With SARS forcing the Open back to November, this year’s champion will have his shotmaking skill fully tested in thestiffer end of year breeze at Silport.

For most golf courses in China it’s been a good year so far. While SARS had an adverse affect on movie theatres, restaurants and retailers, golf courses were busier than ever. Suddenly healthy outdoor activities were ‘in’ as we all kept away from crowded enclosed places. But it wasn’t so easy for sports events. There were several casualties. The good news is that China’s own Open Golf Championship, the US$500,000 Volvo China Open, is alive and kicking and rescheduled to return to Shanghai Silport GC at the later date of November 13th-16th.

It’s good news for spectators too. The steady breeze that usually blows across Silport gets stronger and gustier in November testing the players’ shotmaking skills to the limit on the narrow fairways and fast contoured greens. So we can expect some exciting thrills and spills, heartbreaks, disasters and miracle escapes down the final six hole stretch.
“A two shot lead with one or two holes to go is absolutely no guarantee of victory,” says Alistair Polson, executive director of the Open. “Standing on the tee or fairway amongst the shelter of the trees, it’s very tough to judge what the wind will do to your ball once it’s up in the air. Allowing a touch too much or too little for the wind can mean ending up in a greenside bunker or stymied by a tree instead of 15 or 20 feet from the pin. It’s very easy to ‘snatch defeat from the jaws of victory’ as the saying goes.”

Those who saw the final round of the (British) Open at Royal St. Georges this year would have witnessed exactly that. Millions of TV viewers worldwide watched helplessly as Thomas Bjorn threw away a three shot lead and what seemed certain victory by taking three shots to get out of the greenside bunker at the short 16th.

Of course, even more celebrated for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory was Jean Van de Velde of France who stood with a three shot lead on the 18th tee at Carnoustie in the 1999 British Open. The nightmare that followed would make even a 24 handicapper wake up screaming in the middle of the night. One - a duck hooked drive that was saved from hurtling out of bounds by a concrete fence post. Two - an adventurous go for the green with a two iron over two loops of the Barrie Burn only to push the shot about 40 yards to the right of the green, and the burn, into longish rough. Three – a shot that had to be delicately lobbed up first over the Barrie Burn and then over a deep green side bunker to get close to the pin. The clubhead caught the rough and it flopped weakly into the Barrie Burn. Four - standing in the Barrie Burn in bare feet and trouser legs rolled up attempting a splash shot out with a sand wedge. Virtually every one of the 30,000 or so gallery crowded round the last green yelled at him not to attempt such a near impossible shot but to take a penalty drop instead. He didn’t listen and…the ball hit the almost vertical bank and rolled back into the water. Five – taking a one shot penalty drop in the rough behind the Barrie Burn. Six – again the clubhead caught the rough and the shot flopped into the greenside bunker. Seven – a sandwedge out of the deep bunker that he had to hole to give him a one shot victory. It finished eight feet from the pin. Eight – he bravely holed the putt to go into a tie. He duly lost the playoff to little known Paul Lawrie of Scotland.

Whether or not such a drama unfolds at this year’s Volvo China Open is yet to be seen but judging by the list of its champions over the last eight years, it has become a truly international event. The list shows:

China : one winner – Chen Jun (1997)
Rest of Asia: three winners – Prayad Maerksang of Thailand in (1996), Kyi Hla Han of Myanmar (1999) and Charlie Wi of Korea (2001)
Rest of World: four winners – Raul Fretes of Paraguay (1995), Ed Fryatt of England (1998), Simon Dyson of England (2000) and David Gleeson of Australia (2002).

Over the past 6 years an Asian winner has been followed the next year by a non Asian winner. With Gleeson winning last year it would seem that the Open is due for an Asian winner in November. Currently fancied are the young Korean duo of Kevin Na of Korea and Eddie Lee. Korean born Lee is now a New Zealand citizen. Both 19 year olds won on the Asian PGA Tour last year and Na caught the spotlight at the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth in May. Paired with Nick Faldo in the final round he finished tied for 14th at 10 under par. He finished in a tie for 8th alongside Liang Wen Chong in last year’s Open.

Zhang Lian Wei has already confirmed his intention to play and, after an excellent season on the Japan Tour and his great win over Ernie Els in the Caltex Singapore Masters, he looks like he will be very close at the end.
“I was very happy with my finish last year and I just hope I keep myself in with a chance coming into the final few holes.

The field for November has been reduced to 108 to take account of shorter daylight hours. “There’s no room for sponsor’s invitations this year and home based players will be trying to qualify for only eight spots,” says Polson. “It will upgrade the quality of the field as those who get in will have had to earn their place .”