HK Golfer February 2012 by Times International Creation Ltd

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HK Golfer Clubhouse: SIHH Review, Porsche 911, Greenock Creek & more ...

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION ISSUE 61

HKGOLFER.COM

FEBRUARY 2012

$50

JUSTIN ROSE JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBAL

GREAT GETAWAYS Golf trips with a difference

– from Qingdao to Danang

DISPLAY UNTIL 15 MARCH

LOCAL SCENE: HK CLOSE AMATEUR

contents

HK Golfer

Issue 61

February 2012

26 On the Cover:

The 10th hole on the Dunes Course at the magnificent Danang Golf Club in Vietnam Photo by Tom Harack/ Mandarin Media

Features

Plus…

26 | Opening Up

10 | In Focus

32 | Beyond Talent

17 | Tee Time

After two standout years in a row, Englishman Justin Rose is ready to make a major move in 2012 By Ron Totton and Alex Jenkins HK Golfer talks to IMG's Guy Kinnings, agent to the likes of Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, about what management companies look for in aspiring tour professionals By Lewine Mair

36 | Resurgent Lam Claims Thriller

Former wunderkind Steven Lam rallies late to the win the Mizuno Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship over the Lunar New Year By Alex Jenkins

44 | Broadening Horizons

William Ma (Rose); Daniel Wong (Lam)

These five destinations – Qingdao, Danang, Manila, Siem Reap and Sri Lanka – might not be synonymous with golf in the same vein as Bangkok, Hainan and Kunming, but they offer alternative and no less appealing landscapes in which to play By Alex Jenkins

66 | Final Shot: José María Olazábal

36 4

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

HK Golfer talks to Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup captain on the eve of arguably his most important season yet By Paul Prendergast

A pictorial review of the past 30 days – locally, regionally and globally By The Editors Our watch editor presents a rundown of the most outstanding watches from last month's SIHH By Evan Rast

20 | Driving Range

Porsche has succeeded again with the latest incarnation of its iconic 911 By Ben Oliver

22 | Liquid Assets

If you enjoy big powerful reds, you'll love the wines of Greenock Creek, a boutique winery in the Barossa Valley that has become a firm favourite of Robert Parker By Robin Lynam

52 | Books

The Castle Course at St Andrews is one of the many highlights of master photographer David Cannon's stunning new golf coffee table book By Alex Jenkins

58 | Tee Time - Piaget

Having established itself as a master of movements, Piaget underlines its expertise with a record-breaking new watch By Evan Rast HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION FEB 2012 • Issue 61

Editor: Alex Jenkins email: alex.jenkins@hkgolfer.com Editorial Assistant: Cindy Kwok Playing Editor: Jean Van de Velde Photo Editor: Daniel Wong Contributing Editors: Lewine Mair, Ariel Adams, Robert Lynam, Evan Rast, David Cunningham III Published by:

TIMES INTERNATIONAL CREATION Times International Creation Limited 10 A, Lockhart Centre 301-307 Lockhart Road Hong Kong Phone: +852 3590-4153 Fax: +852 3590-4533

44 D E PA R T M E N T S 08

HK Golfer Mailbag

Local Focus

Asia Focus

Global Focus

16 Divots 36

Around the HKGA

Club Results

Local News

Alex Jenkins

HK GOLFER is published by Times International Creation, 20/F, 28 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong. HK GOLFER is published monthly © 2012 by Times International Creation. Published in Hong Kong. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. PRINTED IN HONG KONG. 6

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Publisher: Charles McLaughlin Art Director: Derek Hannah Assistant Designer: Mimi Cheng Office Manager: Moira Moran Accounting Manager: Christy Wong Advertising: For advertising information, please contact: ads@hkgolfer.com For purchasing information contact: sales@hkgolfer.com For subscription information contact: subs@hkgolfer.com Hong Kong Golf Association Suite 2003, Olympic House 1 Stadium Path, So Kon Po Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Phone (General): +852 2504-8659 Fax: +852 2845-1553 Phone (Handicaps): +852 2504-8197 Fax: +852 2504-8198 Email: hkgolf@hkga.com handicaps@hkga.com In association with: www.thymedesign.hk HK GOLFER is printed in Hong Kong.

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that's

At the end of a great day...

HK Golfer Mailbag President Obama hits the links with Republican House Speaker John Boehner in June of last year. The President averages a game every 12 days.

asked Justin to sign a golf ball, and not only did he oblige but he was also more than willing to pose for a photograph and also spend some time talking to us about his time in Hong Kong. He was very friendly and, I noticed, showed the same grace and good nature with other spectators too. You expect these professionals to be in a good mood when they've played well but to interact with the fans after not playing so great was very nice to see. I know from experience that not all the pros are like this. I hope he comes back this year. He's certainly won plenty of new fans in Hong Kong. Name and address withheld

... a sublime experience

Editor's reply: I hope you enjoy the interview with Justin Rose on page 26 of this issue.

Scandinavian Clanger

Presidential Golf

I'm no follower of American politics but I noticed that Barack Obama has received some flak for the number of times he has played golf since taking up office over three years ago. I don't the exact number to hand – I think it worked out at something like once a week – but I really don't see what all the fuss is about. I'm obviously not the President of the United States but I hold a senior position in the financial industry and work can at times be stressful. Playing golf gives me a tremendous release; the joy of walking 18 holes in pleasant surroundings is something that has become very important to me and the way I recharge myself for work. I think that is something that the majority of your readers can relate to and I'm sure President Obama feels the same. Let the man golf! Central Golfer Mid Levels Editor's reply: It was reported in June 2011 that President Obama had played golf 75 times since his inauguration, which means he averaged a game every 12 days or so. Doesn't sound so extreme, does it?

Gentleman Rose

First of all, thank you for a wonderful golf magazine! Every month I look forward to seeing and reading the very interesting articles it contains. But in the December 2011 issue [All Star Cast, page 32] there was a “big” mistake – at least for us Scandinavian people. You stated that Henrik Bjørnstad was from Sweden. I know Sweden has many great golfers, but Bjørnstad is actually Norwegian. Indeed, before Suzann Petterson became such a big star, Bjørnstad was probably Norway's most well-known player and one of his best performances came at the Hong Kong Open. Hallbjoern Stenhaug Via email Editor's reply: Many thanks for your kind words about the magazine. You are of course 100 per cent correct and my apologies for the oversight. I well remember Bjørnstad's great run at the 2001 Hong Kong Open when he very nearly became the first man to shoot 59 at Fanling during his brilliant third round. In the end he had to settle for a 61. He performed well in the final round too, shooting a 67, but finished just one stroke behind winner José Maríá Olazábal, who miraculously birdied the final hole from the right hand trees. We Want to Hear from You! Have something to say about an article in HK Golfer or a topic affecting golf in our area? Send your thoughts and comments to letters@hkgolfer.com. Please also include your address, contact number, email and HKGA #. The winner of the best letter will receive a bottle of Champagne Louis Roederer courtesy of Links Concept.

AFP

Just a quick note to say how thoroughly impressed I was with Justin Rose during December's UBS Hong Kong Open. I know he didn't play as he would have liked and ended up missing the cut by a stroke, but what a well mannered young man! My son 8

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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As Jim Murray said in his Whisky Bible, “…A whisky that gives you the will to live !” We chose this as our first release because we had never tasted a distilled spirit at once so old – and so young. Only a taste can tell you how splendid it really is. And when it’s finished (which is very soon, now) there may not be anything like it for a while; it took us many years to find these 1,348 bottles, and it will be a long search for its successor. Meanwhile, we suggest you have a look at our cognac 1950, 478 bottles of which have just been released.

lastdrop@hkgolfer.com; (852) 3590 4153 lastdropdistillers.com

Local Focus Mizuno Makes a Splash Defending champion Shinichi Mizuno plays a shot from a greenside bunker on the 16th hole of the New Course at Fanling on the final day of the Mizuno Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship over the Lunar New Year holiday. Mizuno, 17, didn't get off to the best of starts at the four-round tournament but closed superbly, firing a two-under-par 68 to finish in solo fourth place, five shots behind eventual winner Steven Lam. Mizuno's round was the joint lowest of the week, matching runnerup Max Wong's effort on the second day. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;AJ Photo by Daniel Wong

Asia Focus Lipsky's Top of the Class David Lipsky of the United States won the Final Stage of the Asian Tour's Qualifying School in midJanuary to secure his playing privileges for the season ahead. Lipsky, who is half Korean, fired a finalround 68 at Springfield Country Club in Hua Hin, Thailand to take medallist honours by two shots. A total of 42 players earned their tour cards, including former tour winner Artemio Murakami of the Philippines and Australia's Adam Groom. Lipsky credited his win in part to a good luck Tweet from fellow Northwestern University graduate Luke Donald, the world number one.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;AJ Photo by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Tour

Global Focus Down in the Desert World number one Luke Donald plays a shot from the "world's biggest bunker" during a photo shoot prior to last month's Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in the United Arab Emirates. Donald, who became the first player in history to claim the money list on both sides of the Atlantic last year, didn't enjoy the best of starts to his 2012 campaign: completing the four rounds in one-underpar the Englishman finished well down the field in a share of 48th spot, 12 shots behind compatriot Robert Rock, who won the title following a final-day duel with Tiger Woods.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;AJ Photo by David Cannon /Getty Images

CLUBHOUSE

divots

NUMBERS GAME

1.5

Away from the Fairways

The amount, in millions of US dollars, that Tiger Woods is reported to have received for appearing at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship at the end of January. Woods, who eschewed the PGA Tour event in San Diego, a tournament he has won six times, to play in the Middle East finished the event in a tie for third. Prior to the revelations about his private life in 2009, Woods was thought to have received US$3 million for teeing it up at the Desert Classic in nearby Dubai.

T he number, in thousands, of counterfeit golf products seized by the US Golf Manufacturers AntiCounterfeiting Working Group in 2011, which was nearly four times the amount seized in the previous year. The increase has been attributed to the group's improved ability to cooperate with law enforcement agencies around the world, most notably in China where the majority of counterfeit products are made.

287

Steven Lam's winning total (seven-over-par) at the Mizuno Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship, which was played over the Lunar New Year over four rounds of the New Course at Fanling. Nineteen-year-old Lam, who finished one shot ahead of Max Wong after a dramatic conclusion to the tournament, also won the 2009 edition of the event – also with a total of 287. Read a full report of the event in the Around the HKGA section of this issue.

The Tonda Retrograde Annual Calendar from Parmigiani

Epiq Divots Record Epic City Links Win

 TEE TIME

A New Breed

After seven weeks of intense competition, the second City Links Corporate Golf League was won by Epiq Systems. The software firm held off a strong challenge from Mallesons and Barclays Capital to be crowned champions of Hong Kong’s second inter-companies indoor golf competition. Epiq Systems shared second place on the seventh and final night of play at City Links Golf Lounge in The Centrium, Wyndham Street, Central. The winners – comprising Derek Crampton and Matthew Dredge – finished top of the overall standings with 51.5 points. Mallesons settled for second on 49 points while Barclays Capital were third on 48 points. As well as lifting the “War on Wyndham” trophy, Epiq Systems won a Bangkok golf weekend for two to Bangkok from Golfasian.com as well as a TaylorMade R11 Driver. The City Links Corporate Golf League, which began in midOctober, was played on Full Swing Golf’s E6 golf simulation software using the Fourball Better Ball format. A total of eight teams – limited to two players but with substitutes allowed each week – played seven of the world’s most famous courses: Bay Hills, Loch Lomond, Spyglass, New South Wales, Frankfurter Golf Club and Valderrama. “Hong Kong’s second downtown corporate golf competition has proved very popular with the city’s golf-loving executive set and we’ve had an entertaining two months,” said Rajah Chaudhry, Director, City Links Golf Lounge.

Watch editor Evan Rast presents a rundown of the most outstanding watches from last month's SIHH

he third week of January went by in a haze of activity in Geneva, the host city for the annual Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). I would describe the event as familiar, yet genuinely superb. The halls of the Palexpo were the same: elegant and plush, with champagne, coffee and fine dining options at every corner to cater to invited guests and often-famished journalists. There was no shortage of luxury and revelry this year, with gala dinners taking place each night, attended by celebrities like Luis Figo, Adriana Lima, Cate Blanchett, Jean Reno and Ewan McGregor. The lavish after-10pm parties, with live music, casino and cocktails, were back in full swing on The Boat, which was docked in front of the Beau Rivage Hotel at the centre of Geneva. Superb.

Companies interested in taking part in the third corporate golf league should contact Kim Inglis, Director of Golf, City Links Golf Lounge, on 2522 6366 or send an email to kim.inglis@citylinksgolf.com

AFP (Ko); City Links

“To be part of history is like a miracle. It's not something you can have by clicking your fingers.” - Lydia Ko, 14, who became the youngest winner of a professional tour event in history when she claimed the New South Wales Open in Australia at the end of January. The Korean-born New Zealander beat the record of 15 years and eight months set by Japan's Ryo Ishikawa.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF HKGOLFER.COM

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Show-stoppers: The Openworked ExtraThin Royal Oak Tourbillion from Audemars Piguet (below) and IWC's Big Pilot's Watch Top Gun Miramar (right)

It’s always entertaining to see what the brands come up with when it comes to booth design. Baume & Mercier’s was like walking into a picnic at the beach, in keeping with their Hampton collection. Roger Dubuis’ was set right out of an espionage flick with laser and black lights, to match their new Pulsion line. Richard Mille’s novelty presentation was in 3-D. The one that stood out the most though, was IWC’s, with their Top Gun-inspired booth, complete with half of a real aircraft carrier with a cockpit you could get into, fog machines, radar screens and attendants in uniform. Again, quite magnificent. As for the watches, it was a deluge of minute repeaters, perpetual calendars, tourbillions and metier d’art. Superb, yet familiar if you consider that many of them were improvements of previous collections or line extensions. 2012 has been deemed the Year of the Royal Oak, which celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Audemars Piguet has released several models that pay homage to the original design of the iconic watch created by Gerald Genta in 1972. The most notable of these is the limited edition Audemars Piguet Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon which boasts one of the thinnest tourbillon movements on the market, the AP Calibre 2924, which measures only 4.46mm thick. A 41mm platinum case and bracelet surrounds the slate grey dial which is skeletonised. The applied hour-markers are white gold and the hands are standard Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating. Only 40 pieces of this watch will be made. If Audemars Piguet’s creative juices were on their diver’s helmet-inspired watches, IWC’s were on their Pilot watches. Historically, the company has made some of the most in demand pilot’s watches of the Second World War, like the Mark XI, which is one of the most expensive and highly collectable watches in the range. This year, IWC gives its collection a makeover, creating a stir with five new models from the Top Gun line. Big Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Miramar is equipped with the largest automatic movement made by IWC, with a power reserve of 168 hours. This also explains the 48mm case. The calibre 89365 found in the Pilot’s Watch

Our Master Watchmaker never loses his concentration With his legendary concentration and 45 years of experience our Master Watchmaker ensures that we take our waterproofing rather seriously. Gilbert O. Gudjonsson, our Master Watchmaker and renowned craftsman, inspects every single timepiece before it leaves our workshop. As a privately owned and operated company, we have the opportunity and duty to give all our timepieces the personal attention they deserve.

www.jswatch.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54 18

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Official HK Agent: Times International Creation ltd. Contact: jswatch@timesic.com Tel: +852-3590-4153

grown up, if that’s possible for a near 50-year old. But at speed it’s still sensational: the engine revs higher and harder and sounds louder, and the handling is sharper than before, though as always you need to respect the physics of having the engine’s mass behind you when cornering. It’s a better car in every respect, not that there was anything wrong with the old 911. Porsche just seems to have stretched the spidergraph of its icon’s abilities a little further in every direction. It does this every time it revisits it, and the result is a car you simply have to own before you die.

 DRIVING RANGE

Better in Every Way Porsche has succeeded again with the latest incarnation of its iconic 911, writes Ben Oliver

Next Generation: The launch of the new 911, the most refined 911 that Porsche have ever made, was a significant milestone and maintains its position as a benchmark for providing simple, visceral driving excitement

SCORECARD How much? HK$1.979 million* Engine: 3800cc 24v flat six 95bhp @ 7400rpm 325lb ft @ 5600rpm Performance: 4.3sec 0-100kph, 303kph CO2 Emissions: 205g/km How heavy? 1490kg *Based on Carrera S model

ictured in this magazine, this all-new Porsche 911 might not look so different to the model it replaces. But see it in the steel and the differences are clear: it’s lower, wider and longer between the wheels, and the new rear-end styling is particularly striking and sharky. The arrival of a new Porsche 911 is an event of major significance to car connoisseurs, regardless of how similar it looks. The term ‘icon’ is used too loosely, but the 911 deserves it. Its silhouette is instantly recognizable and has barely changed in nearly half a century of continuous production. Its obituary has been written many times, but always prematurely. It stuck with antiquated air-cooled engines until 1997 and the engine is still in the wrong place for handling, hung out behind the rear axle, but Porsche somehow keeps managing to refine its heartland car, and maintain its position as a benchmark for simple, visceral driving excitement.

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

This is effectively only the sixth generation of 911 to be launched since 1963, so you can see why it’s of such significance to Porschephiles. Don’t be confused: they’ll refer to this new car as the ‘991’, but that’s just Porsche’s internal product code for this new version of the 911. It’s a good one to throw into locker-room conversation about the new car, though, of which there will be plenty. The entry-level engine has actually been downsized to 3.4 litres from 3.6, but is 5hp more powerful at 354bhp and far greener. The Carrera S comes with a 3.8-litre unit upgraded to 395bhp, capable of hitting 100kph in just 4.1 seconds. Makes HKGOLFER.COM

you wonder why you’d ever need the yet-more powerful Turbo or stripped-out, lightweight GT3 versions that will follow. Inside, the old bluff, upright dashboard has been replaced by a more enveloping, horizontal design inspired by Porsche’s Panamera saloon and more in keeping with the supercars with which the 911 competes. You’ll also notice, on some cars, a manual gearshift with seven forward ratios indicated: the world’s first. So how does it drive? It’s a 911. Porsche doesn’t make mistakes with this car. At lower speeds it’s noticeably more refined, with less road noise and calmer ride and steering. More HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Greenock Creek Winery

 LIQUID ASSETS

Extraordinary Expressions If you enjoy big powerful reds, you'll love the wines of Greenock Creek, a boutique winery in the Barossa Valley that has become a firm favourite of Robert Parker, writes Robin Lynam

he expression “It’s a matter of taste” usually means “This issue is subjective and there is room for different opinions”. This is not always so in the world of wine. Matters of taste often provide the basis for long running bitter feuds, particularly when the taste being questioned happens to be that of The Wine Advocate’s Robert Parker. In 2005 matters came to a head between Parker and the redoubtable James Halliday, a well regarded winemaker himself, but more importantly the doyen of Australian wine writers. His Australian Wine Companion, published annually, is regarded by many of his countrymen, and by wine lovers overseas, as the most authoritative guide to the wines of the country. Add ressing t he Wine Press Club of New South Wales, Halliday compared the findings of Australia’s wine show judges with the scores awarded by Parker to what he described as “monstrous red wines”, meaning vintages high in alcohol. The gist of his argument was that Australia should be moving towards wines with what he considered a higher degree of finesse. Parker, not surprisingly, disagreed, accusing Halliday and those who shared his opinions of turning “their backs and palates on the true glories of Australia,” and the winemakers Halliday champions of making “vapid, innocuous and no better than very minor wines”. The wines of the southern hemisphere have always tended to pack more of a punch than those of the north but many “New World” winemakers are now working to reduce their alcoholic content. Parker, however, remains unrepentant. He likes big powerful reds, with, as he elegantly puts it, “gobs of fruit”, and so long as he continues to award points to them in the 95 to 100 range, they will continue to command hefty prices – particularly if they come from estates able to make only a small number of cases per year. Parker has a number of consistent favourites, and three of them are from the Barossa Valley – Torbreck, Chris Ringland and Greenock Creek. Thanks to some prescient buying on the part of HK Golfer’s Cellar Master, we had some Greenock Creek available to taste, and a decision was taken to sample a little of the 2006 Alices Shiraz. Greenock Creek is a winery in the Seppeltsfield area of South Australia’s Barossa Valley, and was established as a boutique winery in 1978, initially producing Shiraz and Chardonnay. Winemaker and owner Michael Waugh now focuses exclusively on reds – Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache – and 22

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the wines are known as powerful expressions of Barossa terroir, sometimes reaching alcohol levels of 18 per cent. That’s stronger than some Australian ports, and only two per cent weaker than most Portuguese ones. There are only 45 acres of vines, and yields are low. The winery produces only around 2,500 cases per year. It used to be said of a Parker score that if the wine rated below 80 it couldn’t be sold, and if it scored above 90 nobody could afford to buy it. That’s no longer quite true, but a high Parker score will still drive up the price considerably. Parker likes Greenock Creek a lot, and their limited production keeps the prices high at auction. The 2006 Alices Shiraz just makes it over the 90 barrier at 91+ but the 2003 got 97 points and the 2004 made 98. The Wine Advocate recommends laying it down until 2015, but if you decant some hours before trying it opens up tremendously and can be enjoyed now. Decanting is necessary but it's well worth the wait. Generous berry fruit and sound tannic structure are very apparent and, at 17 per cent ABV, this is certainly a vintage that port drinker's will love. HK Golfer is offering a selection of Greenock Creek wines of impeccable provenance for sale from the company cellar, including the ultra rare 2001 Roennfeldt Road and 2004 Creek Block Shiraz, both of which Parker awarded 99+. They are listed below with their Wine Advocate or Parker scores. “If I had to select the number one Australian winery, it would be hard not to choose the Greenock Creek Winery, run by the humble, shy Michael and Annabelle Waugh. The quality that emerges from this estate is extraordinary. In short, these are thrilling, world-class wines that are about as compelling as wine can be,” says Parker. HKGOLFER.COM

The Open... "If I had to select the number one Australian winery, it would be hard not to choose the Greenock Creek Winery... the quality that emerges from this estate is extraordinary." - Robert Parker

Exclusive HK Golfer Offer* Email: wine@hkgolfer.com or call on: (852) 3590 4153 Please quote code: GreenockHKG 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (WA 94) HK$400 2001 Alices Shiraz (RP 98) HK$900 2004 Alices Shiraz (WA 98) HK$500 2006 Alices Shiraz (WA 91+) HK$500 2006 Apricot Block Shiraz (WA 91+) HK$500 2006 Seven Acre Shiraz (RP 93) HK$550 2004 Creek Block Shiraz (RP 99) HK$1,450 2001 Roennfeldt Road Shiraz (WA 99) HK3,000

...and pour *Subject unsold. Terms & Conditions apply

Harbour Highlights: "Hong Kong is a wonderful city, with a lot going on. It's got a great vibe," says Rose

Opening Up After two standout years in a row, Justin Rose is ready to make a major move in 2012, writes Ron Totton and Alex Jenkins

H William Ma

e came, he saw and he didn't quite conquer, but Justin Rose lent some undeniable star quality to December's UBS Hong Kong Open, an event he was playing in for the very first time. Coming one week after Rose and reigning Hong Kong Open champion Ian Poulter finished in second place in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, the South African-born Englishman had been heavily fancied to excel on his Fanling debut. Rose is one of the finest iron players in the game and the Hong Kong Golf Club, with its small putting surfaces, places a premium on ball striking. Unfortunately for Rose, who captured the BMW Championship, the first of the FedEx Cup playoff events, in September, he was unable to get out of second gear and ended up missing the cut by a shot. It was a disappointing showing by the world number 20 but he took it on the chin

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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and handled his official duties as one of the tournament's biggest attractions with the kind of gentlemanly aplomb that has made this very likeable 31-year-old a favourite with sponsors, galleries and Pro-Am partners alike. Of course Rose is no stranger to facing adversity and coming through it with flying colours. In 1999, at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, Rose announced himself to the world with a fourth-place finish when still an amateur. It was a staggeringly mature HKGOLFER.COM

showing, one that many thought would catapult the then 17-year-old to the top of the game's hierarchy as a professional. Twenty-one missed cuts in a row in the immediate aftermath put paid to that theory, but Rose is nothing if not a fighter and he battled back from that ignominious start to his career to pick up titles and climb the rankings over the next few seasons. Eight years after Royal Birkdale, in 2007, Rose became Europe's number one player after a thrilling victory at the Volvo Masters. Concentrating his efforts Stateside, Rose made his so far only Ryder Cup appearance the following year, collecting an impressive three points from four matches, in Europe's loss to the US at Valhalla. That performance, combined with two impressive wins on the PGA Tour in 2010, including a victory at Jack Nickluas's Memorial Tournament, made him heavily fancied to receive one of Colin Montgomerie's wildcard picks for the matches at Celtic Manor. The pick didn't materialise – both he and compatriot Paul Casey were controversially left out of the proceedings in favour of Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald – but again Rose put that disappointment behind him to enjoy another fine season in 2011. Onwards and upwards could be Rose's mantra and he's already off to a fine start in 2012: in January his wife Kate gave birth to their second child, a baby girl named Charlotte. With what appears to be a blissful family life all he needs now to help fulfil his professional ambitions is a major, which he says he is close to achieving, and a place in José María Olazábal's Ryder Cup this September in Chicago. The motivation is clearly there. This was your first proper visit to Hong Kong. What did you make of it? It's a wonderful city, with a lot going on. It's got a great vibe. There's a wonderful balance of culture and it's a fun place to be. Hong Kong was much bigger and more wide reaching than I was expecting. After the Open I went to Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. What a spectacular property! I thought the golf courses were going to be jammed up against buildings. HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Daniel Wong

Agony and the Ecstacy: Rose failed to bloom on his Fanling debut (above); after holing his birdie pitch (right) to the last hole during the 1999 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale when still an amateur 28

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

The UBS Hong Kong Open has become one of the most popular events on the European Tour. You didn't have the best of times on the course perhaps, but what aspects of the tournament did you enjoy? Fanling is an amazing course and I would have loved to have been there for the weekend. The conditions made things tricky; sneaky tricky. I kept missing it in the wrong spot, which made it hard to get up and down, especially with the rough around the greens. I need to learn and to get to know the place more. The course had teeth, with the wind and firm greens. It caught me by surprise a bit. Were there any more surprises? Before arriving I didn't realise it was a

one-shot lead over John Senden and was just off the green but it was a makeable chip. I was having an internal dialogue with myself, saying I could hole it. And I did! It was the nail in the coffin. My strategy and game plan was fantastic that week. I never panicked, didn't get frustrated and never lost my cool once. It was four days of great thinking and staying in the moment. It was exciting and enjoyable just to have another day to go out and be excited.

So it begs the question, will you return this year? As far as coming back in 2012 is concerned, I'll look at the schedule. The Hong Kong Golf Club is a course I should play well, it should be right in my wheelhouse.

Have you enjoyed the spotlight since becoming a multiple winner of the PGA Tour? Have you enjoyed the spotlight? The media has been on me since I was an amateur. 2011 was a validation year. In 2002 I won four times; in 2007 I won the European Tour Order of Merit; in 2010 I won twice on the PGA Tour and in 2011 I won. I was able to back up a good year with another good year. That's what I'm after – consistency. And a major!

You played with your good friend Ian Poulter at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, where you finished second. Presumably you enjoyed the partnership? Very much so. Ian, being the highest ranked English player after Luke Donald and Lee Westwood weren't able to play, got to pick his partner – and he picked me. He was tongue in cheek about it and offered a 60/40 split of the prize money. When it came to the event I was actually ranked higher than him and laughingly offered him the same 60/40 deal but in my favour. We always have a lot of good banter. We've had a good relationship through the years. We shared rooms together on the Challenge Tour in 2000 and 2001, so we've known each other a long time. It's good in the format we played – we don't have to say 'sorry' to each other. The path each of us took to becoming pros was completely different, so it just goes to show that the amateur rankings don't tell the complete story when it comes to the professional game.

It seems that since you first won on the PGA Tour the floodgates have opened. Can you put your finger on what has led you to success after several years of not closing on opportunities?

Blessings in a Backpack It comes as no surprise to learn that Rose, a proud family man, and his wife Kate are heavily involved in raising money for charity. The cause that remains closest to their hearts is "Blessings in a Backpack", a national feeding programme in the States that supplies elementary school children who are part of the federal government's free meal plan with a backpack full of easy-to-prepare food items to sustain them through the weekend. "I can't expect to play good golf if I'm not properly nourished so how can we expect kids to go a full weekend without enough to eat and then be able to focus on learning," says Rose, who holds regular golf-related fund-raising days for the charity. The last of which, in November, also featured Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Poulter, Gary Woodland and his coach Sean Foley. Rose has worked closely with the charity since 2009, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cause. In 2011, he launched another initiative to raise money – to donate US$80 for every birdie he makes at events around the world. Eighty dollars is how much it costs to feed a child for all 38 weekends of a school year. "It's exciting to be a part of," says Rose. "We're hoping to go deeper and into new areas. Nutrition and education is so important; it helps gives children a vision and lets them dream."

But it would be safe to say you have a different personality to him. You're not a flamboyant character ... You have to be authentic and true to yourself. You have to make yourself happy, not the press. I would like to be known as a gentleman champion, to let the clubs do the talking. I'm a big believer in keeping your emotions in check: celebrate the good shots but don't give life to the bad shots. I do make fist pumps and I do get excited about doing good things. You should show people you are excited to win. I'm a laidback person and I try to be humble because this game has humbled me. AFP (Open Championship)

"You should show people you are excited to win. I'm a laid-back person and I try to be humble because this game has humbled me."

composite course. Fanling felt different than how I had seen it on TV, much in the same way as Augusta. I thought the fairways were going to be more tree-lined and narrow than they actually are, which would make it more of a driving test, but I found it to be a second shot golf course. You need a great iron game to make birdies. There are some tough holes – number eight was one and the 18th, which is a great finishing hole, an intimidating finishing hole, was another.

In September you won the BMW Championship on the PGA Tour. What did you learn about your game and your mental abilities that week? I had a great understanding of what was required. For instance, at the 71st hole I had a HKGOLFER.COM

HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Special Event: Rose describes Jack Nicklaus's championship, the Memorial, which he won in 2010, as his most enjoyable tournament

"To miss out on the Ryder Cup [in 2010] at the last minute was disappointing – it's a big deal – but really, you only have yourself to blame if you don't make the team." Absolutely, 100 per cent. I have great people around me and I've been implementing the lessons I've learned. In the past I wasn't learning, I wasn't using the information I had to be proactive about it. It's about being smart, which is a maturing process and something that came to me when I reached my 30s. I'm beginning to figure out how to prepare properly. You won Jack Nicklaus's tournament, the Memorial, in 2010. Where does that rank among your career achievements? Winning the FedEx Cup event [the BMW Championship] is bigger on paper but the Memorial is a full-field event and because it's Jack's event it has an extra importance to the players. It was great to have my first win at his course. It's my most enjoyable tournament. I bumped into Jack at Royal Birkdale in 2008 and he told me I could win. To have him in the press conference, having him on my side, after I'd won was very special.

AFP

You've had top 10s in all the majors but your best result remains the 1999 Open Championship when you finished fourth as an amateur. Do you feel you're close to a win? I do. Majors test all parts of your game. You've got to be high up in the greens in regulation statistics, you need a good mental game, good at scrambling, good out of bunkers. Statistically, from 75 to 200 yards I'm a great iron player and I'm improving in all other 30

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

areas, so I'm feeling good about it. In the past I think I've probably tried to be too perfect. But winning majors is about managing your mistakes. You can miss some greens, as long as you've got a great short game. How motivated are you to make the European Team for this year's Ryder Cup? I played in 2008 and loved it and never want to miss it. It has an amazing history, an amazing rivalry between the two teams – and it's a big deal. I thought I had done enough to make the team in 2010. and the assistant captains said I was looking good and not to worry, so to get left out at the last minute was disappointing. But, really, you only have yourself to blame if you don't make the team. To play for [captain] José María Olazábal would be an honour. They changed the qualification so that the top five on the European Tour list and the top five from the world rankings make the team. If there was only one category then I would add events to my schedule. Why do you think Montgomerie passed on giving you a wildcard when you were clearly playing well? Here's what happened. I was at The Barclays, two shots off the lead and playing well. I was told Monty would call me before my tee time. Ten minutes before I'm due to play my phone rings and Monty tells me they've gone another way and I'm not going to get picked. All I could say was, "I'm teeing off in 10 minutes." It took every bit of energy to play and I kept replaying in my mind what had just happened. Padraig Harrington was playing on the course with Paul Casey and Padraig's wife gets the call saying he's in. She gives a thumbs-up to Padraig. Paul figures out what's going on but gets no indication from anyone about his own position; he assumes [correctly] that he didn't get picked. Luke Donald was seven-under through nine holes and gets the message that's he's made the team. He then goes six-over on the back nine. He played with it on his mind. It was a disruptive day. Paul was ranked number eight in the world, has a stellar Ryder Cup record and is known as the match play king. There was a lot of head scratching going on. Are there any areas on the business side of golf that you have an interest in? If I wasn't a golfer I would liked to have been an architect, to put something down on paper and bring an idea to life. For that reason golf course design really interests me. To have a piece of land and to be able to transform it into something you've envisaged would be something to be really proud of. HKGOLFER.COM

insight

Starting Strong: In 1960, Arnold Palmer became IMG's first client; Guy Kinnings (inset)

Beyond Talent Lewine Mair talks to IMG's Guy Kinnings, agent to the likes of Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington, about what management companies look for in aspiring tour professionals

AFP

uy Kinnings, the co-head of IMG golf, remembers a conversation he had with the late Mark McCormack when the latter was talking about the qualities he sought in a potential golf client. McCormack, who founded his International Management Group in 1960, put talent above all else: “Give me a player with raw talent and we can help with the rest of what’s needed.” In McCormack’s eyes, the player who had oodles of charisma and good looks but no talent was a non-starter. Having joined IMG after a spell as a London solicitor, Kinnings is well-placed to expand on that theme. “Where you have golfers with the talent, the necessary work ethic and the X factor, that’s the optimum,” he says. “That’s what McCormack had with in his first client, Arnold Palmer and it’s the combination which lends itself to building brands and good global marketing and merchandising opportunities.” Kinnings goes through the list of all-time great IMG clients, some of whom have gone on to build their own empires. After Palmer came Jack Nicklaus and after Nicklaus, Gary Player. Then came Greg Norman, and after Norman, Tiger Woods. As Kinnings says, each in his own way was blessed with everything it takes. Today, IMG has between 70 and 80 golf clients aged 17 to the octogenarian Palmer, although Woods is no longer part of the fold having followed ex-IMG agent Mark Steinberg to the latter's Excel Sports Management in May of last year. Each is picked and then courted with care. IMG has its own talent scouts dotted around the world, while the company will also listen

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to others in the know. On some occasions, it will be a client who has come across a promising youngster on his travels; on another, it will be a member of the press who has a gifted player on his patch. Again, there will be plenty of wou ld-b e c l ient s or t hei r parents who write in to the IMG headquarters. Kinnings knows what to look for in such letters. While he would not want to deter the child who spends most of his days on the practice ground, he does not want to hear that the boy or girl in question is playing golf to the exclusion of all else. “Things tend to work out better when golf isn’t the be all and the end all in a teenager’s life,” he suggests. “The ones who are bestsuited to the life of a professional golfer are those who can compartmentalise and have other things going on – schooling, a good family life and real friends.” Kinnings cites Padraig Harrington, a major winner who was so astute as to forge an agreement with IMG which stated that the company would give him a job as an accountant if he failed to make it as a golfer. “If Padraig hadn’t made it,” says Kinnings, “I have no doubt that he would have made his mark in the financial world. He has always known how to compartmentalise. He qualified as an accountant and he also signed off properly from his amateur career, playing in as many as three Walker Cups. “No professional," continues Kinnings, “works harder than he does but, as I say, he has everything in its place. Golf is far from the only thing in his life. He has a great family, great friends and no shortage of interests.” He goes on to say that whenever he walked with Harrington to the practice range, the chances were that his player would discuss five or six different topics before getting round to golf. “He’s up to speed on all sorts of things,” says the manager. “When he gives speeches to captains of industry, something he’s done on several occasions, his interest in what they do shines through.” HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Kinnings mentions Colin Montgomerie as another in the Harrington mould. Like Harrington, Montgomerie has a university background and, again like the Irishman, he fulfilled his amateur ambitions before turning professional, in his case playing in two Walker Cups. Montgomerie captained the 2010 Ryder Cup side and made a success of all that entails, and despite his somewhat surly reputation during tournament play, there is apparently noone more in demand as a Pro-Am partner than Monty. Kinnings sees Lee Westwood, from the rival ISM stable, as someone else who has grown off the course as much as on in his playing years and has what it takes to put Pro-Am partners and everyone at ease. Much the same applies to world number one Luke Donald.

AFP

Padraig Harrington, a three-time major winner, was so astute as to forge an agreement with IMG which stated that the company would give him a job as an accountant if he failed to make it as a golfer.

Here, Kinnings makes specific mentions of the player’s artistic talents. Englishman Donald, who studied art at Northwestern in Chicago, painted a programme cover for the Western Open on at least one occasion – and has a genuine interest in art in general. Kinnings recalls listening with interest to the tributes Donald paid to his father who died towards the end of last year. “Luke,” he remembers, “said that his father had been proud of his golf but that he had always been more interested in his development as a person, which is as it should be.” Matteo Manassero, who still takes time out from the circuit to sit school exams, and Tom Lewis, are two of IMG’s more recent signings and Kinnings could not be more impressed with either. “The two of them came virtually readymade,” he marvels. Manassero speaks four or five different la ng uages a nd, l ike Ha rring ton a nd Montgomerie, made a presentation to the International Olympic Committee when the various golfing bodies were seeking to have golf included in the Summer Games of 2016. “He was only sixteen at the time but he was an absolute stand-out,” says Kinnings. The IMG man knew that Lewis already had the so-called ‘X factor’ but even he marvelled

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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at the interview which the 21-year-old gave at Royal St George’s following the 65 with which he shared the first-round lead of the Open. He knew, instinctively, what to say, not least when it came to talking about Tom Watson, his playing companion and the golfer after whom he was named. At the same time, he knew to thank everyone who had helped him in his amateur career, including his family and the English Golf Union. “Neither Matteo or Tom is limited to talking about birdies and bogeys,” says Kinnings, before paying tribute to the way they were raised. Kinnings has no doubt that it is tough for the parents of a potential star to get things right. “It’s exciting to have a gifted child, of course it is,” he says. “What the parents must do is to allow that talent to grow but not at the cost of everything else. They have to make sure they are not running an oppressive regime; that they are giving their offspring the chance to develop as people." Kinnings stresses that IMG is not in the business of dragging boys and girls out of school and out of the amateur game. “For the most part,” he begins, “we want to see them carrying on with what they have been doing uninterrupted. If players have got to the top of the amateur ranks, the chances are that the setup is excellent already. They probably have the best in support from family and friends and they will almost certainly be working with a good coach. HKGOLFER.COM

"We look to build on what they have and to give them the opportunities and financial help they might need at the outset of their careers." Since IMG run between 45 and 50 men’s and women’s tournaments every year, they are ideally-placed to give playing opportunities to up and coming clients. All of which can be hugely important where, say, a player has missed out at qualifying school and is struggling for openings. You ask Kinnings if IMG see anyone who has won the Open Championship as someone they would want on their books and he explains that the Open champion label has a cachet which makes for good business every time. Yet he insists that he would not dream of putting another client’s nose out of joint in a bid to get the player in question. “The most satisfying scenario,” he says, “is when you have a client with whom you stick through thick and thin, and who eventually comes through to achieve his dream. “That’s the ultimate.”

Through the Ages (clockwise from top left): The late Mark McCormack, founder of IMG, Tom Lewis, who starrred at last year's Open Championship when still an amateur, joined the management group soon afterwards; no-one works harder at his craft than Padraig Harrington, says Kinnings

“It’s exciting to have a gifted child, of course it is. What the parents must do is to allow that talent to grow but not at the cost of everything else. They have to make sure they are not running an oppressive regime; that they are giving their offspring the chance to develop as people." HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Resurgent Lam Claims Thriller Former wunderkind rallies to win the Hong Kong Close Amateur at the last gasp PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL WONG

teven Lam ended the season on a high by holing a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green to claim the Mizuno Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship in dramatic fashion at a frigid Fanling over the Lunar New Year. Nineteen-year-old Lam, who had entered the final round with a three-shot advantage over perennial championship contender Max Wong, looked to have ruined his chances of a second victory in the tournament after three-putting the 16th green to give the experienced Wong, who birdied the same hole, a slender lead coming down the last.

But after Lam's clutch putt, which was set up by a fine sixiron from 170 yards, Wong agonisingly missed a four footer for par that would have taken the championship to a sudden-death play-off. "It feels great to have won because it was such a tough day," admitted Lam, who last won the tournament in 2009 and booked his berth at November's Hong Kong Open by virtue of the victory. "I knew I had to make a birdie on 18 to have any chance, but it was hard on Max. I didn't expect him to bogey." It was indeed hard on Max. Wong, who had been outdriving Lam consistently throughout the round, had clawed his way back

Final Standings

Former champion Roderick de Lacy Staunton got off to a bright start and finished only three shots back Max Wong, who played the best of anyone over the final three rounds, was left to rue a poor opening 79

Pressure Putt: Lam celebrates holing a curling left-toright 15-footer on the final green HKGOLFER.COM

Steven Lam

71 69 75 72

287

Max Wong

79 68 71 70

288

Roderick de Lacy Staunton

71 71 75 73

290

Shinichi Mizuno

76 71 77 68

292

Antony Lung

77 75 77 71

300

Oliver Roberts

74 76 79 72

301

Winston Wu

75 76 74 78

303

Ron Totton

73 79 76 77

305

Matthew Cheung

77 75 76 77

305

10=

Doug Williams

75 79 77 76

307

Anthony Tam

74 77 80 76

307

Tim Orgill

79 73 77 79

308

13=

Jonathan Yeap

79 78 78 74

309

Mark McDonald

73 81 78 77

309

15=

Marcus Lam

79 79 80 78

316

Michael Stott

76 80 80 80

316

Jay Won

78 76 84 79

317

Alexander Jewkes

78 78 79 83

318

Tony Jiang

79 79 75 86

319

Ian Chung

80 75 80 85

320

HK Golferă&#x192;ťFEB 2012

An intelligent filter The judgement to spot talent early; the expertise to nurture it. Blending the finest solutions for clients.

Close Contenders (clockwise from top): The long-hitting Oliver Roberts earned solo sixth place; reigning champion Shinichi Mizuno finished with a flourish; Winston Wu's seventh place rounded out a solid season 38

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

into the reckoning thanks to a stellar display on the greens. The miss on the last was wholly uncharacteristic, not that the man himself was complaining once the groans from the gallery assembled by the green had died down. "Hey, I tried," said Wong. Lam, who finished on a four-round total of 287 (seven-over-par) – one ahead of Wong and three ahead of another past champion, Roderick de Lacy Staunton – has experienced a rather topsy-turvy year. At the same event in 2011,

he was well off the pace, finishing 12 strokes behind winner Shinichi Mizuno, who put in a stout defence of his title, carding a fine finalround 68 to finish in fourth. Overlooked for Hong Kong's Putra Cup team in September, Lam then struggled at the UBS Hong Kong Open qualifying event at Kau Sai Chau, slumping to a second-round 81 over a course on which he holds the amateur course record – 65. Not the kind of displays that Lam, who has been put in the shade by the likes of Jason Hak, Liu Lok-tin and Mizuno in recent times, would like to be reminded of. But there have been highlights. On the HKGA summer tour of the United States, Lam finished one-under-par at the prestigious SCPGA Jack Kramer Memorial tournament to place fifth and then carded three solid rounds at the rain-shortened Masters Golf Fashion Hong Kong Open Amateur at Discovery Bay in October to earn second place and end the tournament as the top Hong Kong player. That performance, combined with this Fanling win, helped Lam to the 2011/2012 HKGA Order of Merit title. "I haven't played my best for a long time," admitted Lam, who is eyeing a university place in September. "But I'm trying harder now. It's been difficult because a lot of my time has been taken up with school work and exams but I'm more focused than I have been for a long time and I'm really looking forward to playing in the Hong Kong Open again and playing good golf again."–Alex Jenkins HKGOLFER.COM

Proud sponsors of the EFG Bank Hong Kong Golf Association Junior Golf Programme.

Practitioners of the craft of private banking

Hong Kong : 18th Floor, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong, T +852 2298 3000 • Singapore : 25 North Bridge Road, #07-00 EFG Bank Building, Singapore 179104, T + 65 6595 4888. Also in Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Seoul and Taipei. EFG Bank is part of EFG International, which operates in 55 locations in over 30 countries. www.efginternational.com

results

The Hong Kong Golf Club Tim Orgill (pictured) won the Jasper Clark Cup, which is considered the club’s premier stroke play competition, in mid November. Played over the Old, New and Eden courses, Orgill fired a three-round total of 221, two better than closest rival Max Wong in second place, to claim the title for the first time ... HKGC defeated Singapore Island Country Club by 36.5 points to 16.5 on 10 December ... Joe Pethes eased to victory in the Seniors Golfers Cup on 11 December with 30 gross stableford points; Hugh de Lacy Staunton won the nett section with 37 points ... On 18 December Hung Hak-yau claimed a count back win at the Arthur Woo Trophy with 28 points ... John Blackwood won the Lusitania Cup, a bogey competition, on 8 January with -8.

Jay Won defeated Stuart Wichester to win the Match Play Championship at Discovery Bay GC

Tim Orgill captured the Jasper Clark Cup at the Hong Kong GC

news

Solid Results for HK at China Junior

Lam and Ho Claim Mizuno Winter Wins

Nansha Golf Club in Guangdong was the venue for the 2012 HSBC China Junior Open in mid January, an event that saw Hong Kong golfers earn some highly credible results. Humphrey Wong (tied sixth) and Leon D'Souza (tied 10th) performed well in the boys' 13-14 age division, while Michelle Cheung's three-round total of 234 earned her a share of tie for fourth in the girls' 15-18 bracket. But it was Mimi Ho who had the top Hong Kong result, rounds of 77, 75 and 76 giving her solo second spot in the girls' 15-18 division, five shots behind the winner, Ji Rong from China. Ho's scores, combined with those of her teammates – Cheung, D'Souza and Bibendum Leung – meant Hong Kong finished the team event in a share of fourth.

Marcus Lam and Mimi Ho were the big winners at the Mizuno Winter Junior Tournament, which was played over the South Course at the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau in late December. Lam put in a solid performance, carding rounds of 70 and 69 for a one-overpar total and a five-shot victory over Hong Kong international Shinichi Mizuno in second place. Matthew Cheung finished third, a further two strokes adrift. In the overall girls' division, Ho continued her recent run of fine form with a blistering 66 in the second round to ease to a seven-stroke win. The Discovery Bay Golf Club member finished on a twoday total of 136 (two-underpar). Fellow international Kitty Tam ended the event in second place, five shots ahead of Michelle Cheung in third spot. A mong the highlights from the other divisions, Fritz Lo's second-round 67 helped earn him victory in the boys' 11-12 age bracket.

Discovery Bay Golf Club Ron Totton capped off a fine first season in Hong Kong with victory at the Club Championship in late November. Canadianborn Totton shot rounds of 73 and 72 for a two-day total of 145 and a slender one-shot victory over Hong Kong international Shinichi Mizuno in second place ... Jay Won (pictured) defeated Stuart Winchester 5&4 in the final of the Match Play Championship two weeks earlier ... Mr and Mrs YH Chin emerged victorious at the KS Hyun Mixed Greensome Cup in mid December with a net score of 62.

EFG Bank Tour Final The Hong Kong Golf Club's Deep Water Bay course was the venue for the third edition of the EFG Bank Junior Tour Grand Final in mid-January. The event, which was open to golfers up to the age of 14, was highlighted by a number of fine individual performances and was attended by EFG's Asia Chief Executive Albert Chiu, who was on hand to present the prizes.

Champions Boys 13-14: Girls 13-14: Boys 11-12: Girls 11-12: Boys 9-10: Girls 9-10: Boys 8 & Under: Girls 8 & Under:

Calvin Li Emily Vickie Leung Taiga Iwasa Vivian Li Max Ting Selina Li Brandon Chan Inara Sharma

The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau

Daniel Wong

Eugene Pak won the 2011 Founder’s Cup, held on 18 December, with a two-round gross total of 156; Tse Siu-kee, with 137, won the nett division ... Pak teamed up with Samuel Lee, Peter Chan and David Chu to shoot 63 and win the 2012 New Year Scramble on 1 January on count back ... Diana White won the ladies’ January Stableford on count back from Miki Motogui with 25 points ... One week later, on 11 January, Mari Maeda shot an 86 to claim the gross prize at the January Medal. 40

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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Hawaiian Double for Max Max Ting won the US Kids Golf Hawaiian Classic for the second year in a row in the third week of December. Battling the extremely windy conditions at the Ka'anapali Golf Resort, 11-year-old Ting capped off matching rounds of 76 with a final-day 77 to claim the title wire-to-wire by four shots. Thanks to the win, Ting will represent Hong Kong at the US Kids World Championship, which will be held at the worldrenowned Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina this August. HKGOLFER.COM

Daniel Wong

Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club

Dicky Lee, Wan Yat-leung, Wong Oi-lan and Wong Oi-mei emerged victorious at the Kowloon Watch Co x Seiko 2011 JCKSC Team Championship in mid November. Their team, Ocean, recorded a stableford score of 126 to win by two points ... John O’ Doherty shot the best gross score at the now TV Presents 2011 JCKSC Masters in December; Ruby Yim won the ladies and junior division, while Ma Chak-lin and Mabel Mak won the nett prizes ... Chui Yuen-ming and Rebecca Au, with 83 points, won the Kowloon Watch Co x Cover Watches New Year Pairs Trophy event on 2 January. Cheung Ping and Jacky Chan placed second with 79.

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

junior golf

Michelle Cheung

Charles McLaughlin

he start of 2012 couldn’t be a better time to reflect on the previous golfing year, as well as setting goals for the months ahead. I’ll be honest – when I look back at 2011, there isn’t a tournament that pops up in my head as 'the best' or 'the worst'. However, when I break down the year month by month, it is quite easy to differentiate my better rounds from my mediocre ones. The highlight of the first quarter was the Queen Sirikit Cup (Asia-Pacific Women’s Team Championship) in India. Travelling to India itself was a great experience and the tournament was even better. Despite not getting to travel around the country, my teammates – Mimi Ho and Tiana Lau – and I still got to experience Indian culture and hospitality at first hand. Delhi Golf Club, where the tournament was held, was beautiful and proved to be a challenge. I placed 25th with scores of 80, 76, 76. The summer tour to the United States last year was equally exciting as my previous trips there. I thought I played quite well in the Oak Valley Cup, a match play event, since I won both my matches. The last tournament we played, the Yorba Linda Invitational, was another tournament I enjoyed. I finished tied for second with scores of 73 and 75. However, I hope to perform better at the Junior Worlds Cheung will this year, if I'm picked, since I didn’t make the cut this time. A big shout be working on out of thanks to Brad Schadewitz, the national coach, for training us in increasing her distance off preparation for the tournaments we played. Thanks to him I learned how the tee in 2012 to play a lot of different shots from around the greens. Another major achievement of 2011 was being a co-chair for the St James' Settlement charity tournament. Liu Lok-tin, Kimberley shots. I would love to gain some distance off Wong and myself held weekly meetings with the staff at St James' to organize the tee as well because it makes courses much and discuss the event. We called sponsors for both in-kind and cash donations more manageable. and I’m sure we would all agree the outcome of the tournament was fantastic. Maintaining a good balance between We raised over half a million dollars and managed to get 100 people to participate school and golf is certainly very important. at the tournament, which was played at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. I'm quite pleased with my grades so far; the I felt great that we could contribute to a local charity in such a big way and it was goal is to achieve a good IB (International truly a great experience to see through an important event. Baccalaureate) predicted grade while continuing I feel that my game has improved and matured as I have gained a lot to play well in events. more tournament experience through playing major events such as the World I hope to be able to make the teams Amateur and the Asian Games towards the end of 2010. Those were both for the Queen Sirikit Cup in Singapore, the amazing experiences and I thought they were crucial to the development of my summer tour and the World Amateur this year. game – especially with my nerves. Standing on the first tee used to be really I am particularly excited about the latter since frightening regardless of the tournament I was playing; however, after playing in it's going to be held in Turkey and that sounds such significant tournaments I now feel much more calm standing on the first tee incredibly interesting. at events back home. The Asian Games was probably the first event where I had Overall, the past 12 months have people that I did not know watching me play. It was definitely nerve-wrecking at been great. I have learned to focus on the good the time but it also prepared me to play under different conditions. rounds and forget about the bad ones and am I’ve worked quite hard on my swing this past year and the next area to motivated to keep practicing. It makes me believe improve is definitely my short game, which I consider to be my main weakness. I can do better. I'll be focusing on my putting and also those awkward 30 to 40-yard pitch HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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The ever-improving teenager writes about her 2011 season and her goals for the year ahead

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GOLF TRAVEL

Broadening Horizons These five destinations might not be synonymous with golf in the same vein as Bangkok, Hainan and Kunming, but they offer alternative and no less appealing landscapes in which to play, writes Alex Jenkins

A Player’s Guide

Qingdao Northern Delights

James Liu/Tiger Beach Golf Links

Home to Tsingtao, China's biggest and most successful brewery, this former German concession in the northern province of Shandong hosted the sailing events during the Beijing Olympics – but it's golf that we're interested in and this place comes up trumps, except perhaps during winter when the temperature drops significantly and the chance of snow is very real.

Sand and Sea: The par-4 seventh hole at Tiger Beach Golf Links near Qingdao, one of Asia's most unique courses 44

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

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next door to Danang Golf Club. Incorporating numerous water hazards and large, modernstyle bunkering, it would be stretching the truth to suggest this was a links in the true sense of the word, but it's certainly a high quality track, one which features firm fairways and large, wellmaintained putting surface. Despite occupying very similar land, the Dunes and Montgomerie Links are very different courses but they complement each other and it is this balance that makes Danang such a fine destination. The only real caveat to the place is getting there. There has been talk of reinstating a direct flight to Danang from Hong Kong but this has yet to materialise. It's a shame because although transiting in either Ho Chi Minh City of Hanoi is straightforward enough, Danang, with its fine hotels, top-rate beaches, growing bar and restaurant scene and great golf, would only be a 90-minute flight away, as opposed to the four hours it currently takes to get there.

The most famous course in the area – and one of the most unique in Asia – is Tiger Beach Golf Links (tigerbeach.com), an hour and a half's drive north of the city. China's purest links course, this seaside layout is the work of Beta Soong, Tiger Beach's millionaire owner who also owns the highly respected Silport Club to the west of Shanghai, who was inspired to recreate the type of courses he enjoyed on several trips to Scotland. The results are astonishing. Built in 2000 on sandy soil and facing the full force of the Yellow Sea and its brutish winds, the course, with its pot bunkers and kneehigh fescue rough looks – and plays – like the real deal. There's even a replica of the Swilcan Bridge at the par-5 fourth and goats can be seen grazing in the rough. Memorable doesn't even begin to describe it. Because of its proximity to the Korean peninsula (Seoul is only an hour's f light away), Qingdao has a large Korean expatriate community, the majority of who like nothing more than to tee it up. As a result, a number of new courses have sprung up in recent times. The best of these is Shi Lao Ren Golf Club (sodogolf.com), an immaculately presented modern-style track on the water's edge just 20 minutes from town. James Liu/Tiger Beach Golf Links

Getting there: Dragonair (dragonair.com) flies direct to Qingdao daily (Flying time: 3 hours, 10 minutes). Where to stay: Five-star offerings at the Shangri-La (shangri-la.com) and InterContinental (ihg.com), while Tiger Beach Golf Links has 22 basic rooms on-site. Need to know: Qingdao International Beer Festival takes place between 11-16 August, 2012 46

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Danang Seaside Specials

The central Vietnamese coast is booming, with hotels, resorts and, latterly, golf courses all going up at – for Vietnam, at least – unprecedented pace. Danang is the hub of this new development and it is here, just 15 minutes from the airport and within easy reach of ancient Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you'll find the fabulous Dunes Course at Danang Golf Club (danangolfclub.com). Designed by Australian Harley Kruse during his employment with Greg Norman's architect ural business, t he Dunes is an intriguing – and wonderful – cross between a pure links and sandbelt course. Rampaging through sand hills and surrounded on all sides by sparsely vegetated scrubland, this is as natural a course as you're ever likely to play in Asia; ignore the Indochina War-era pillbox next to the 17th tee on the edge of famed China Beach, and you could forgive yourself for thinking you were playing Kingston Heath or one of the other great Melbourne courses. Make no mistake, the Dunes is a thrilling course – but one that is very playable by almost all level of golfer. Lost balls are a rarity; low scoring, on the other hand, is confined to those who can avoid the magnificent fairway and greenside bunkering while at the same time mastering the slopes on the contoured greens. Colin Montgomerie has put his name to a number of courses in Asia but the best of the bunch is the Montgomerie Links Vietnam (montgomerielinks.com), which is located right HKGOLFER.COM

Getting there: There are no direct flights between Hong Kong and Danang at present, so a transit in either Ho Chi Minh City (Flying time: 2 hours) or Hanoi (1 hour, 45 minutes) is required. Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines.com) operates numerous daily flights to Danang from both cities (1 hour). Where to stay: Just 10 minutes from both courses

lies the stunning all-villa Nam Hai (thenamhai. com), arguably Vietnam's finest resort hotel. Another sophisticated option is the hip Fusion Maia Resort (fusionmaiadanang.com), which boasts one of the most talked about spas in the country. Need to know: Most nationalities require a visa to enter Vietnam. Danang is one of three airports – the others being Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – that process visas on arrival for certain nationalities. Visit vietnamconsulate-hongkong.org for more information.

Manila Capital Crackers

It seems ridiculous to suggest that the capital of the Philippines is an undiscovered destination for the travelling golfer, but it's certainly true that Manila doesn't rank high on the list of places that many would consider going with the sole intention of teeing it up. Quite why this is is difficult to gauge but it's fair to say that unlike, say, Thailand, the Philippines hasn't exactly been proactive in terms of marketing its golfing venues, of which there are many. This is a shame because Manila could well have the finest selection of courses of any capital city in southeast Asia. Golf is not new to the country. The game is thought to have been played here as early as the

Tom Harack/Mandarin Media

Surprises in Store: Tiger Beach's replica Swilcan Bridge (this page) makes an appearance at the par-5 fourth hole; the 18th at Danang Golf Club (right) provides a wonderful finish to a quite stunning finish

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centrepiece of a residential community, although sensibly the houses are set well back from the fairways and are seldom in view. Deep arroyos and a number of man-made lakes are the main obstacles to avoid at this agreeable members' club. There are at least another eight or so clubs in the Manila environs that are worth a visit – including the wonderfully scenic Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club near Lipa City – but we'll end this whirlwind tour at Manila Southwoods Golf & Country Club and its two Jack Nicklaus-designed courses. The pick of these, the Masters Course, has twice been voted by Asian Tour professionals as "venue of the year" and is a gloriously manicured layout that places an emphasis on strategy. Getting there: Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific. com) and Philippine Airlines (philippineairlines. com) operate numerous direct flights between Hong Kong and Manila per day (Flight time: 2 hours). Where to stay: The Peninsula (peninsula. com) and Shangri-La (shangri-la.com) are two excellent options in Makati. Need to know: Many private clubs in Manila require visitors to show a valid proof of handicap upon registration.

Siem Reap Temples and Tees

Alex Jenkins

There can be few places that rival Siem Reap for combining high-quality golf with highquality sightseeing. The incredible temples of Angkor are of course Siem Reap's main attraction – and the number one reason why foreigners visit Cambodia – but the town's two courses themselves are well worth the trip alone. The first course to have been built here, the Sofitel-managed Phokeethra Country Club (phokeethragolf.com), which opened for play in 2007, has hosted the Cambodian Open, an Asian Tour event, on two occasions and is a fun place to play. As is typical with most resort courses, Phokeethra isn't a monstrously difficult test, but with water featuring on all but one of the holes there's enough trouble here to keep things interesting. Course conditioning and on and off-course service is first-rate, as are the resort's practice facilities. Phokeethra is also one of the few courses in the world that is itself home to a significant archaeological find. Within its grounds stands a magnificent 11th century Khmer Empire 'Roluh' bridge. The bridge, which was renovated by Phokeethra, has now been declared a UNESCO preservation site 48

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and its image is used as the club's logo. A stronger challenge – and one of the finest courses to have opened in southeast Asia in recent years – awaits at the Nick Faldo-designed Angkor Golf Resort (angkor-golf.com), which is conveniently situated just five kilometres from Siem Reap's airport. Like Phokeethra, this is a low-lying site but the six-time major champion and his design team have sculpted a riveting and scenic test, one that is splendidly bunkered. Wallto-wall paspalum grass provide fabulous playing surfaces, while the water-laced par-4 18th provides a fitting conclusion to an undeniably good golf course. Getting there: There are no direct flights between Hong Kong and Siem Reap; the favoured option is to transit in Bangkok and connect with one of five daily Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) flights (Flying time: 1 hour). Another option is to fly with Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines. com) via either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Where to stay: Siem Reap is not short of luxury retreats: award winners include the 107-room Hotel de la Paix (hoteldelapaixangkor.com) and La Residence d'Angkor (www.residenceangkor.com). The FCC Angkor (fcccambodia.com) is another excellent option and offers stay and play packages.

Richard Castka/Sportpixgolf.com

Modern Marvels: Sherwood Hills (below), to the south of Manila, is one of the best Jack Nicklaus-designed courses in Asia; Sir Nick Faldo has produced a high quality and highly enjoyable track (right) near the temples of Angkor in Cambodia

late 1800s and the Philippine Open is the oldest national championship in the region, having started life in 1913. Filipinos are some of the most knowledgeable golfers around, and while many of the top courses – most of which are located off the South Luzon Expressway, within an hour's drive of the main business district of Makati – are private, a friendly email in advance of your trip explaining your purpose will more often than not result in a confirmed tee time. A personal favourite is Sherwood Hills Golf Club (+63 46 419 0578), an inland links-style track that thunders across pleasingly undulating terrain. The work of Jack Nicklaus's design company, Sherwood Hills is far more rugged in nature than the vast majority of Nicklaus courses and a tough test: impenetrable cogon grass and ravines often flank the generally wide fairways, making this a course the really wayward would do well to avoid. Sherwood finishes with two fabulous par-4s, the second of which leads you back to the splendid hacienda-like clubhouse. Stellar conditioning, beautiful landscaping and 27 holes of well thought out golf await at Sta Elena Golf Club (staelena.com). Designed by Robert Trent Jones II, the course is built over a former sugar plantation and forms the

Need to know: The Khmer New Year holiday takes place between 13-16 April, 2012.

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Sri Lanka Old School

Island Living: Victoria Golf and Country Club (above) is the best course in Sri Lanka; tradition abounds at Royal Colombo Golf Club (below)

With only four courses in the entire country, Sri Lanka is not exactly a fully-fledged golfing destination. But the journey from the capital Colombo to Victoria Golf and Country Club, the island's finest track, in the central hill country is among the most adventurous anywhere. In the old days, your transport options for getting to the spectacular Donald Steeldesigned course were limited to two rather

unappealing choices: a six-hour ride on a cramped, non aircond it ioned t ra i n or a five-hour drive up a windy – a nd at times, terrifying – m o u nt a i n r o a d by car. Now, thank goodness, you can fly: the Sri Lankan Air Taxi service from Colombo to Victoria is incredibly scenic, and the landing – wh ich ta kes place on an adjacent Victoria reservoir – is especially thrilling for those who seldom travel by seaplane. The flight itself takes on ly 4 0 m i nute s , making it possible to be standing on the f irst tee within an hour of landing in the country. W h i le Vic tor ia , a mou nt a i nou s a nd wonderfully picturesque course perched on the edge of the aforementioned reservoir, is undoubtedly the class of the island, lovers of colonial-era clubs will get a thrill at both Nuwara Eliya Golf Club (negolf.lk), situated at a height of some 6,000 feet above sea level in the former British hill station of the same name, and the venerable Royal Colombo Golf Club (rcgcsl.com), in the heart of the capital. Both courses can at times be a little scruffy around the edges but that's hardly the point: these are two of the most traditional clubs in Asia, something that is weirdly refreshingly in a continent where the vast majority of courses are less than 20 years old.

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Getting there: Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com) operates a daily flight to Colombo (with a stop in Bangkok), while Sri Lankan Airlines (srilankan.lk) flies three times a week (also stopping in Bangkok). Where to stay: The Earl's Regency (earlsregencykandy.com) in Kandy is a good choice and only 40 minutes by car from Victoria Golf and Country Club; for golfers visiting Nurawa Eliya the obvious place to stay is the St Andrew's Hotel (jetwinghotels.com), which radiates old world charm; CASA Colombo (casacolombo.com), right in the middle of the capital and less than 15 minutes from Royal Colombo, is a relatively new boutique hotel offering and highly recommended.

Alex Jenkins

Need to know: Be aware that Poya (the day of a full moon) is a public holiday and some courses will not be fully staffed. Bars are also closed (including those in clubhouses) during Poya and the drinking of alcohol is restricted to private areas.

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With over twenty years’ experience, HK Golfer Events is Hong Kong and southern China’s leading golf tournament and event organizers HK Golfer events is a division of HK Golfer, Hong Kong’s premier golf publication. Call (852) 3590 4153 or email info@hkgolferevents.com

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St Andrews Stunner: The par-5 18th hole at the David McLay Kidd-designed Castle Course, shot by David Cannon in 80mph winds

 BOOKS

Cannon on the Castle

veryone knows the Old Course, arguably the most famous piece of golfing terrain on the planet, but there are in fact another six courses, all of which are open to the public, which fall under the banner of the St Andrews Links. Together they form the largest public golf complex in Europe. The seventh of these layouts is the Castle Course, which opened for play in 2008 and was the first course to have opened in St Andrews for nearly a century. Designed by David McLay Kidd, the course is a rugged clifftop challenge, one that is very much exposed to the elements – as is highlighted in photographer David Cannon's latest book, Golf Courses: Britain and Ireland. "This was one of the great days for seaside photography," says Cannon. "I was shooting at the 2010 Dunhill Links Championship but play had been suspended because of 80mph winds, so I drove up to the Castle Course. It was an opportunity to catch the sea at its best with the flags barely able to stay in the ground. The 17th and 18th holes rival the views of any finish in the world. I was lucky to be able to hold the camera still enough to capture this picture of the par-5 finishing hole." – Alex Jenkins

Courtesy of David Cannon

David Cannon's Golf Courses: Britain and Ireland is published by Rizzoli and is priced at US$195. Available at all good online book stores it also features an introduction by Padraig Harrington and further texts by Sir Nick Faldo and Peter Alliss

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Geneva Greats (clockwise from top): Jean Richard's Highlands Big Life Limited Edition; the Lange 1 Toubillion Perpetual Calendar from A. Lange & Söhne; Cartier's Grand Complication Skeleton pocket watch; the Patrimony Traditionelle 14-Day Tourbillon from Vacheron Constantin 54

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Chronograph Top Gun Miramar is one of the most advanced chronograph movements ever produced by IWC. It has a flyback function as well as an analogue display for stopped minutes and seconds. The new Miramar versions feature matte grey for the case, beige and red numerals on the dial and a green textile strap. Unusually the minutes are arranged on the outer ring and the hours on the inner red ring, with the date window at 6 o’clock and the 7-day power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. Another big entry to watch out for, especially if you like sportswatches, is JeanRichard’s Highlands Big Life Limited Edition. At 44.5x40mm, the watch is just the right size of massive, and the PVD-coated case combined with the green bezel is stunning. The Highlands Big Life was designed in collaboration with British wildlife photographer Nick Brandt to support the Big Life Foundation, which aims to preserve the fauna and ecosystem of Africa. One of his most iconic photos, an elephant transfer, appears on the sapphire crystal caseback, throuch which one can also view the JR1000 automatic movement, which offers a 48-hour power reserve.

in-house calibre 2260 in the Patrimony Traditionelle series which features an astounding 14-day power reserve and a tourbillion. The Patrimony Traditionelle 14-Day Tourbillon is the first watch of the brand’s to pass the new Hallmark of Geneva criteria, which beginning June of this year will consider not only the movement but the timepiece as a whole, with criteria for the case, and tests for water resistance, functions, accuracy and power reserve. The handwound watch comes in a 42mm 18k pink gold case with transparent sapphire crystal caseback. Within runs the in-house Calibre 2260, which allows for the hours, minutes and small seconds, and tourbillion with 14-day (approximately 336 hours) power reserve, thanks to four barrels coupled in pairs. The dial comes in silver-toned opaline, with black painted indications. Cartier added to its iconic Tank range a new and streamlined model called the Tank Anglaise. The large version of the watch is fitted with the manufacture’s in-house automatic calibre 1904 MC, visible through the sapphire caseback. The timepiece comes in three ladies and men’s sizes in three colours of gold, with or without diamonds. It completes a trio of celebrated models, including the Tank Américaine, designed in 1987, and the braceletdesign Tank Française, launched in 1996. Girard-Perregaux continued in its classic stance with the 1966 Minute Repeater. A 42mm case in pink gold houses the manual winding E09-0001 movement, which has hours, minutes, small seconds and a minimum of hours of power reserve. The watch features the fine finishing the brand is well-known for, with a white enamel dial, pink gold applied numerals, leaf-shaped hands and fully patterned mainplate and bridges seen through the sapphire crystal caseback. A. Lange & Söhne presented the most complicated member of the Lange 1 family, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, which features the company’s first rotating peripheral month ring, a one-of-a-kind design that has been registered for patent. The underside of the ring has recesses of different depths for the respective durations of each month and features an innovative mechanism to move the ring and all the calendar elements simultaneously. The obvious difference between the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar and previous similar models is that the tourbillon is at the back. Fitted with the new automatic calibre L082.1, the watch delivers a 50-hour power reserve and is available in pink gold and platinum (limited to 100 pieces). Independent watchmaker Parmigiani also

This year, a clear focus was on reinventing the classics, toning and paring down existing models to cater to more slender wrists, which also meant going as thin and as skeletal as possible. Vacheron Constantin presented a new HKGOLFER.COM

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had a few tricks up its sleeve, presenting new additions to the Tonda and Kalparisma lines. One of the more striking pieces is the Tonda Retrograde Annual Calendar, fitted with a new in-house movement, the PF339 automatic, and the manufacture’s 17th to date. The 40mm watch features a retrograde date on the outer dial. The day of the week is positioned at 9 o'clock, and the month is at 3 o'clock. It offers two indications for the moon: one for the Northern hemisphere and one for the Southern hemisphere, on a subdial at 6 o’clock. The watch is offered in two versions: white gold with a black dial or red gold with a silver dial. The influence of China was ever more present, definitely backed by sales. China is expected to overtake Japan as the largest importer of luxury goods in 2011, and was the third largest importer of Swiss-made watches in 2010. As expected, there were many dragon motif watches, mostly set in precious metals and stones, and finished with intricate hand craftsmanship. These will be in boutiques within the next few months. While not quite as many as in previous years, there were brands that presented new concepts. HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Clever Concepts (clockwise from top): The Duometre à Spherotourbillon from Jaeger-LeCoultre; Richard Mille's RM 056 Tourbillon Split Seconds Felipe Massa Sapphire; the TimeWriter II Chronographe BiFréquence 1,000 from Montblanc; the Skeleton Flying Tourbillon from Roger Dubuis' Pulsion collection 56

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Wit h a diameter measuring 59.2mm, Cartier’s Grand Complication Skeleton pocket watch was certainly one of the bigger announcements of the year. It features a new inhouse movement with a skeleton tourbillion, monopusher chronograph, perpetual calendar, and eight-day power reserve, the calibre 9436MC. Encased in 18k white gold, the watch is the epitome of classic style with its 1930s-inspired numerals, which are part of the handwound movement. A limited edition of 10 pieces in white gold and five set with diamonds, the pocket watch comes mounted on a rock crystal obsidian base. Jaeger-L eCou lt re revea led its latest tourbil lon experi ment, a f ter its awardwinning Gyrotourbillon. The Duometre à Spherotourbillon is an addition to its line of watches created with the Dual-Wing concept, featuring two separate and independent mechanisms housed within a single case, one responsible for powering the time indications, and the other for driving an additional function. T he D uomet re à Spherotou rbi l lon’s compendium of indications are all fixed on the right side of the dial: there is an hour and minutes subdial with a date indicator, two power reserve indicators, for the function and the movement, and a 24-hour second time zone display with small seconds. But what draws your attention is

the Spherotourbillon on the lower left side of the watch: a double-axis tourbillon, which carriages rotate at different speeds, effectively cancelling out the effects of gravity in all positions. The inner carriage is in titanium, inclined at a 20-degree angle and completing a revolution in 15 seconds. The main carriage completes a revolution in 30 seconds, so it’s really amazing to watch in action. Jaeger-LeCoultre highlights that this is a chronometer-grade watch, and the first tourbillon adjustable to the nearest second, with a flyback function that can be reset without stopping the balance wheel. The watch is fitted with the Calibre 382 that offers reserve power of 50 hours. The 42mm Duometre a Spherotourbillon comes in an 18k rose gold case. Speaking of tourbillions, Richard Mille presented one that really we could see through. Literally. The R M 056 Tourbillon Split Seconds Felipe Massa Sapphire is a typical high-tech Richard Mille watch, except that it’s built into a sapphire crystal case that allows you to see the inner workings of the movement from all angles. (And with a 3-D presentation it was amazing!) A material that is next only to diamond on the Mohs hardness scale, sapphire crystal is incredibly scratch-resistant. The only downside is that you can’t drop the watch for risk of HKGOLFER.COM

shattering, and the material is quite heavy. In fact, to offset the additional weight of the case, the movement had to be reduced by 20 per cent, requiring more than 400 new parts. The baseplate is now skeletonised and uses grade five titanium. The RM056 features a handwound tourbillion movement with hours, minutes, splitseconds chronograph, power reserve and torque and function indicators. At Montblanc, t he biggest novelt y is the new TimeWriter II Chronographe Bi-Fréquence 1,000. Having established itself as a specialist in chronographs, the brand reveals a highly complicated one that can measure up to 1/1000th of a second. The watch is somehow similar to the one presented by TAG Heuer recently called the Mikrograph, except this one has a longer power reserve of 45 minutes (compared to two and a half minutes for the Mikrograph), and it’s also production ready (TAG’s was a concept watch). Plus the Bi-Frequence’s chronograph display can be read instantly, without requiring complex calculations. The watch was developed with Spanish watchmaker Bartomeu Gomila, who devised the patented measuring device. Developed at Montblanc’s manufacture in Villeret, the watch comes in a 47mm white gold case, with a skeletonised dial and an easy-to-read dashboardstyle indicator at 12 o’clock for the millennial microseconds. The Montblanc TimeWriter II Chronographe Bi-Fréquence 1,000 will be limited to 36 pieces. There were also a couple of watchmakers, like Roger Dubuis, that presented entirely new collections. A line that highlights transparency, robustness, reliability and delicacy, Pulsion is immediately identifiable by the sapphire crystal screwed directly onto its case, enabling the hour indications to be engraved under the crystal. The flagship model is the Skeleton Flying Tourbillon, which is housed in a 44mm titanium case, and equipped with the in-house, Hallmark of Geneva calibre RD505SQ. The handwound movement beats at 21,600vph and has a 60-hour power reserve. The company also introduced a new ladies line, called Velvet, with the first watch in 36mm black titanium watches set with amethysts and spinels intertwined like a Byzantine mosaic. If you’re thinking about giving your significant other a watch for a gift, then this is the year to do it, as there were quite a number of impressive jewellery and complicated watches for women. There go my first picks from SIHH. Do take note that there were many other watches that deserve mention, which I am sure to bring up in future editions. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned! HKGOLFER.COM

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 TEE TIME

Style and Substance Having established itself as a master of movements, gold bracelets and jewelled timepieces, Piaget underlines its expertise with a record-breaking watch, an all-new men’s collection, and various additions to its iconic Polo line, writes Evan Rast

f you’re out to score style points this 2012, then you must read up on the watches that will take you to that next level of cool. Piaget has long been a brand upholding mastery in both watchmaking techniques and aesthetics. As a result, their timepieces are created with the perfect balance of style and substance – and this dragon year is no different. Hot from SIHH, the company presented the thinnest recorded skeleton watch, the Altiplano Ultra-Thin Skeleton Automatic, measuring 5.34mm tall, fitted with the world’s thinnest automatic movement, the 1200S, a wee 2.4mm tall. With a solid history in ultra-thin movements – now 18 in total – Piaget has constantly strengthened this highly technical segment with innovations like the Altiplano Ultra-thin Skeleton Automatic. Compared with the 1200P movement from which the 1200S is based, the new calibre’s hour-wheel bridge has been slimmed, and the micro-rotor made from 950 platinum for sturdiness. The 38mm timepiece comes in an 18k white gold case. Within the striking skeletonised dial are black dauphin hands, satin-brushed plate and bridges, and a black platinum satin-brushed micro-rotor engraved with the Piaget coat of arms. The open-worked design offers a riveting display of movement, shapes, and finishes. A ll new this year from the Black Tie collection is the Gouverneur, primarily a men’s line of dress watches. Set apart by its round case and oval dial, the Gouverneur is presented in three variations: an automatic with hours and minutes, automatic chronograph, and a tourbillon. The pink gold models come with brown alligator straps, while the white gold models have bezels set in diamonds. The Gouverneur, at 43mm, was built for understated elegance: perfect for evening events,

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but wearable in the daytime. The round and oval combo is cleverly structured, moving from the watch exterior to the dial centre. A round case, an oval dial opening, and a circle on the dial creates an unusual yet stylish symmetry. And last but not least, for the distinguished sportsman (and woman), Piaget offers the Polo. A balance between comfort and aesthetics, the Piaget Polo has undergone an evolution since it was created 33 years ago. The shape of the watch has been made softer, the numerals and hour markers have been upgraded for better readability, and the date was added to the list of indications. But what makes the Piaget polo line stand out is the perfect integration of its case, bezel and strap. It makes the watch easy to wear, and fits snugly on any wrist. In 2009, Piaget presented the edgy Piaget Polo FortyFive, which has since become one of the brand’s best-selling watches. Sportier and HKGOLFER.COM

featuring a titanium version with a rubber strap, the watch comes alive with a black and red dial with luminescent numerals. Last year, Piaget introduced the Polo FortyFive chronograph blue, a combination of deep blue counters and a black dial fitted with the calibre 880P chronograph with flyback function and 50-hour power reserve. In addition to the hours, minutes, small seconds and date, the watch also displays a second time zone (in 24-hours) at 9 o’clock. Looking to go a bit more robust in terms of complications? Go for the Polo FortyFive perpetual calendar. Now in a combination of pink gold and titanium, the rubber strap is enhanced by pink gold accents, called gadroons. The watch is fitted with the in-house automatic Calibre 855P, and as perpetual calendars do, is able to keep track of calendar irregularities until the year 2100.

Master Movements (clockwise from opposite): Piaget presented the thinnest recorded skeleton watch, the Altiplano UltraThin Skeleton Automatic, at SIHH last month; the elegant new Gouverneur from Piaget's Black Tie collection; the sporty Polo FortyFive chronograph blue HK Golfer・FEB 2012

The company also presented the Polo FortyFive Lady, which follow in the footprints of the men’s model in a smaller diameter of 38mm. The watch is available in a taupe grey dial in white gold case, as well as a chocolate brown dial in pink gold case, with diamond-set bezels and hour markers. The straps feature the same gold accents on the rubber. Water-resistant to 50 metres, this is a watch you can count on for versatility. The Piaget Polo on gold bracelets have also been streamlined and now come in three versions: gem-set, partially gem-set, or pave, with diamonds adorning the bezel, dial, bracelet, or everything at once. A different movement powers each model. The ladies’ models are equipped with the Calibre 690P, while the men’s watches are either the Calibre 540P automatic or the Calibre 534P automatic with date. Ensuring their commitment to creativity and an ongoing pursuit of excellence in technique and aesthetics, Piaget’s watches are the answer to a stylish you this dragon year.

Spotted!

Damien Hirst at Gagosian Gallery The 12th January saw the Hong Kong opening of an exciting new exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery in Central. “Damien Hirst: Complete Spot Paintings 1986 -2011” is a first for the renowned global chain of galleries in that all 11 locations are running it simultaneously. Hosted by Nick Simunovic, Managing Director of Gagosian Gallery in Asia, the opening and private dinner at Otto e Mezzo Bombana was attended by many noted collectors and artists, including Yu Mingfang, Hsueh and Stella Sung, Mina and Steve Martinez, Max and Monique Burger, and the legendary Zeng Fanzhi. Hirst, the former “enfant terrible” of the BritArt movement and a key figure in the Young British Artists (YBAs) group in the 1990s, has become internationally successful, if no less controversial. His spot paintings have become as immediately recognizable as his spin paintings, animals in formaldehyde and his Pharmacy pieces. Featuring loans from public institutions and private collections, as well as the artist, the show will run through to the 18th February at Gagosian, 7th floor, Pedder Building, Pedder Street, Central.–CM For more information visit www.gagosian.com

Ian Tang, Yu Mingfang, Zeng Fanzhi, Dai Wenbin and Xi Li

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gallery

Perfect Polos (clockwise from top): The Polo FortyFive, now in a combination of pink gold and titanium; the ladies' model of the Piaget Polo on gold bracelets are equipped with the Calibre 690P movement; the Polo FortyFive Lady is available in a taupe grey dial in white gold case

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So-Yon Sohn, Melanie Simunovic, and Haewon Hwang

Stefan Rihs and Max Burger

Stella and Hsueh Sung with Nick Simunovic

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events

Audemars Piguet Golf Day With Ian Poulter

Daniel Wong

Audemars Piguet, the luxury Swiss watch brand, hosted another superb day of golf at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club prior to December's UBS Hong Kong Open. Thirty-six lucky guests were joined by 2010 Hong Kong Open champion and Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter – one of several world-class players from the AP golfing stable – who played all 18 holes of the spectacular seaside course and proffered tips and advice throughout. "Poults" didn't disappoint, winning many new friends with his relaxed and easy-going style, a smile and a quip never far away. Afterwards, more guests joined the group for an intimate dinner at the club before well-known television commentator and emcee for the evening Dougie Donnelly conducted an entertaining interview with Ian. "It's been a wonderful day on a wonderful golf course," said Ian, who went on to finish in a tie for fourth at Fanling in defence of his title. "AP always put on a great show."–CM

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

80s, early 90s when we had Seve [Ballesteros] and Woosie [Ian Woosnam], Nick [Faldo], Bernhard [Langer], Sandy [Lyle] – the Big Five. And yourself ... In a little way, yeah. I think we are going through a very sweet moment. It's true that it will be important to have those players for the Ryder Cup but what really counts is that those players play well enough [to earn points]. You're obviously a veteran of the Ryder Cup as a player but sitting in the captain's chair, can you tell us how the responsibilities impact on you this far out? Well, this far out, you know you have to be careful on what you say, what you do. There is a lot of media attention and so on. For instance, when we went to Chicago last September for the “Year Out” function, the media attention was huge there. You had things to do: Hit a shot from the 16th floor of Trump Tower, which was very windy, and actually I think [US captain] Davis [Love III] and myself were under a lot of pressure from the fire department chief! But, you know, up to now, the responsibility has been mainly off the course doing meetings, making decisions regarding clothing and golf bags and attire and things like that. But I think as the day gets closer, obviously that attention will change from being outside the golf course to the golf course.

"I think I'm saying this from my own experience. I'm pretty sure that the Ryder Cup is in the back of the players' minds every week. I know they are going to try hard to be in that team, because they love playing in the event."

AFP

But does a result like the one you had at Fancourt alter your expectations with regard to winning on tour again, or have you always maintained that fire in your belly? I've always maintained that fire in the belly. But the result itself, it doesn't change anything, because I'm more concerned about the journey that I have to do to get there, to get to the winner's circle again. I don't know how long the journey is going to be, but I know it's a journey that has only just started. So I'm going to keep on working hard on my game, if I can, and try to improve certain areas of my game that I know I need to improve. Somehow I can do it on the driving range, but it's harder for me to take it on to the golf course and that's what I have to do. 64

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

Perhaps the 2010 Ryder Cup assistant's magic will rub off on you – Bjorn, Clarke and Garcia all winning in 2011 ... Well, hopefully so! We'll see. Those guys are playing well. Darren [Clarke] won The Open last year, Thomas [Bjorn] won two tournaments in a row, won three tournaments during the season. Sergio got his game back, winning two tournaments in a row in Spain. He seems to be in a better frame of mind on the golf course, which is I think very important. I think that's the only thing important in his case, because from tee to green, he's a great player, and as soon as that ball drops in the hole quick enough, the results are going to be there. But it’s not just them. There are a lot of guys that are doing their homework. Rory [McIlroy] Luke [Donald], Lee [Westwood], Martin Kaymer. There is a bunch of players that are doing well. It's true that it's early days but hopefully as you said, the magic that was there at Celtic Manor will follow me in 2012. It's too early to tell what the team will look like but with so many Europeans at the top of the world rankings, it's likely to be a formidable lineup ... I think European golf is going through a golden stage in its history. It's similar to the late HKGOLFER.COM

Sergio seems to love Medinah [Garcia was second in the 1999 PGA Championship and tied third at the 2006 PGA). Donald has played well there too. So it's a venue with some good vibes for you and for your key players? Well, there are 12 players on the team. Obviously Luke is a local. He lives next door. He knows the course well. Sergio, as you said, feels comfortable on that golf course. But it's 12 players, so everybody has to win points. This is a team event. It's true that on Sunday we play 12 singles matches. It's an important day. But everyone has to contribute during that week.

to be really working their backsides off to make that team. Comparing their stocks midway through 2011 to now, the outlook for the US team has certainly skyrocketed with the arrival of Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, the maturing of Bubba Watson and the veterans gelling well with the youngsters ... Well, I kept an eye on The Presidents Cup in Australia. I think they did a good job, and I know Freddie [Couples], he's a good friend of Davis, so I'm pretty sure there will be some information going from one end to the other. And it's true that the US team is getting stronger in the sense that there are a lot of young kids that are doing great things. But it's been like that in the US Team every year. I mean, they have always been very, very strong, and I don't think this is going to be an exception to that.

Charismatic Captain: The Spaniard marked the "Year Out" countdown to the Ryder Cup by thumping golf balls from the 16th floor of a skyscraper in Chicago (top), host city of September's biennial event; enjoying a laugh with his US counterpart Davis Love III (right)

Of course, it would seem one ‘T Woods’ has his mojo back. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the early months of the year after such a good finish in 2011 ... He finished well. I've always said that even though he's had his troubles for different reasons the last couple of years, I've always believed that he still has the desire to be a force in this game and to beat Jack Nicklaus's record. And I don't have any doubts that he's going to be in that team, and that he's going to be a strong asset to the US.

"I don't have any doubts that Tiger is going to be in the team, and that he's going to be a strong asset to the US."

You wouldn't want to put any pressure on some players at the start of their season regarding their need to lift their game and so forth, but how is the buzz amongst the players now that the event is only eight months away? Well, I think I'm saying this from my own experience. I'm pretty sure that the Ryder Cup is in the back of their minds every week. I know they are going to try hard to be in that team, because they love playing the Ryder Cup. I have no doubts about that. All of them want to be in that team, and from that point of view, I know they are going to be really trying hard. So that is not a concern to me. And I know they are going HKGOLFER.COM

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

final shot

José María Olazábal

Paul Prendergast talks to Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup captain on the eve of arguably his most important season yet finishing sixth at the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancout in South Africa, an event that featured a limited but quality-packed field. It was a performance, Olazábal observed, that has done wonders for his confidence but this Hall of Famer is very much a realist. "The journey has only just started," he said. First and foremost, how is your health?

With European players occupying the top spots in the world rankings, Olazábal has plenty to smile about

O AFP

n the 27th August, José María Olazábal will announce his two wildcard picks to complete the 12-man European team that will travel to Medinah Country Club near Chicago to defend the trophy against the United States one month later. The date of the announcement is important because it will avoid the delicate – and downright ridiculous – situation Colin Montgomerie found himself in 2010 when he was forced to make his selections while potential team members, most notably Justin Rose and Paul Casey, were midway through a tournament on the PGA Tour. "We're going to wait until whatever happens in the States before we make the decision," Olazábal said on the eve of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at the end of January. “Looking at it when it happened [two years previously], it was not a comfortable situation for anybody. Anyone playing in the States, who might be on the verge of winning and changing his chances of being in the team – it would be completely unfair to name those two picks before the guy even tees off." This common sense decision will be popular amongst players and is yet another example of why Olazábal 's election to the captaincy was greeted with such enthusiasm when it was made last year. While Olazábal is still active on tour, the two-time Masters champion will not be tempted – like so many before him – into trying to make a run at making the team as a player. It's all about the captaincy. But on that playing front, he has taken positive steps forward on the comeback trail, following long-term bouts of severe rheumatism and tendinitis that threatened to end his career all together. Last month, the Spaniard shot a brilliant eight-under-par 65 on his way to

HK Golfer・FEB 2012

My health is improving. Obviously I still have a few aches here and there but overall I felt some improvement since Hong Kong last year. I've been able to practice a little bit more and exercise, my game and exercise a little bit. I still can't lift weights and things like that, but I have been able to run a little bit and do things that I haven't been able to do for three years now. I t m u s t h ave b e e n e x t r e m e l y encouraging to start the year off playing so well in South Africa, against such a quality field on a quality golf course. Yes, it was encouraging, and it's something that a player needs to see in order to get a little bit of the confidence back. It's true that it was a small field, but as you said, it was a strong field and a tough golf course. So that made every shot, every round even better. Does that performance change your outlook for the year in terms of how often you'll play, or is your schedule purely driven by the Ryder Cup and by your health? By my health mainly. My schedule is going to be based by that and the Ryder Cup. Not so much by my scoring. Obviously I'm going to try to play as much as I can. I'm going to try to be close to the players so that they see me, if they need to talk to me or they feel like talking to me or asking any questions or whatever, so I can be there for them. That's the idea.

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