High-roller Harold happy with round in Macau
LIV Golf League star Harold Varner III is known for his big personality, and that attitude seems the perfect fit for the glitz and glamour of Macau. After a mixed first round, the mercurial American is eager to put on one of his better displays to match the surroundings in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
The bubbly 4Aces star was one over through 11, after a run of nine straight pars and one bogey at the turn. But the 33-year-old put together four birdies in the last six holes to bounce back and ease himself to a three-under 67, just four shots off leader Li Haotong of China and behind a huge chasing pack at the Macau Golf & Country Club.
Varner got the season underway with a dead-last finish at El Camaleon Golf Course for LIV Golf Mayakoba at the start of the season. And he is hoping to keep ‘trending’ in the right direction after a T15 last time out at LIV Golf Hong Kong last weekend.
Harold Varner III. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
He said: “That was good considering I was one over just after the turn – I really got to get going a little faster, I would say. That’s golf though. I played pretty well in Hong Kong so I have got to keep up that momentum. I’m really loving my golf right now, I’ve been working on doing good things and I have to trust that process and keep going.”
Varner clearly likes the international brief of the Asian Tour. Aside from last week’s T15 at Fanling, he carded a sublime 62 and two consecutive 66s last year on his way to a top-10 finish in the Hong Kong Open.
He also won the Australian PGA Championship in December 2016 and the PIF Saudi International in February 2022 with a monster eagle putt on the last.
He can’t quite put his finger on the good form, however he has credited The International Series for ‘keeping him sharp’.
He said: “I think it is awesome. It gives great opportunities, but you have got to play well. A lot of LIV guys are coming over and it is good for me – it keeps me from being lazy! It keeps me sharp, I just have to do my thing and keep travelling – another country knocked off.”
Reflecting on his goals he added: “I have to do my thing and keep travelling, that’s another country knocked off! If I play like I did on the back nine, I can do really well. Play well and keep doing the good things, make a lot of money,” he laughed. “I finished dead last in my first tournament this season but I’m trending and I have got to keep going.”
Tournament champions were not the only winners in 2023 as once again players and venues were rewarded for their important contributions to the season through other accolades at last night’s Asian Tour Awards Night, held at the Wynn Palace in Macau.
Andy Ogletree’s dominant 2023 season saw him receive arguably the most-coveted award of them all, the stamp of approval by his peers, as he was handed the Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year on the Asian Tour.
The American (main picture) won both the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) title, as well as The International Series OOM, in runaway fashion and was the overwhelming choice for the Kyi Hla Han Award – after a final count of a players’ poll was conducted.
It was the first year that the award had been named after Kyi Hla Han, the Asian Tour’s former OOM champion who later became the regional circuit’s Executive Chairman, making this all the more significant for Ogletree.
Saudi golfer Othman Almulla (left) receives the Tournament of the Year Award on behalf of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers from Angelo Que. Picture by Chris Wong.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “It was a wonderful year for Andy, fittingly coming during the season when we named the prestigious Player’s Player of the Year Award after one of the Asian Tour’s most-celebrated luminaries, Kyi Hla Han.”
The Asian Tour membership also cast their vote in favour of the star-studded season-opening PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers as The Tournament of the Year.
“The Tournament of the Year Award is one of the Asian Tour’s most prestigious accolades – especially as it is an emphatic vote of confidence from our members,” added Cho.
“We first staged our season-opening event at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in 2022, when it received rave reviews from our players. It was the perfect start to the year, and this was very much the case in 2023.”
On The International Series – 10 elite level events that are integrated into the Asian Tour schedule and provide a pathway onto the LIV Golf League – it was the Hong Kong Open that got the nod as The International Series Tournament of the Year.
The winners of the statistics categories were also rewarded. Picture by Chris Wong.
And equally impressively it was that event’s venue, the Hong Kong Golf Club, that was the Players’ Choice Course of the Year, along with Al Mouj Golf – the popular club on the stunning Muscat coastline that hosts the International Series Oman.
With regard to the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Award there was only ever one candidate, Taichi Kho.
Winning the World City Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club saw him become the first player from Hong Kong to win on the Asian Tour, while he also shone at the Volvo China Open, chipping in for an eagle on 18 to tie for second.
Those performances helped him end the year in ninth place on the Merit list to complete one of the finest ever rookie seasons. He also claimed the gold medal in the Asian Games, which was another first for Hong Kong,
Statistically speaking, the players who featured on the leaderboard across the season also dominated the numbers.
Spaniard David Puig had the best stoke average with 68.25; Ogletree, not surprisingly, topped Greens in Regulation on 77.02%; and Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand had the measure of the greens with a medium of 27.85 putts per round.
A hot putter also helped Phachara make the most birdies. He recorded 293, although his compatriot Sadom Kaewkanjana matched him, to share the honours in that category.
Taichi Kho (right) is handed the Rookie of the Year Award by Dom Boulet. Picture by Chris Wong.
Korean Seungtaek Lee was the biggest hitter of the season with his average drive reaching 326.98 yards, Gaganjeet Bhullar from India hit it straightest off the tee finding 81.09% of the fairways, while it will surprise no one that the magical short game of Thailand’s Poom Saksansin allowed him to win the Scrambling section, getting up and down 67.24% of the time.
LIV Golf League star Ian Poulter hopes he can get back to winning ways at the US$2million International Series Macau presented by Wynn, the Asian Tour-sanctioned event which is making its debut in Macau this week.
The Majesticks GC co-captain is one of over 20 stars from the LIV Golf League battling it out with the cream of the Asian Tour at the second in a schedule of 10 elevated tournaments on the Asian Tour this season, taking place from 14-17 March at the Macau Golf & Country Club.
Poulter was joined by Andy Ogletree (HyFlyers GC), Sergio Garcia (Fireballs GC) and Asian Tour rising star Taichi Kho at a special press conference at Wynn Palace today (Tuesday) in front of over 70 media today.
Poulter has tasted success already in the region before, winning the Hong Kong Open back in 2010, and the Englishman, a Ryder Cup legend for Team Europe, is hoping to get back to winning ways on the Macau Golf & Country Club this week.
Taichi Kho, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Andy Ogletree pictured with the trophy on the grounds of Wynn Palace in Macau on Tuesday March 12, 2024, ahead of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour
Poulter, who finished T8 at LIV Golf Hong Kong last week, is a popular figure in Asia and he said: “I don’t know if it was the crazy hairdo or the silly trousers but fans always seemed to like me playing out here and it is nice to have had a decent bit of success. Hopefully we can play well for the fans come out to watch us.”
Reflecting on his good performance last week he added: “I have done a lot of statistical work to review errors in my game, and in fact the whole team did and we have done a good job to make significant gains in certain areas.
“My putting last couple of weeks hasn’t been as good as I would like. Going into this week, I like this course. I remember in 2016 I got off to a fast start in the first round but didn’t finish it off, and hopefully I’m trending in the right direction this week.”
Ogletree is making his first return to The International Series since joining the LIV Golf League in 2024 as Order of Merit champion. The 25-year-old, who won in Qatar and England last year, is relishing the prospect of making his return in Macau after playing in a fun nearest-the-pin challenge from the Wynn Palace rooftop last year, as part of the event announcement.
He said: “I’m really enjoying LIV Golf and it wouldn’t be possible without how I prepared on The International Series. I felt it prepared me very well about different courses, and travelling the world, and scheduling my week with practice, and adjusting to conditions. This year I will be trying to use these events to stay sharp.
All four players attended a packed press conference at Wynn Palace in Macau. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“To sum up, my form hasn’t been very good. It’s frustrating but I’m figuring out my game and working out a few things. LIV Golf has been a bit of an adjustment for me, but I think good golf is on the way and I will just try to do my best this week.”
Garcia, a six-time winner in the region already in an illustrious career that yielded 36 international trophies, said: “I’ve been fortunate to travel around the world and play a lot of time in Asia, it is always fun to come back and feel welcome and see the people.
“I’m looking forward to it and I should get some good preparation so I can get ready for the tournament and go out and give it my best shot.
“I had a good start to the year in Mayakoba. I feel my game is fairly good, not amazing, but I’m working hard on it and on the mental side of it. It’s good to be here in Macau for the first time and I look forward to giving myself a shot.”
Kho is one of those aspiring young players battling it out on The International Series in search of all-important rankings points. A T2 at the Volvo China Open and T6 at the International Series Singapore last year showed how talented the Hong Kong golfer is.
The 23-year-old, who won the World City Championship in his hometown last year, is confident The International Series is fast tracking his game. He said: “I think The International Series has done so much good for my game. Being able to play with players with such a high standard of field is an incredible accelerator for growth.
“For me to learn from these major champions and Ryder Cup stars and multiple tournament winners, gives me insights into how I can improve my game. I felt last season I did a good job growing after each tournament, and I’m feeling strong, my game is coming together and really looking forward to this week.”
Andy Ogletree had so much fun outside the ropes for the one day he travelled to Macau last year – he just could not wait to get back to the city and replicate it inside the ropes. Report by Joy Chakravarty in Macau.
He attended the launch ceremony for the International Series Macau presented by Wynn immediately after the Hong Kong Open, last November.
It was a flying visit before heading to the next event in Indonesia, played that same week, which meant he had no time to visit the famous venue for the event, Macau Golf & Country Club.
“It was the most fun I have had in one night,” said the American.
“The Wynn people, they were extremely hospitable, and they spoiled us rotten. We had amazing food, and we enjoyed our time at the casino and other events that were organised for us. I was there only for about 18 hours and time flew. It was a blur for sure.”
Andy Ogletree. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Fast forward four months and Ogletree is back in town and raring to go for the start of the inaugural US$2million event which commences on Thursday.
It’s the fourth event of the season on the Asian Tour, the second leg of The International Series but Ogletree’s first appearance of the year here as he has been playing on the LIV Golf League – thanks to finishing first on last year’s International Series Order of Merit, now called The International Series Rankings.
“I couldn’t wait to get back and see a lot of familiar faces from last year and see the guys that I competed against week in week out. It will be great to catch up with everyone,” said the 25-year-old.
“However, as always, I’m going to try to win a golf tournament. A golf tournament is never a social event for me. But I’m happy to get back and play the Asian Tour and try to promote what’s gotten me out here. It’s been such a great opportunity for me and opened doors for Major championships and to LIV Golf.
“I’m forever thankful to the Asian Tour for giving me somewhere to play. Anytime I can go play those events, that will be the priority for me to give back for what they’ve given me.”
Now an Atlanta resident, Ogletree had a sensational 2023, winning two International Series events, in Qatar and England. and topping both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits.
The rewards came thick and fast. The biggest being full playing privileges on the 2024 LIV Golf season, and a place in the HyFlyers GC alongside his childhood hero, Phil Mickelson from the United States.
Andy Ogletree. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He also set to earn a place in the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon in July – his first start in a Major championship as a professional – as one of the top-five players on the International Federation Ranking, where he is number two currently.
Ogletree hasn’t had the best start to his LIV Golf League season – in the four tournaments he has played so far, Hong Kong last week was his best effort with a tied 29th place – but he has been improving with every outing.
“I am a bit frustrated with how I’ve been playing lately. I’m working on some stuff and trying to get my confidence back to where it was. I am putting in the hours that I need to on the practice area to give me that confidence,” said Ogletree, who also claimed the International Series Morocco in 2022.
“I do feel like I’m really close to playing some great golf again. And I think I’m starting to get those feelings again. I’m starting to show up to tournaments thinking that I’m going to win. Just got to keep staying positive and keep working hard. Good golf is definitely on the horizon for me.”
Playing under Captain Mickelson has been a learning experience for Ogletree. He feels like he has already picked up a few things from the six-time Major champion, which will help him become a better player in the future.
Said Ogletree: “The greatest thing about Phil is that he is so generous to me and the other guys. He genuinely wants us to do as well as we can. And he shares a lot of knowledge that he’s accumulated throughout his career with us. I couldn’t speak more highly of him as a captain and his generosity towards the whole team and caddies and the staff.”
With this added to his arsenal a fourth International Series title may well be a possibility.
Anthony Kim, who recently announced his return to professional golf as a LIV Golf Wild Card player, has joined a strong field featuring stars from the LIV Golf League and the cream of the Asian Tour for the US$2million International Series Macau presented by Wynn from 14-17 March.
The American returned to golf after almost 12 years away from the game, and he is set to compete against some big names at Macau Golf & Country Club.
Former Masters champions Sergio Garcia (Fireballs GC) and Patrick Reed (4Aces GC) headline a star-studded LIV Golf League line-up alongside former US Open champion and new Smash GC member Graeme McDowell.
Other strong contenders in the field this week include Fireballs GC player David Puig from Spain, the recent IRS Prima Malaysian Open champion, and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Australian veteran Scott Hend, who have both won twice in Macau.
Anthony Kim tees off during day two of the LIV Golf Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Picture by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images.
Kim has played consecutive LIV Golf events in Jeddah and Hong Kong in the past two weeks and showed great form on the final day at the Hong Kong Golf Club, carding a five-under 65 in his final round on Sunday.
He said: “I just kept doing what I’ve been working on the last two months. Obviously being away from the game so long, it’s been tough to practice and get all the things that I need to get prepared for the tournament, but I’m working on the right things at this moment.
“It’s just one round of golf. But I played the right way. I didn’t do anything extraordinary. I just played like I know how to play. The scores were what they are.”
Kim was a key member of the victorious US Ryder Cup team at Valhalla in 2008, where he beat Garcia 5&4 on the Sunday singles, and the pair will be competing once again as The International Series makes its debut in Macau.
The 38-year-old is no stranger to golf in the region. He played nine times on the Asian Tour until 2011, with four top-five finishes including a joint third in the 2011 Singapore Open, when he finished just one shot behind champion Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.
Kim said: ”I had a great time playing on the Asian Tour in the past. These last few weeks have been a dream and a long time coming. I’m looking forward to working on my game and getting back out there.”
The tournament is the second of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that offer increased prize funds, world-class destinations, and a pathway to the LIV Golf League for golfers from all over the globe through the season-long International Series Rankings.
Former Masters champion Patrick Reed and 4Aces GC team-mate Pat Perez are the latest big names to sign up for the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, which starts next week.
The field is now one of the strongest in the history of the series, with over 20 LIV Golf League stars and every tournament winner from last season’s schedule participating.
The inaugural tournament, the second on a 10-event schedule following the highly successful series-opening International Series Oman, takes place at Macau Golf & Country Club from 14-17 March.
Reed, winner of the coveted Green Jacket at Augusta National in 2018, has played in several events on The International Series schedule in the past two years. The US Ryder Cup star was eager to highlight the ‘exciting’ opportunity and pathway onto the LIV Golf League that the Asian Tour sanctioned series gives players from all over the world.
Pat Perez of the Aces GC celebrates a birdie putt on the 12th hole during day three of LIV Golf Adelaide last year. Picture by Mark Brake/Getty Images.
He said: “Watching the game grow, with LIV Golf getting behind The International Series and the Asian Tour, is amazing to see. To be able to come out here and watch those guys now have a pathway to LIV is exciting.
“If they get that opportunity, a shot at making it to the next level, they’re going to be able to grow and hopefully make it to where we are (the LIV Golf League), while at the same time making it to the majors and the big events around the world.”
Tournament winners from last year’s schedule include International Series Order of Merit champion Andy Ogletree, who secured his place on the LIV Golf League this season by clinching top spot in the standings, thanks largely to victories in Qatar and England that made it three in two years along with his first professional title in Egypt in 2022.
Ogletree, who plays on Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC team, will be joined by Takumi Kanaya, the highly rated Japanese star who finished four shots ahead of Berry Henson and Sadom Kaewkanjana in last season’s International Series Oman at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat.
International Series Thailand champion Wade Ormsby is also confirmed. The Australian carded a final-round 65 to match Chonlatit Chuenboonngam and then held his nerve in a thrilling play-off against the Thai to secure victory at the Black Mountain Country Club.
Kieran Vincent, who made his way onto the LIV Golf League last season by securing one of three spots via the LIV Golf Promotions event in Abu Dhabi, will also be in the field.
The Zimbabwean, who plays on Jon Rahm’s new Legion XIII team, finished one shot ahead of Anirban Lahiri and Kevin Yuan on the KN Golf Links to win the International Series Vietnam last season.
The Spanish LIV Golf league duo of Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig will also feature. Fireballs GC star Chacarra held his nerve to see off Australian Matt Jones in a thrilling 10-hole play-off in the St Andrews Bay Championship, while his team-mate Puig led from wire to wire for an emphatic five-shot victory at International Series Singapore.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, Ben Campbell of New Zealand and Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, the final three winners on The International Series last season, are also confirmed.
Suwannarut shot a final round 64 to secure a six-shot win at the Volvo China Open, before Campbell leapfrogged Cameron Smith and Phachara Khongwatmai on the final hole of play to snatch a thrilling victory at the Hong Kong Open.
A week later, Gaganjeet Bhullar led from start to finish for a classy five-shot victory at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club in Jakarta.
The tournament is the second of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour that offer increased prize funds, world-class destinations, and a pathway to the LIV Golf League for golfers from all over the globe through the season-long International Series Rankings system.
The International Series Macau presented by Wynn follows the International Series Oman on the schedule and is the fourth event of the Asian Tour season.
Australia’s Scott Hend was denied an 11th victory on the Asian Tour today after an inspired performance by Takahiro Hataji saw him become the first player from Japan to win the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
In a pulsating finish here at Millbrook Resort, just outside Queenstown, Hend, to the gasp of a large gallery, missed a three-foot par-putt on the par-three 18th to hand Hataji a one-stroke victory.
Hataji fired an accomplished bogey-free four-under-par 67 for a four-round total of 17-under, while Hend shot a 69.
Australians Anthony Quayle (67) and Matthew Griffin (70) plus New Zealand’s Josh Geary (69) tied for third, two behind the champion.
Takahiro Hataji. Picture by Chris Symes/www.photosport.nz
Hend, joint-leader at the start of the day with Griffin, birdied 16 and 17 to draw level with Hataji, who was playing in the group ahead, but then three-putted the last hole. His first putt to win the event was from about 20 feet.
It is one of biggest upset wins in the history of the Asian Tour as little-known Hataji has never won before, with his previous best performance coming in last year’s Kansai Open Golf Championship in Japan, where he was runner-up.
He started the day one shot behind the leaders and despite his lack of experience he gradually worked his way to the top with two birdies on the front nine, followed by two more on the second half – crucial birdies on 12 and 15 gave him a two-shot lead over the closing stages.
The 30-year-old narrowly missed a 15-footer for birdie on the last shortly before Hend, who looked like he would force a play-off at the very least, uncharacteristically finished poorly.
“I was preparing for a play-off,” Hataji said later.
“I am really thrilled, very happy. The whole day was a fight. It was a struggle, but I am happy I came through it. My emotions really came to the surface.
“I holed a long putt on the 11th, and that’s when I felt I can do this.”
Hataji, a professional since 2104, becomes the first Japanese player to win on the Asian Tour since Takumi Kanaya at the International Series Oman last year.
If Hend had won, then at the age of 50, he would have become the oldest winner of the event. He does have the consolation of closing the gap on Asian Tour Career Earnings leader Thongchai Jaidee from Thailand. Hend won US$114,289 today and is in second place, just US$280,190 behind, with total earnings of US$5,483,197.
Asian Tour regular Ian Snyman from South Africa completed one of his best performances on Tour, closing with a 69 to tie for sixth, along with Australian Justin Warren – third at this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School – who shot a 68.
Hong Kong hotshot Taichi Kho just two off the pace after round three was expected to mount a challenge today by shot a 71 to end equal 14th.
Scott Hend. Picture by Michael Thomas/www.photosport.nz
Young Indonesian golfer Jonathan Wijono, who plays on the Asian Development Tour, completed a memorable week, signing for a 68 to finish in a tie for 34th, which helped him and amateur partner Jubilant Harmidy win the Pro-Am part of the tournament.
Total prizemoney this week was NZ$2 million (approximately US$1.22million). For his victory Hataji received a cheque for US$201,686.
The tournament was jointly-sanctioned with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Tour.
The Asian Tour has a week off now before heading to the International Series Macau presented by Wynn. The inaugural US$2million event will be played at Macau Golf and Country Club from March 14-17. It’s the second tournament on this year’s 10-event International Series and fourth on stop on the Asian Tour.
The stunning Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey will host some of the biggest names in golf as the venue for International Series England, from 8-11 August 2024.
It is the third consecutive year that The International Series has taken the cream of the Asian Tour and a host of big-name players from the LIV Golf roster to England.
The US$2 million tournament is the eighth event of 2024 to be announced on The International Series. The schedule of 10 elevated events, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, provides a merit-based open pathway to the LIV Golf League for players from all over the world.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “Returning to England for a third successive year underscores the continued growth and success of The International Series brand, and the prominent position that we now occupy in the global golfing ecosystem.
“As we have seen over the past two seasons, players from the Asian Tour and around the world love competing at the iconic locations The International Series travels to, and we are delighted to partner with Foxhills on such a fitting venue, to again deliver elite-level sport at a wonderful golfing destination.
Foxhills Club & Resort.
“Bringing The International Series to Foxhills offers us a real opportunity to showcase the allure of our product to a cosmopolitan, sports-loving population in and around the London area.”
International Series England will be played on the esteemed Longcross Course, which consistently features in the UK top 100 rankings.
Combining parkland and heathland-style holes with a tree-lined layout featuring a number of eye-catching elevated tees, the course will provide a stern test for the elite field around 18 beautiful holes surrounded by Scots pine, beech and silver birch.
Foxhills also boasts the Bernard Hunt championship course as well as a par-three nine-hole Manor Course.
Managing Director Tej Walia of Foxhills Club & Resort said: “It’s an honour to host a world-class event of this nature at Foxhills, showcasing our venue and the talent of professionals at the very top of their game.
“We have been working hard on elevating our product, both on and off the course, to position us as an attractive proposition for professional tournaments and brand partnerships. The selection as host venue is testament to the hard work of our team over the past few years and the investment of our owners to allow us to set new goals.
“The growth of the Asian Tour and The International Series has been ambitious and we are excited to be the next chapter of its journey as we look to take it to new heights for both the players and spectators, making it a marquee event on the schedule at Foxhills.
“With the size of the purse, our accessible location for international players and the reward of a place for the Series winner in next year’s LIV Golf League, we’re looking forward to seeing a strong field and an exciting week of golf on our newly renovated Longcross Course.”
Defending champion Brendan Jones doesn’t expect to win this week’s 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport, which starts today.
No matter his affinity for the Millbrook Resort just outside Queenstown, Jones knows that the odds are stacked against him. He knows that fairytales rarely come with sequels.
Yet despite the prospect of leaving New Zealand on Monday without the Brodie Breeze Trophy that now bears his name as the 2023 Champion, Jones is ready to revel in everything that comes with being the defending champion.
And while having his face plastered across posters is unfamiliar for a veteran with 15 victories on the Japan Golf Tour to his name, Jones is savouring an experience he knows doesn’t come along too often.
“I am confident of putting in a good showing but to say I am going to defend and be a two-time New Zealand Champion is a bit far-fetched,” said Jones, who was runner-up to Kazuma Kobori at the Webex Players Series Sydney earlier this month.
Brendan Jones. Picture by Chris Symes www.photosport.nz
“The only thing that I’ve been thinking about is that I will be flying back to Australia on Monday not as the current New Zealand Open champ and that is making me a little sad.
“I’ve still got four days of golf in front of me and if I do what I did last year, then who knows? It was a bit of a fairytale for me last year.
“I have won a lot of tournaments around the place but not too many when I understand what’s going on because in Japan I don’t speak Japanese and they don’t really want to talk to me the next year.
“This is special. This is my favourite golf tournament to play anywhere in the world and I’m coming back to my favourite place in the world. It’s just exciting to be back.”
Another player excited to be back in Queenstown is local favourite Steven Alker. A phenomenon since joining the PGA TOUR Champions in late 2021, Alker is also a realist when it comes to opportunities to win his national open.
Alker shot 65 in Round 1 at Millbrook a year ago before finishing tied for 30th. Now 52 years of age, Alker wants to parlay his eight wins on the Champions Tour in the past three years into a treasured victory on home soil.
“I am still competitive. I am still playing professional golf,” said Alker, who will have wife Tanya on the bag this week for the first time since the 2014 US Open. “There is probably not too many left in me, so just to come back to play and compete in New Zealand when we are in New Zealand… It is a special place to come back to.”
At the other end of the career spectrum, much attention this week will be centred on rookie Kazuma Kobori. A three-time winner this season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Kobori is all but guaranteed a spot on the DP World Tour for the 2025 season, Alker a keen observer from the other side of the world.
“I have been reading the press and how he has been playing,” said Alker. “It’s very impressive if you compare it with what Tiger Woods did when he was young and started his career, although on a different level.
“To win events at his age as a professional is impressive. I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of that when turning pro but the young guys coming out now seem to be ready to play and hungry to win. “He has obviously got talent which is great and being from New Zealand is even better.”
Two courses are used during the week – the Remarkables and Coronet Courses – in an event that also has a Pro-Am component.
Photo: Brendan Jones at Millbrook Resort ahead of the 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport. (Credit: Photosport.nz)
Kevin Yuan is hoping to turn his solid form at the beginning of the new season and cash in on an ‘exciting opportunity’ that is the 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
The 26-year-old was joint leader in the Asian Tour’s season-opening IRS Prima Malaysian Open at the halfway stage with rounds of 65 and 64, and then briefly held the lead again on the second day at nine-under in the International Series Oman at Al Mouj Golf Club, Muscat.
Yuan went on to finish solo fifth at The Mines Resort and Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur and was tied 14th in Muscat, and the feeling is more is to come from the young man from Sydney.
The emerging talent was 28th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year despite faltering towards the end of the season, when he missed eight cuts in his last 10 starts. But the good work done in the beginning of the year, which included a tied second place at the International Series Vietnam and a fifth place at International Series Thailand, saw him post a decent finish on the Merit list.
Kevin Yuan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
That early season run included a tied 44th place in his debut New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport appearance and an excited Yuan wants to do much better in his second outing at Millbrook Resort – where the beautiful Coronet and Remarkables courses are being played, in event that has a Pro-Am component.
“I played here last year. It was my first time, and I was just blown away by how much fun that golf tournament was,” said Yuan, who is searching for his first win as a professional.
“Obviously, Queenstown is such a sick town. It’s beautiful. It’s Just awesome to be there. So many fun things to do. And the golf course is really cool. They hold the tournament in great conditions. And it’s one of those…a really fun tournament to play as an Aussie.”
Apart from being part of history as one of the oldest professional golf tournaments in the world, Yuan is well aware that the riches of winning go beyond just prize money – which has been enhanced this year to NZD2 million (USD1.2 million).
“It would mean so much. Along with the Australian Open, the New Zealand Open is one of the biggest tournaments for us guys Down Under. It’s a very competitive field,” said Yuan.
“I think everyone’s aiming to win the New Zealand Open, because one win is going to get you so many cards – you got the Asian Tour, a lot of starts on the Japan Golf Tour, apart from the Australasian Tour. It’s just a very prestigious event and has so many of our best players’ names on it.”
Kevin Yuan. Picture by Khalid Redza / Asian Tour.
Yuan is very happy with the state of his golf, and his only concern is that he’d reach Queenstown from Muscat on Tuesday afternoon, which means he is only able to practice on one of the two courses being used this week.
“I’m pleased with the way I played in the first two events. Obviously, the scores were good, but also how I played. My course management has been good,” said Yuan.
“I feel like my game hasn’t really changed a lot. But I do feel like the bits and pieces are starting to add up. And it’s helped my score and helped me be in a good place. Hopefully, I can put together four solid rounds and let’s see where that takes us.
“I reached the venue late, but I have a fair idea of the golf courses from last year. Walked one of the courses on Tuesday evening and will play the other today.”
On his finish to the 2023 season, and then getting back to playing well this year, Yuan explained: “I didn’t really feel like I changed anything, or what I’m doing practice-wise. I feel like I’m still working on the same things and trying to focus on small details.
“But I really managed my mind better by trying to keep my confidence up these past couple of months. That’s helped it all come together.
“It also helped that we are in the middle of our golf season in Australia. I played a few events, but I also got time to work on my game. Going back was good as it helped me settle down. Working on things when you are on the road is quite a tough thing to do.
“I was at the Australian Golf Club, where I play, and I was able to analyse a few things that may have gone wrong. I also reflected on what I did well in 2023 and tried to take the positives from it. I think the key to the turnaround is just being patient and just keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Yuan starts the tournament on the Coronet course at 12.35 local time alongside Josh Armstrong.
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