdich

For the first time, Progressive Hebridean Distillers of Bruichladdich, under the helm of head distiller Adam Hannett, unveils a complete set of Octomore. This eighth edition of the world’s most heavily peated whisky is labelled “Octomore Masterclass” and consists of four distinct

expressions. Held at The Writing Club, guests were introduced to the series by the Bruichladdich team and ambassador Chloe Wood. The barley seeds of this series were available for tasting, and cheese from Cheese Ark as well as chocolates were paired with the whiskies to elevate the taste.