The Argentine player was part of the winning Team Napoleaova at the Aramco Team Series — Hong Kong.

Over the two days at Hong Kong Golf Club, the quartet of Kristyna Napoleaova, Laura Fuenfstueck, Simmermacher and amateur John Hyun posted a total of 31-under-par to win by one stroke.

This was a highlight for the 27-year-old, who has been playing on both the LET and LPGA Tour in 2023.

“So I was playing on the LPGA, and this was a week that I would be in the field, and I just really wanted to come here,” she said.

“I wanted to play in the Aramco Team Series because I enjoy them very much, and I just had a good feeling I was losing my card over there, but I was just like, I want to come here.”

Simmermacher, who has recorded 15 top-10 finishes on the LET, has previously been a Team captain at these events but that wasn’t the case this time around.

And the Argentine wasn’t even a captain’s pick, instead being randomly allocated to Team Napoleaova — despite her playing a practice round with the captain.

But having finished second in the Team event at the Aramco Team Series — Bangkok last year, Simmermacher was thrilled to be able to get the win in Hong Kong.

She explained: “I want to see how I can do there. I was just very excited to come here and to actually get the win. I’ve been dreaming of this a long time since we started three years ago.

“We’ve come close, and I came close as a team captain, and this time, I wasn’t a team captain, and I wasn’t even picked. I was like, wow, how low do I have to go for no one to even pick me?

“I thought I’m just going to go and go very low and try to win it as a team and I was just very lucky to have them. They were a great team. I’m very happy to win it. It’s a team, but it’s my first professional win.”

Magdalena Simmermacher. LET

The post Simmermacher aims to add another trophy after Aramco Team Series success in Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The quartet got off to a hot start and were -3 after one hole thanks to Simmermacher’s birdie and Hyun’s birdie-net-eagle.

Team Napoleaova gained momentum making the turn in 11-under and they continued their form on the back nine to be 10-under in their final nine holes and post a team total of 31-under which was enough to win by one stroke.

Captain Napoleaova said: “It was a super vibe for the day. On the first tee, Maggie did her thing. I don’t know what she did, but it immediately stopped raining, whatever mojo from Argentina, it worked.

“For the rest of the round, we really enjoyed and all of us played really good. We just pulled it off, it was such a lovely golf course and all things just worked the way they were supposed to.”

It was a first LET title for Fuenfstueck, who has been on a journey back from injury and has seen a recent upturn in form.

The German player explained: “I’m super pleased, when I saw the team at the draft, I thought all of us could make quite a lot of birdies and then we got John added to the team and he made a lot of birdies as well.

“I thought it was going to be a fun time and really relaxed out there and that’s exactly how it was. We were able to capitalise on it and it was a lot of fun today.”

While, it was also the first trophy for Simmermacher as a professional and she was delighted to win a Team event.

The Argentine commented: “It was great, I’m really excited for the team and we very much enjoyed the week. It’s great to be under Kristyna’s team, when I saw the team, I thought we were going to do good and it’s great that we actually won. I’m really happy.”

The clubhouse target set by TEAM NAPOLEAOVA on -31 is not going to be beaten.

Congrats to Kristyna, Laura, Maggie & John the @Aramco_Series Hong Kong team champions ???#RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/sqJoreGBfH

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 7, 2023

Team Cheenglab finished in second place on 30-under at Hong Kong Golf Club after the quartet of Trichat Cheenglab, Christine Wolf, Jana Melichova and amateur Arianna Lau also produced a second round of -21.

Rookie Cheenglab said: “I’m very happy to have Christine and Jana in the Team. We all made eagles today, which put us very close and I’m very proud of the team today and we very much enjoyed it.”

Team Iturrioz finished in third place on 29-under-par with Team Pettersson two shots further back in fourth and five teams ended the week in a tie for fifth place on 25-under-par.

In the Individual competition, two players are tied at the summit of the leaderboard after 36 holes in Hong Kong.

Korea’s Jin Young Ko and China’s Xiyu Lin both sit on 11-under having fired rounds of 70 and 66 respectively, today.

World No. 3 Ko led after the first round and had a solid day on the golf course carding a round of three-under which included five birdies and two bogeys.

“The round was very windy, it was hard to focus with the wind out there,” said the two-time major champion. “I played really well today, I made some good putts.

“I’m very happy to finish with three-under. I try to think about nothing on the golf course and just hit some balls and talk with my partners.”

Chinese star Lin had an excellent second day to tie for the lead rolling in birdies on holes two, three and four before dropping her only shot of the day on the fifth.

The 27-year-old then made another three birdies on the trot on 10, 11 and 12 before adding two more on 14 and 16 for her round of 66.

“My driver was a little bit better, I got off to a pretty hot start but then me and the whole team was a little bit slower afterward,” said Lin.

“When we made the turn, we said let’s get it going and we all had a really good back nine, so I’m happy.”

Dutch star Anne Van Dam sits in third place just one shot back on 10-under after she produced a round of 69 on day two.

“My mindset today was really good, obviously with the weather we didn’t quite know what was going to happen so I was prepared for everything and just taking it one shot at a time,” said the five-time LET winner.

Main image: LET

The post Team Napoleaova claim title as as Ko and Lin aim for Individual glory in Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

It was a flawless first day for world No. 3 Ko, who struck eight birdies at Hong Kong Golf Club.

The Korean star got off to a hot start birdieing the first hole before adding further birdies on four and five before she made three on the trot on holes seven through nine to make the turn in 30.

Ko added two more birdies on the back to seal an opening round of 65 and lead by two shots on eight-under-par.

Jin Young Ko moves shots clear at the top …#RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/nz6Of7Wftq

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 6, 2023

“I practised a lot in September, and I worked out a lot too, even though I wasn’t playing,” said the two-time Major champion. “I wanted to play in one of these events and I’m really happy to be in Hong Kong and playing in a team event.

“I hit just 20 balls today and sometimes I don’t practise before teeing off or I just do putting. In Hong Kong, it’s really hot so I just wanted to keep my energy for the tee off.

“If I could win, it would be my first win on the LET which would be an honour. That is motivating me and I have two more rounds to go, so I hope to get some more birdies.”

In the Team competition, it is Anne van Dam’s quartet at the top of the leaderboard on 16-under.

The quartet of Van Dam, Sophie Witt, Lydia Hall and amateur Andrew Hibbert began on the back nine and it was a good start for the team with Witt making an eagle on the 11th and the team were four-under after the 18th hole.

However, it was on their back nine where they really made in-roads producing a score of 12-under through their final 11 holes to reach -16 and lead by three shots.

“We all had plenty of birdies out there today, which was great,” said captain Van Dam. “The course is definitely scoreable which makes it fun to play and I had a super fun day playing with the team.”

Hall explained: “We ham and egged it a little bit, I was out on a couple of the holes and the girls took lead and did what they needed to do. They both played so well, especially Anne, she had it on a string and it was impressive to watch.”

Witt added: “We are playing with Anne! So, when I see all the par-5s, it’s a great opportunity for the team and we have a lot of chances as well.”

Sophie Witt sends TEAM VAN DAM to the top of the leaderboard on -15 ? #RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/rZz0RbOIH6

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 6, 2023

In the Individual competition, Van Dam is chasing a remarkable double as she sits in second place on six-under having fired a 67 in Hong Kong.

The Dutch star made an eagle on the ninth, as well as six birdies and two bogeys on her first day to put herself in contention in both competitions.

Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz sits in third on the Individual leaderboard on five-under-par having produced an opening round of 68 which included seven birdies and two bogeys.

Team Iturrioz is also doing well as they are one of four teams in a tie for second place on 13-under-par.

The quartet of captain Iturrioz, fellow Spaniard Maria Hernandez, Norway’s Maiken Bing Paulsen and amateur Xiao Guang Wu combined well on day one.

“It’s good vibes only in this team, it was great and a fantastic day,” said Iturrioz. “The amateur was really nice also, he played really well.

“I did my best, I tried. We played like a team because when someone missed the other was there. I’m really happy with them and let’s go for tomorrow.”

Hernandez explained: “Today wasn’t one of my best days but we’re lucky we had Nuria on the team and she led us, we had a great time. It was fun and we had a great day.

Paulsen added: “We had a great time today. The course is great. Maria and I are coming back stronger tomorrow but as a team, we did really good and we were cheering on each other, we made a couple of good saves and will be trying to do even better tomorrow.”

????? ?????? ???? ???? ????

The putt ?
The celebration ?
The positive vibe ?@nuriaitu signs for a 68 (-5) #RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/yw6coLpv0j

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 6, 2023

Team Iturrioz are joined in a share of second place on 13-under-par by Team Alonso, Team Gainer and Team Ciganda.

“I didn’t play good but Kirsten [Rudgeley] played really really good, so I’m happy for her,” said Carmen Alonso.

“I think she put a lot of effort in and myself and Flic [Johnson] tried to support her. Tomorrow, I hope it is going to be better and we can make more birdies and we can help her and do good as a team.”

Cara Gainer said: “Chloe [Williams] got our first eagle on the first hole, we played back to front, so an amazing iron in there and I luckily eagled the ninth hole, so really enjoyed it.

“I feel like we all didn’t have our A-games today, if we can all go out there with slightly better golf tomorrow then there’s plenty of birdie opportunities out there, especially with five par-5s. I’m really optimistic about tomorrow.”

Superb from Ciganda ?#RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/goxC9rVAH3

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) October 6, 2023

Solheim Cup winner and captain Carlota Ciganda said: “We had a very nice team, the amateur played amazing. She was great and she came in on a few holes and it was great that she was motivated and excited to be there. I like the course, I played good just too many bogeys and one double but six birdies, so we will see tomorrow.”

Team Pettersson and Team Davidson Spilkova sit one shot further back in a tie for sixth place, while there are five teams in T8 on 11-under.

On the Individual leaderboard, China’s Xiyu Lin and Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou are in a share of fourth place on four-under behind Ko, Van Dam and Iturrioz.

While Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta, South Africa’s Nicole Garcia and Finland’s Ursula Wikstrom are one shot further back in a tie for sixth place.

There are 10 players in a tie for ninth place on two-under-par including 2021 Individual champion from Sotogrande Alison Lee, as well as 2023 LET winners Trichat Cheenglab and Lisa Pettersson.

Main image: Jin Young Ko. LET

The post Jin Young Ko leads the way at Aramco Team Series — Hong Kong as Anne van Dam chases a double appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 21-year-old Spaniard has a commanding six-stroke lead over Korean Jaewoong Eom, who returned a 67 — in the seventh International Series event of the season.

Australian Jack Thompson, this year’s Qualifying School winner, shot a 68 and is a further shot behind, while Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (67) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (69) are in group of nine players tied for fourth, another stroke back.

Puig has been knocking on the door of a first Asian Tour victory since turning professional just over a year ago and looks like having his best chance this week.

He started the day with a three-shot lead after a sublime 64 on Thursday and made light work of the Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club once again on Friday.

He started on 10 with a bogey but bounced back with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 and swept through the second half with four more birdies, including on the last, and one dropped shot.

“Two awesome days. Played very good,” said Puig.

“I think I even played better today than I did yesterday. You know, it was pretty hot at the end, and I had a couple bad shots on holes seven and eight to finish, but overall, very happy.”

This is not the first time he has been out in front on the Asian Tour: he led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and he had a three-shot margin after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship in August but ended in a tie for fourth.

About those performances he said: “It’s experience you know, and kind of learning from the past. I mean, I think I already learned a lot in this last month, on seven for example, or eighth, I hit a couple bad shots and instead of trying to be a hero and try to even make birdie or par, where sometimes you make like six or seven, I played steady and had two fives. I knew I was going to get two fives, but you know, I think I’m ready.”

He has also been competing full-time on the LIV Golf League playing for Torque — the dominant team this season, having won four times. His best finish individually came in Chicago in August when he was fourth and next week he heads to LIV Golf Jeddah.

His six-shot advantage is still some way short of the Asian Tour’s record after two rounds. England’s Lee Westwood holds that as he had an 11-stroke lead at the 2011 Thailand Golf Championship.

Eom, who shone in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year when he finished in a tie for second, made five birdies and was one of the few players to go bogey free.

“I think everything was good today, from tee shots to iron-play to putting,” said the Korean, who as well as being a fine golfer, also speaks Mandarin fluently.

“Everything was good, and I am pleased with the way I played. This is actually my first time in Singapore. The golf course looks great and the greens are in good conditions. It was really hot out there. That’s the toughest part. I’m not used to playing in this heat. We never get this in Korea.”

Kho is clearly still on a high after claiming the gold medal at the Asian Games last week in China and shot up the leaderboard making six birdies before dropping his only shot of the day on the last.

He said: “I felt like I had some issues with strategy and bit of focus yesterday, but I was able to clean that up really nicely, so I was able to attack the golf course like I thought I could. And overall, a really good day.”

The 22-year-old made history in March by becoming the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event after he recorded a hugely popular and significant victory at the inaugural World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.

“I think I have a mixture of confidence and a little bit of fatigue, but I feel like it almost works to my advantage because I’m just out here playing golf,” said Kho, who finished 27-under at the Asian Games.

“And that’s all it really feels like, there’s no added pressure or anything like that. So, yeah, overall, I’m just trying to play golf and just try to get a little bit better this week. But other than that, there’s a lot of confidence from my ability to go low from the previous week, and hopefully that can help me this week and in the future as well.”

The post LIV Golf’s Puig surges into six-shot lead at International Series Singapore appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Lin and Zhang are no strangers to the team format, with Lin representing China in the Asian Games last week and Zhang recently donning the USA colours in the Solheim Cup in Spain.

Lin, the top-ranked Chinese player in the field, is ready for the days ahead following her bronze-medal performance in the Asian Games. Speaking about her experience last week, Lin said: “It was a very memorable week, playing the Asian Games again after 13 years. Since Covid, I’ve not played a tournament with spectators in China. We got really big support, and it was crazy. I was shocked by how many people actually came out to watch us. And to see that and also coming to Hong Kong, and going to Shanghai next week and seeing how many people and friends and family are going to come out these couple of weeks.”

Comparing her recent team event at the Asian Games to the Aramco Team Series, Lin said: “I think it gave me some idea about how I’m going to approach this week and next week. So yeah, it was a good event. I think it gives me a pretty good warm-up for this week.”

Meanwhile, Zhang, the former world No. 1 ranked amateur, has had a “crazy” year which saw her win on her professional debut in June at the Mizuho Americas Open on the LPGA tour before making her debut in the Solheim Cup in Spain two weeks ago. Reflecting on her journey, Zhang said: “Five months in, it’s been quite a journey being able to be on tour and play on a weekly basis with players I’ve seen on TV whilst growing up.”

Drawing from her incredible college golf experience at Stanford, Zhang highlighted the importance of bonding and being in the moment, stating: “That kind of mindset of getting to know people and learning how to cherish times on the golf course. That’s similar to what I’m doing here.”

The iconic Hong Kong Golf Club hosts this week’s Aramco Team Series, with both Zhang and Lin competing in Hong Kong as professionals for the first time, with Lin having many fond memories of competing at Hong Kong Golf Club as an amateur.

Lin said: “I’m really looking forward to [this week]. This is my first time playing the new course at Hong Kong Golf Club. I think the course is in good shape. It’s a course that can have a very low score. I think everyone will try to attack a little more, especially when we have the team event involved. So, I will be as aggressive as I can and try to go for a pretty low score.”

Zhang is relishing the challenge of the course layout and added: “I love how this course is laid out. I know that it’s really tight. There are some lines out here that you may think that’s the middle of the fairway, but it’s not. So, being able to kind of hone in on your lines and understanding where to miss will be a really key position. So I think that’s really good for me. I love strategising and learning how to make a game plan so I can play my best.”

Main image: Aramco Team Series

The post Team players Rose Zhang and Xiyu Lin ready for Aramco Team Series challenge in Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

World No. 3 Jin Young Ko, Chinese star Muni He, Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan and Dutch star Anne van Dam are among the stars set to take to the course this weekend.

Ahead of the Aramco Team Series debut in Hong Kong later this week, Muni said: “I am so excited to be here this week. I love playing in the Aramco Team Series. I played it once two years ago in Spain, and it was so much fun, so I’m very excited to be back, especially in Hong Kong, a place very close to where I’m from. I used to come here with my parents when I was younger, so it feels really lovely to be back, and I’m very excited.”

The Hong Kong event brings together 28 teams, each comprised of three professional golfers and an amateur player, in a team competition that runs alongside an individual stroke play event. Over the course of three days, players will compete for a prize fund of $1 million, setting a record as the largest fund ever assembled for a ladies’ professional golf tournament in Hong Kong.

Main image: Aramco Team Series presented by PIF

The post Stars touch down in Hong Kong for Aramco Team Series showdown appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

They will join last year’s Open Championship winner and Gooch’s fellow LIV Individual Champion front-runner Cameron Smith, two-time Hong Kong Open victor Wade Ormsby, and local hero Taichi Kho — winner of March’s World City Championship.

The world’s top golfers are making the trip to Fanling drawn by the Hong Kong Open’s history, its new status as an event on The International Series — 10 elite-level tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour, providing a pathway to the LIV Golf League — and its purse of $2 million.

The 31-year-old Gooch is making his Hong Kong Open debut in record-breaking form, having won three times already this season on LIV Golf — in Adelaide, Singapore and Andalucía — becoming the first-ever player to achieve that feat on the fledgling global circuit.

“I am excited to be making my debut appearance at the Hong Kong Open in 2023. I have heard a lot about the city and the Hong Kong Golf Club from other players, and I look forward to playing in front of the knowledgeable galleries in Fanling,” said Gooch.

“Last year I didn’t get a win, so this year I was just so focused on getting an individual win. You don’t think much past the first one until you get it. I definitely didn’t have three in mind for the season, but it’s cool to be here.”

Cameron Smith. LIV Golf

Gooch and Smith are two of the three LIV Golf stars in contention, along with American Bryson DeChambeau, for the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion crown to be decided at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on October 13-15.

A top-10 finish for Gooch at the LIV Golf Chicago has him in contention for the individual title on 162 points in the individual standings, eight behind Smith’s leading 170.

Another confirmed star for the Hong Kong Open, Lahiri, performed even better in Chicago, finishing tied for second in what was his third top-10 finish this season.

The 36-year-old is no stranger to Fanling, with seven Asian Tour titles to his name, he has a best finish of tied for seventh at the Hong Kong Open back in 2015.

Lahiri will also be familiar with fellow headliner Smith, having finished as runner-up to the young Australian at The Players Championship in 2022.

Chacarra is ranked eighth in The International Series Order of Merit standings. The Spanish star turned pro in 2022 to join the LIV Golf League and struck gold on his fifth ever event winning the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok.

His debut non-LIV Golf win came on The International Series at the Asian Tour’s inaugural St Andrew’s Bay Championships in August, when he defeated Matt Jones in a 10-hole playoff, the longest in Asian Tour history.

Main image: Talor Gooch. Asian Tour

The post LIV Golf stars Talor Gooch and Cam Smith take aim at Hong Kong Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Wold No. 4 Jin Young Ko has added her name to a star-studded roster for the inaugural Aramco Team Series — Hong Kong, alongside world No. 2 Lilia Vu, and Chinese golf stars Xiyu Lin and Muni He.

The competition, at Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling from October 6-8, is sure to be a big draw, especially as the star-power factor keeps growing.

Sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, the ATS returns to Asia after its successful debut in Singapore earlier this year. As the penultimate stop on this global golf series ahead of the finale in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the ATS event in Hong Kong will see 28 teams of four — three professionals and one amateur — competing over two days alongside a three-day individual stroke play contest for the 78-player field.

Jin is currently one of the biggest stars in golf, the two-time major winner continues to make her mark in the women’s game. In June, she set the record for the most career weeks at world No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, surpassing Lorena Ochoa’s impressive 13-year record of 158 weeks as the leading player in women’s golf.

Out of the 15 events the 28-year-old has contested this year, she has triumphed on two occasions. The first victory transpired in March at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, where she successfully defended her title and etched her name into the tournament’s history books as the first-ever back-to-back champion. Jin shone again at the Cognizant Founders Cup in May when she claimed victory, making her a three-time winner having previously captured the title in 2018 and 2019.

“I’m excited to compete in my first-ever Aramco Team Series event in a city I’ve yet to play in as well,” Jin said. “I’ve heard many exciting things about the innovative team and individual formats of the Aramco Team Series and can’t wait to have fun competing alongside top professionals and amateurs, and hopefully, I’ll be able to capture both titles in October.”

The post World No. 4 Jin Young Ko adds to star power at Aramco Team Series — Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Hong Kong Golf Club will welcome a star-studded line-up for the event from October 6-8 with Vu, who also narrowly missed out on winning the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in February to then World No. 1 Lydia Ko, headlining the field alongside alongside Chinese stars Xiyu Lin and Muni He.

Last month, Vu made it to the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for the first time in her career. Her journey to the top has been remarkable, considering that she began the year ranked no. 43. The year so far has seen the American achieve incredible feats, including not one but two victories at the majors. The 25-year-old clinched the AIG Women’s Open, adding to her triumph in a playoff at the Chevron Championship in April. She also won at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February and will be aiming for another victory on Asian soil at the ATE event.

With her participation in Hong Kong, Vu hopes to add another chapter to her storied career. This event marks her inaugural appearance in the ATS, providing fans and spectators in the region with a unique opportunity to witness her prowess up close.

The team element won’t faze her,  as she was a winning member of Team USA at the 2018 Curtis Cup, Arnold Palmer Cup and Espirito Santo Trophy teams. Two weeks before Hong Kong, Vu will also compete on the biggest stage in women’s team golf at the 2023 Solheim Cup after securing her spot on the United States team.

Vu expressed her excitement and said: “I am thrilled to be part of the Aramco Team Series — Hong Kong and have the chance to compete in Asia again. The Aramco Team Series has a strong reputation amongst the players with the unique team format and major-like staging, both of which I’m looking forward to. I’m excited to compete alongside some of the world’s best in Hong Kong, and I hope to add to my victories in 2023.”

As the fourth stop on this year’s tour, the Hong Kong edition will witness the participation of 28 teams, each comprised of three professionals and one amateur. The team competition format will unfold over two days. In addition, a three-day individual stroke play competition will play out and award Race to Costa del Sol and Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings points.

The post World No. 2 Lilia Vu headlines elite line-up for Aramco Team Series – Hong Kong appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This week could not have come quickly enough for Australian Wade Ormsby.

A two-time winner of the Hong Kong Open, Ormsby will be looking for a third Fanling triumph when he lines up in the inaugural World City Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC).

The seventh leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season starts on Thursday on the Composite Course at HKGC amid much excitement as it is helping to celebrate the reopening of Hong Kong to international travellers.

For Ormsby, on a high after a welcome return to form following his victory at the International Series Thailand two weeks ago, the $1 million tournament offers an opportunity to further illustrate his love affair with the HKGC.

At the International Series Thailand, Ormsby overcame Thai Chonlatit Chuenboonngam at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.

His fourth Asian Tour title was the perfect preparation for what will be the first international golf tournament in Hong Kong for 38 months.

It was in the second week of January 2020 that Ormsby repelled the challenge of Major champion Shane Lowry to claim his second Hong Kong Open title by four shots. Within two months, the spread of COVID-19 prompted the imposition of travel bans and the cessation of sporting gatherings.

However, with the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, Hong Kong is once more ready to showcase itself as ‘Asia’s World City’ and a hub for major sporting events.

And no one was more delighted with that news than Ormsby who captured his first Hong Kong Open crown in 2017 by a single stroke.

“It’s great to back, it’s such a special place for me,” said the Australian.

“Had last week off, as I was a reserve in Tucson for the LIV event and won two weeks ago. So I am in a good place, I am playing well and can’t wait to get started. The golf course looks in great condition.”

When asked what the secret is to playing Fanling’s Composite Course he had a simple answer: “Hit it straight around this place! I have successful experience here and the offer of The Open spot is great.”

The Open spot he is referring to is The Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July, as this week’s event has the honour of being part of The Open Qualifying Series, with the leading four player not otherwise exempt earning a place in the game’s oldest major.

Poulter shot 60 in Hong Kong in 2010. Asian Tour.

Ormsby is not the only former Fanling champion teeing-off in the World City Championship.

Also in the field are England’s Ian Poulter and Australian Scott Hend, winners of the Hong Kong Open in 2010 and 2014 respectively.

“I feel like coming back home,” said Poulter.

“It is a golf course I have played many times, great memories shooting 60 on the golf course. It is a golf course that has been here for over 100 years with three great golf courses, wonderful members here and I have so many fans here, and Open places are on offer, hopefully I can earn one of those spots.”

He shot that 10-under 60 in the second round in 2010.

He said: “That was actually a funny day. I said to my caddie when I was travelling to the golf course, I think I have to shoot three-under for the first day, and I said, when we were travelling home in a car after the round, I will be 13-under and it will be the only time I shoot 60 and that is the only time I have called it, that I would shoot 60 after thousands of rounds of golf. It was a strange day, and it was a great day. Other things I remember most about coming to Hong Kong, is great food, great hospitality, wonderful golf course, I have made so many friends, I love coming to Hong Kong.”

A strong Thai presence at Fanling will be spearheaded by former OWGR top-50 players Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jazz Janewattananond and also includes Sadom Kaewkanjana and Nitithorn Thippong.

Another notable Thai to watch out for is Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, 23rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

At the age of 15 years and 37 days old, TK won the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup last April, becoming the youngest male player to win on one of the game’s major tours.

At the World City Championship an extra layer of intrigue will be added by the fact that he’ll lock horns with fellow teenager Ding Wenyi of China, the reigning US Junior Amateur champion who is 16th in the WAGR.

While Taichi Kho, Matthew Cheung and Leon D’Souza are among the leading Hong Kong professionals taking part, there will also be eight local amateurs in the field, led by Alexander Yang.

The post Asian Tour: Ormsby eyes Hong Kong Golf Club hat-trick and a spot at the Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.