EuroAfroAsian Tour - Hong Kong and South African Open

First topic message reminder :

It's probably a fitting final week to the regular tournament calendar on the European Tour, with two tournaments in prospect on two different continents, but none of them being Europe. With Rory sealing the R2D top spot last week, now it's all going to be about the last chance for some of the 'ordinary' guys out there to make those important cutlines, for next week's R2D finale (top 60), or for a full time ET job next year (top 115)... And if for others none of these issues are of concern at this point, then there are the added options of a trip (and probably some additional rewards) to Japan, for the traditional Dunlop Phoenix event on the Japanese Tour, or down under, for the re-branded Talisker Masters in Australia...

South African Open
This is usually a great chance for many of the South African pros that are usually scattered around the world during the year to return back home at the end of the season. And it’s true once again for many of them this year, with the noticeable exception of the two highest ranked Saffers, Oosthuizen and Els. Add to that also Goosen and Clark who don’t seem to be fully recovered yet from their injuries. That means that it could be a great opportunity for Schwarzel to get his first win after an unimpressive season by his standards, or indeed a chance for Branden Grace to get his 5th (sorry Branden, still no chance to get the POTY accolade even if you win another one). However, I would say that probably George Coetzee would have even more to gain from a win this week: not only that it would be his maiden victory on tour (and in front of his home crowd), but with that he will definitely jump straight inside the top 50 at this very important time. And then there is a certain Martin Kaymer who is playing this year, and there’s no doubt how hungry for a win he is lately…
Hong Kong Open
If it wasn't for Rory's rather late commitment, this event could've been clearly overshadowed in Asia by the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan. Hopefully Rory will find sufficient motivation within himself to have a real go at defending his title this week after sealing the top spot in almost everything this year. Good to see Mr. Kuchar coming along and adding to the increasing number of top US players that are choosing to do some traveling outside their country at this time of the year. Matteo had a magnificent win last week and says that he is looking for back-to-back wins, and l wouldn’t bet against that. He has the momentum, is already used with the time zone and weather and this is certainly not a very long course to create extra problems for him (6734 yards, par 70). And on top of that he came very close to winning it two years ago when he finished 2nd.

Similar to the Singapore event, the Hong Kong Open used to be an Asian Tour event and became co-sanctioned by the ET since 2002, and the strength of the field has been significantly boosted from then on. This plot shows the evolution of the field strength compared to the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan…

Spoiler:

Just a quick mention for the other two events that are taking part in the Eastern hemisphere this week:

Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan has a long tradition as one of the strongest events on the Japanese Tour with a very impressive list of former champions: Woods, Harrington, Westwood, Duval, Tom Watson, Els, Bjorn, etc. Among the special guests this week are Luke Donald, Colsaerts, Olesen, Eddie Molinari, Gonzo, Quiros, Bae, etc... Ryo Ishikawa who finally won last week again after two year drought, could well do it again, and that will bring him back inside the top 50 in the world rankings.

Talisker Masters in Australia is a bit of a disappointment this year as we've been commenting already, with Poulter, McDowell and the local boy Adam Scott being the only notable ones and in fact the only top 100 players in that field. Sadly, it seems that the support of many of the Aussie stars for the top events on their home tour must be at an all time low at the moment. Considering the very publicised and clearly pro-ban comments that McDowell (together with Poulter) made there the other day about the long putter situation, there could be some lively chat (could be deafening silence just as well) with at least one of his playing partners tomorrow, which is Adam Scott... And the third party in that group may well have an opinion about the issue as well, as he is none other than the very promissing teenage amateur from Oz, Oliver Goss, whom I have mentioned recently in another thread. He only recently lost the Asian Amateur title to a the 14-year old Guan from China, who uses a long putter (and who said btw, that it's the only putter he had ever used)...

P.S. Since kwini posted a trivia question on his thread, I'll try to include one myself, an easy one, trying to keep it topical for this week...

Q: Name a golfer who won in the past three of the four events I menioned above, which are taking place this week...
(I may have a follow up as well when the answer comes...)

I wonder if this has ever happened before, that five of the Top 6 in the field place 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5? And I mentioned above what happened to the other one.

pd, Thanks. Good week's work by Tommy Fleetwood then.

I see a feller called Quiros placed 6th in Japan - anyone know anything about him? A bit of a stranger to leaderboards.

Good result for Quiros, first top 10 since Wentworth and in fact, it's the first top 40 since then... Pitty he didn't make it to Dubai, he usually does very well in the desert...

Quite the win for Stenson, completing quite the weekend for Sweden.
Stenson's win of course, followed by loads of other good performances Hedded by Freddie Andersson, Karlsson, Noren, Norlander, Johnson etc at Q-School and it looks like Jonas Blixted a top ten in Japan, along with Jonzon and Carlsson in South Africa.

There'll be some shuffling in the low thirties of the owgr, with Jason Day on the slide while others move up. And Coetzee closing in on the top 50?

So if they amend the format of the Race to Dubai (following this year when the title was sewn up prematurely), can we call it R2D2 thereafter? Please?

Skydriver wrote:So if they amend the format of the Race to Dubai (following this year when the title was sewn up prematurely), can we call it R2D2 thereafter? Please?

Nice one!

Well played Sky...