Hong Kong might not have had any local professionals playing in yesterday's final round, but Jean Van de Velde was the next best thing.
The charismatic Frenchman, best known for his final hole meltdown at the 1999 Open Championship when he had the tournament all but won, spends the majority of his free time in the city with his fiancee and two Hong Kong-born sons.
'I love Hong Kong and becoming a resident is a top priority,' said Van de Velde (pictured), who finished tied 53rd after a final-round 68 left him at two-under 278. 'They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but what about here? It's not like any other place I've ever experienced.'
The 42-year-old's connection with the city stems from his fiancee Jessica, who was born and brought up here. And the two-time European Tour winner, who played in the infamous 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline, intends to cut down his playing schedule and settle in Hong Kong full-time to spend more time with his family.
'I'm going to play a lot less next year,' said Van de Velde (pictured), who finished 126th on last season's European Tour Order of Merit. 'I have a young family and being with them is the most important thing for me. I still hope to compete, but I will spend less time in Europe and more in Asia.'
Despite sliding to 435th in the world rankings, Van de Velde has shown glimpses of the form that won him the Madeira Island Open in 2006. A decent showing at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July was followed by his best finish of the season - a tie for 16th at the Quinn Insurance British Masters.