European Tour Insider: Hong Kong, Melbourne share stage
By Nick Dye, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Editor's note: Nick Dye is going to be giving PGATOUR.COM viewers an inside look at what's happening on the European Tour. Dye, who works with European Tour Radio, will be at more than 30 events this year and will file weekly columns on Wednesdays.
The European Tour has traveled southwest from Shanghai to Hong Kong this week for the 51st staging of the UBS Hong Kong Open.
Then again ...
The European Tour has also traveled southeast over an even greater distance this week to Melbourne, Australia for the latest edition of the JBWere Masters.
It's the second week in succession that there are opposite events on the Tour calendar. Unlike the Barclays Singapore Open that went up against the Volvo World Match Play Championship in widely different time zones, though, this week's duo will be played at much the same time. Both are large field events compared to the 16-of-the-best in Spain, as well.
The late announcement of the Tour's sanctioning of the JBWere Masters did not come with universal approval and those in Hong Kong were not thrilled to share center stage. On the positive side, though, it represents another chance for Tour pros to qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship and an alternative for players to preserve or gain playing rights for next season.
Watching the scores and figuring who achieves what over two separate continents could be intriguing.
Asia's major to Asia's pioneer
The UBS Hong Kong Open has become a hugely popular event. One look at the tree-lined beauty of the Fanling course -- with the knowledge that the bustle and diversions of Hong Kong are on the doorstep -- and it's no wonder the event is held in high regard.
These days Hong Kong is another part of China but it's a very special part, and the British presence and history makes this an altogether different experience.
There are many more home comforts and much more familiarity here for the European players in the field.
The course itself smacks of old British layouts: intricate and rewarding precision over length. Yes, there are snakes in the grass as Daniel Chopra found when backing slowly away from a big one a couple of years ago and opting not to play his ball where he found it, but there's a sense of grandeur and refinement smacking of the colonial past.
Roaring Rory
PGA TOUR-bound Rory McIlroy gained an immediate affection for Hong Kong. He played here as an amateur and narrowly missed out on a first Tour victory when beaten in a thrilling playoff by Lin Wen-tang 12 months ago.
The 20-year-old prodigy from Northern Ireland already relished his return. He's even more excited, though, because his scintillating 63 to close the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in fourth place Sunday means he's narrowed the gap on Lee Westwood in the Race to Dubai and jumped above Martin Kaymer once again.
It's becoming the battle for the inaugural Race that the instigators desired. With none of the top five actually winning in Shanghai, the relative spread of prize money has kept the R2D -- as it's become known in shorthand -- very much alive.
Ross Fisher has a realistic chance of claiming the money list from fourth. Oliver Wilson could still figure into the competition from seventh place. Geoff Ogilvy in sixth has a chance to build up the funds in Melbourne. So it's wide open.
Casey concerns
However, fifth-placed Paul Casey has essentially said goodbye to his chances. He was in the hunt in Shanghai when a wedge at the first hole on the final day caused him to wince in pain. He played on but after making an 8 at the following par 5, he reluctantly retired from the event.
Casey had always said if there was a recurrence of the rib injury incurred while practicing for the British Open he'd err on the side of caution. So he flew home to Scottsdale, Ariz., to see his specialist and will not play in Hong Kong or Melbourne. Casey once led the R2D but was overtaken as the injury caused him to miss three months of the season.
Lefty's legacy
Phil Mickelson's win over a fast-finishing Ernie Els at the HSBC Champions was his second victory at the event over the Sheshan course and the world No. 2 hopes it will help ignite interest in golf in China.
Undoubtedly, he'd seen the difference since his 2007 win and more than 12,000 people were on the course on Sunday as he teed up in the final group alongside Tiger Woods. While the noise and cameras took their toll on the world No. 1, it's also clear that the spectators have a growing knowledge, appreciation and understanding of the game.
Mickelson is building golf academies in Kunming and Tianjin, looking to bring children into the game and make it less elitist. He doesn't expect to see an immediate reward but looks toward the longer term.
"Kids can start the game and enjoy it and learn at the grass roots level so that 25 years down the road we've built support for the game of golf in China," he said. "For me to be able to win helps my cause."
Mickelson is also determined to get a short game instructional DVD translated into Mandarin as soon as possible.
Woods walkabout
Tiger Woods is making his first visit to Australia in 11 years to play in the JBWere Masters this week. Just think what he's achieved in the game since that 1998 visit for The Presidents Cup.
It's been widely reported that he's been paid around $3 million to play in Melbourne and the Victorian State government has supported what it feels is a very good investment.
Despite the number of talented Australian golfers on the world stage, the game has suffered at home with fewer events attracting declining sponsorship and support. This week's event is a sellout with 25,000 tickets sold for each of the four days.
Officials at Kingston Heath are banning cameras and mobile phones so that Woods and others are not disturbed like they were in Shanghai. Among those supporting the home event are Ogilvy, Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley.
Billy the best
Billy Foster, who caddied for Woods when Steve Williams was otherwise engaged, has been named the HSBC Caddie of the Year.
Lee Westwood presented the award to his own bagman. "He's been in the heat of the battle a lot," the Englishman said. "He's got a lot of experience. He's caddied for a lot of good players, and we get on really well."
"It shows a bit of respect from the fellow rats," Foster said.
Foster made a much publicized walk from Loch Lomond to Turnberry for charity earlier this year and feels that helped him win the award. But make no mistake, he knows what it takes to be a good caddy.
"You need a good player," he said. "You need to do your homework and already have the answers in your head before you get asked the question, so you're not flapping. It's saying the right things at the right time."
Nick Dye is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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