My month-long stretch of tournaments in Asia didn’t bring me the results that I was looking for, but it was an extremely enjoyable trip all the same.
As an honorary member and international ambassador of the Asian Tour, I have a great fondness for this part of the world and its people. It’s been said before, but it’s always a pleasure to come here and it’s only right to thank everyone – the sponsors, tournament officials and fans – for their customary warmth and hospitality extended to all of us players. I speak for many when I say that some of these tournaments are among our favourites of the entire year and that says a lot for this region, the quality of the golf tournaments, and the healthy state of the game in Asia.
As I wrote last week, it’s five years now since YE Yang claimed Asia’s first major championship but it surely won’t be that long again before someone from this part of the world wins another. There are so many good Asian players winning on the PGA Tour on a fairly regular basis and that’s the biggest and most international Tour of all. Some of the Korean players, like Bae Sang Moon, are winning. Hideki Matsuyama is winning. There’s also Ryo Ishikawa and I still see a major in him. Asian players are playing well in Europe as well; Thongchai Jaidee has won there. On the Asian Tour there are some wonderful players, like Anirban Lahiri who won a couple of weeks ago at the Venetian Macau Open. Some of these guys are young and hungry and they understand what it takes to win golf tournaments; they now have to kick-on and win major tournaments. It’s hard to put a timeline on it but it’ll probably be inside five years.
There were other highlights from the past couple of weeks that we’d like to mention here again, not least the official opening of The Els Club Teluk Datai, which took place in the company of Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajjah Haminah, The Queen of Malaysia (pictured below), and selected VIP guests and media. It was a fantastic day and an honour for me to hit the opening tee shot alongside Her Majesty. All day it was gratifying to see everyone’s reaction and hear their comments on seeing this course. They were really blown away by the sheer beauty of the location and the quality of the layout.
It certainly is a special place and because of that, and its easy accessibility, I think it will be a perfect venue for an Asian Tour event. The first of our Els Clubs, in Dubai, has been announced as host venue of next month’s inaugural Dubai Open and it would be a thrill if we could also bring an Asian Tour event to the Els Club Teluk Datai. Another of our courses, The Els Club Copperleaf, has already hosted the European Tour’s Tshwane Open the past couple of seasons and got great reviews.
We’ll be talking to people on the Asian Tour and seeing if we can make something happen. Our partners in this project, Destination Resort & Hotels, are fully engaged in the business of developing golf and bespoke tourism to this region, and an Asian Tour event would naturally be a real boost to that initiative. I know the tour pros would absolutely love it here. This course is unique, not least because it is bunker-free (which my great friend Gary Player might not be too pleased about!) but there are plenty of challenges on this course. It borders the fringes of a rain forest, so we’re not short of trees. Many of them are in strategic places, so you’ve got to shape shots around tree trunks and over-hanging limbs, and so forth. There’s also a stream that runs through the course. Trust me, no one who play this course is ever going to miss having bunkers.
It was also exciting to see the #GameON autism golf clinics, which have been such a success in the US, being introduced back home in South Africa. Glendower Golf Club was the host venue so our thanks to everyone there for their support. Thanks also to my old friend Gavan Levenson – a former winner on the European Tour and now a PGA Master Professional and highly respected golf coach – and his team for helping out on the day (pictured below).
I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a couple of #GameON events in the US, most recently at the Els for Autism Grand Finale in Vegas last month. It was wonderful seeing the amazing feedback from the kids and the smiles on their faces; also to speak to the parents and have them talk so enthusiastically. This is great for golf and great for kids on the spectrum to be able to be active and have fun. The team has created an excellent and adaptable curriculum and program, which allows us to have a real impact on kids’ lives in whatever city we take these #GameON Autism clinics to. I’ve no doubt they’ll be a big success in South Africa, where we’ve got a passionate team of people working at the Els Centre for Autism.
Okay, I’ll write again soon and let you know my plans for the remainder of this year. In the meantime, you can of course follow me on Twitter @TheBig_Easy
