It was great to be back in Hong Kong, having first visited in 1992 with Ian Palmer and John Bland as an SA team trying to qualify for the old Dunhill Cup. Hard to believe that was 22 years ago. Sitting here now I feel very blessed the way things have worked out in my golf career.
The hospitality in this part of the world is always very special and I want to thank everyone at the Hong Kong Golf Club, the sponsors and partners, for the way we were looked after and for putting on such a great show for the players and the spectators. It’s great to see the Hong Kong Open already announced again as a co-sanctioned event by the European Tour and Asian Tour in 2015, a well-deserved vote of confidence for everyone involved in this historic tournament.
Last week I was also fortunate to be given a guided tour of the Hong Kong Golf Club by the club captain Mark Roberts (photo below). It’s quite something this place – a unique club with a wonderful membership and an impressive list of former champions. It reads like a Who’s Who of Golf and obviously I came here looking to add my name to that list. Even though that didn’t happen, it was a week full of many positives for me, especially the first two rounds shooting 66-65 to lead at the halfway stage.
In addition, there were some lovely charitable initiatives during the week that got my attention and are worthy of mention. The Hong Kong Open was celebrating its tenth consecutive year as a Major Sports Event; this effectively enhances the promotion of the tournament and encourages greater participation in golf throughout the region, especially for kids, which can only be applauded. I noticed that the ‘Friends of Asia Hong Kong’ was announced as the tournament’s Official Charity and they in turn designated the AoiPui School for Autistic Kids as the fundraising beneficiary of the Hong Kong Open. The school will now receive a donation of HKD $100,000 from Friends of Asia Hong Kong, a figure matched by the Hong Kong Golf Club. That’s wonderful news and it will, as we have seen with our initiatives at The Els for Autism Foundation, positively influence the lives of individuals and families on the autism spectrum.
That same spirit of giving and the importance of helping others was very much in evidence during the teaching clinic for kids that I took part in at the start of the week, alongside some of my fellow tour pros. For me, it’s always incredibly rewarding to introduce kids to the game of golf and to see the smiles on their faces as they experience the pure joy of a well-struck golf shot. It’s a joy that never really fades, as all of us golfers know! Seriously, it was a lovely way to start the week and I thank the Hong Kong Golf Association for inviting me and for actively bringing youngsters into the game. We all have to play our part in that particular initiative.
Anyway, back to the day job, as they say. I was suffering some pain from a pre-existing hip problem over the weekend in Hong Kong, but the guys are working on it so we’ll be ready to tee it up for the start of this week’s Venetian Macau Open. I certainly hope so, because this is an exciting week for me in more ways than one. Not only am I proud to be an International Ambassador and Honorary Member of the Asian Tour, but earlier this year I entered into a partnership with The Venetian Macao. As a global player, I have travelled the world my entire career and I can honestly say that it is one of the most extraordinary, elegant and atmospheric destinations I have ever visited. It’s luxurious and comfortable, but lively at the same time – actually, it’s my kind of place and thankfully this new partnership gives me an excuse to return frequently.
My first experience playing in the Venetian Macau Open was last year, when I finished tied-3rd, and I remember saying then that I’m going to play this tournament until they tell me to stop coming! I had a great time and it feels good to be back and to have another crack at winning here. Looking at it with my ambassador’s hat on, it’s easy to see why this tournament is succeeding in helping establish Macau as Asia’s leading business, leisure and entertainment destination. And purely from a golfing perspective, there’s no question this tournament will help further grow and develop the game in Asia – especially in Macau – and become a true centrepiece of the Asian Tour. Everyone involved in the tournament deserves a lot of credit for that.
Finally, just before signing off I want to say a big thank you to everyone out there who took the time to Tweet or email me with birthday messages. The older we get the less we want to be reminded but, as always, it was much appreciated.
That’s it for now. Follow me on Twitter @TheBig_Easy
