When the 12th playing of this massive region’s most important amateur event tees off on the Dubai Creek course in the United Arab Emirates this week, Seng—who has a small Koi fish business in his home city of Phnom Penh—will be the only player in the 93-man field drawn from 30 countries who can say he has competed in all 12. Not with any great distinction, it must be admitted. Seng’s best score is a three-over-par 73 at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore three years ago. And he has yet to make a halfway cut in any of the starts that have taken him to China on three occasions, Singapore (twice), Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.

But that is to miss the point. What is failure for some is success for others.

“I want to make it clear that the journey so far has not been a disappointment,” says Seng, 28, who became a father for the first time only a month ago.

So Seng’s importance to the game he learned from his army general father at the Royal Cambodia Golf Club goes far beyond mere birdies and bogeys. When Seng was part of the inaugural AAC in 2009 at Mission Hills in China, his home country boasted only two courses. Now there are 10. While it might be a bit of a stretch to give him 100 percent credit for that 500-percent increase, it is also undeniable that Seng’s presence in such a high-caliber event can only have had a positive effect on the game’s admittedly low public-profile in Cambodia.

“I was so excited that I could be a part of the championship in 2009,” he says. “But I also knew it would be very difficult. And when I reached Mission Hills, I could see the superior level of competition and the preparedness of the players from other countries.”

Seng is a better player now though, even if he concedes that his wayward driving needs some work if he is to break the bad habit he has developed over the last 12 years and make it to the final 36-holes.

“My preparation now is so much better than it was in 2009,” he said after completing his maiden practice round this week in the company of compatriot Pich Meta Peou. “Back then, I knew how to hit the golf ball, but the AAC has taught me such crucial elements of the game, like course management, warm-up routines and physical training. All I did then was turn up and play. Now I’m aware of where I want my tee shots to finish. Do I need to hit fade or draw? I’m more knowledgeable and sophisticated. Today, for example, I took many notes on the greens, which have many slopes.”

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Seng is quick to attribute much of his improvement and development to the experience he has gained in the AAC, which offers an invitation to the Masters and an exemption into the Open Championship to the winner. Last year, he and Peou attended a week-long training camp in Singapore, courtesy of the AAC. Cambodia has no teaching professionals, the better players forced to learn through YouTube videos and advice passed among one another.

“This event has been so important to my development,” continued Seng, whose career best score over 18 holes is five under par. “To play at this level is so exciting. They make us feel so special when we play. Plus, of course, everyone wants to go to Augusta National. And the whole tournament is run so well. Everyone is so professional. I wish it got more attention at home. But golf in my country has a way to go. It is still a game played mainly by the high-ranking people. But doing well this week could change that. My big aim this week is to make the cut. That would be a big victory for me.”

And for the AAC.

The post Cambodian golfer represents big dreams of competitors in the Asia-Pacific Amateur appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
For those with ambitions aimed at a certain spot in America’s Midwest, the Middle Eastern return of the European Tour at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship represents the re-start of a compass-crossing journey. The ultimate destination, of course, is a long way from the January warmth of the United Arab Emirates. But there is little doubt that a certain late-September date at Whistling Straits, venue for this year’s Ryder Cup, will be in the minds of many as the 2021 season commences.

Not everyone’s though. Guy Kinnings will be heavily involved in almost every off-course aspect of the 43rd biennial contest between the Old and New Worlds, yet the European Tour’s Ryder Cup Director—he also “triples” as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer—is already looking forward to the 44th. In 2023, the matches will make their first visit to Italy, specifically the Marco Simone club just outside Rome.

While Kinnings clearly plays an important role in the European Tour’s day-to-day running—the former International Management Group executive was heavily involved in the negotiations that led to his employer’s “alliance” with the PGA Tour at the end of 2020—so does the Ryder Cup. Home matches provide a large percentage of the working capital that allows the game’s second-biggest circuit to operate. So with the usual four-year gap between matches extended to five with the postponement of Whistling Straits from 2020 to 2021, the next Ryder Cup in Europe has an increased importance, at least financially.

“The extra year won’t be too significant,” Kinnings insisted when speaking to Golf Digest. “Any economic downside has been minimized by the very smart people we have working here at the European Tour. Growth in other areas of our business means we are not as reliant on the matches as we once were. The Rolex Series has helped in that respect, as has our very strong media business. Besides, we’ve had a postponement [from 2001 to 2002 in the wake of Sept. 11] before. So a five-year gap is less about the financial aspects than it is the opportunity to ‘do’ the event as well as it can be done.”

Ryder Cup Director Guy Kinnings stands on the first tee during the morning fourball matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National. Andrew Redington

Warming to his theme, Kinnings, who handled the business affairs of former Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn during his near three decades with IMG, is confident that the benefits of the 12-month postponement will outweigh any drawbacks.

“For one thing, the world will hopefully have returned to something like normality,” Kinnings said. “Specifically, the commercial markets worldwide and in Italy will make things like sponsorship and hospitality a lot easier to secure. People will be desperate for the best kind of live experience after going through what we are all enduring at the moment, which should improve our commercial opportunities. So if there is any small negative impact, we will be able to handle it, especially as I can see significant plusses by the time we get to 2023.”

The same also might be said of the Marco Simone course, the subject of much gossip—mostly negative—since it was announced as the first Italian Ryder Cup venue. Still under construction, the European Golf Design layout will surely benefit from an extra 12 months of “growing-in” time.

“There has been lots of speculation regarding the course, but right now there are nine holes open for play,” Kinnings said. “The other nine holes are looking good and will be ready later this year, in time for the Italian Open in September. So that answers the Will it be ready for the Ryder Cup? question. Does that mean everything will be perfect? No. But the pandemic hasn’t stopped the grass from growing, although some of the areas around the course won’t quite be as they will be by 2023. So it will not be ‘Ryder Cup ready’ by September [when it hosts the Italian Open]. But it will be in good shape. I think people will be pleased with what they see. And the extra year allows us more time to fine-tune everything for the Ryder Cup.”

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Another possible plus, at least from a European perspective, is that this year’s Italian Open is likely to be the first of three national championships played over the course before the 2023 Ryder Cup comes around. If so, it is reasonable to assume that at least some of the home players will have familiarized themselves with its foibles. That intangible was undoubtedly a factor in Europe’s convincing 17½-10½ victory in 2018 at long-time French Open venue Le Golf National.

“Many of the European players will get the chance to see and play the course as much as possible before they take on the Americans,” Kinnings confirmed. “That’s another truth about the Ryder Cup. We don’t just want to build a great venue for a great spectacle, we want to give our guys the best chance of success. That was borne out at Le Golf National. That they knew the course better than the Americans must have helped our team.”

One thing that may not have quite the same impact in Italy is the “first tee” experience that was one of the highlights of the 2018 matches. At Le Golf National, a huge grandstand offered unprecedented views of not only the opening shots but three other holes as well. That opportunity doesn’t present itself in Italy, although the European Tour staff will likely have some surprises. Meanwhile, Kinnings notes that two things will always be immutable factors in the success of a Ryder Cup in Europe.

“We did an analysis after Paris,” said Kinnings with a smile. “How could it be even better? was the question. And you know what? The two things people like best are sunshine and winning. So while we will do everything we can to improve every aspect of the matches, it helps when the sun comes out and it helps when we win. So the weather is important. But winning and losing is in the hands of the captain and his players. All we can do is provide the perfect platform.”

On that front, Kinnings is confident Marco Simone’s proximity to one of the world’s great cities will bring its own benefits. “[Being so close to the centre of Rome] will allow for certain unique things to happen. It is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, which opens up possibilities and opportunities. They will be a strong feature of the week. The Italians are experienced in hosting big sporting events. It will be a unique experience. Yes, we want to grow the game. But we want to showcase the Ryder Cup, too. And Rome is well-equipped to do that.”

The Ryder Cup coming for the first time to Rome was a point of pride when the European Tour announced it was bringing the matches to Italy’s capital. Paolo Bruno

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Predictably, Kinnings would not be tempted into speculating about the identity of who will lead Europe as captain in 2023. That decision is in the hands of the previous three Ryder Cup skippers, although Lee Westwood is a strong favourite.

“I have no idea who will be captain in 2023, but I can say with some certainty that we have an embarrassment of riches in that department as we move forward,” Kinnings said. “Prominent players are going to miss out because we have so many great candidates, so many who would be so good in the role, which is both fortunate and unfortunate. But the bottom line is that the backroom team, whatever and whoever it is, will pull together in the same way as the players always do.”

Indeed, amidst all of the current uncertainty, a strong degree of camaraderie is something Europe—winners of nine of the last 12 Ryder Cups—can absolutely rely on. On that front at least, there is no middle ground.

The post Preparations are underway for the upcoming* Ryder Cup appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.