Major champion Sergio Garcia out to master Fanling on Hong Kong Open debut

Masters champion Sergio Garcia will look to join a distinguished list of Spaniards to have their name added to the UBS Hong Kong Open trophy at a Hong Kong Golf Club course that should suit the eye of the world number five having already prevailed at August and his favoured Valderrama.

With Jose Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Manuel Lara all previous winners at Fanling, 37-year-old Garcia will make his debut over the composite course in November alongside defending champion Sam Brazel from Australia.

The play-off win over former Hong Kong Open champion Justin Rose at Augusta in April ended Garcia’s wait for a major title and leaves the six-time Ryder Cup winner second on the European Tour order of merit, with the US$2 million event at Fanling the first event of the 2018 calendar in Europe a week after the 2017 season finale in Dubai.

And with the tight, tree lined Hong Kong Golf Club course bearing similarities with Augusta and the Valderrama layout where Garcia won in 2011 and where he will host the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain in October, the 13-time European Tour winner will be one to watch between 23-26 November.

“I have heard many great things and have had friends who have won there. They told me the course is really good, it is not a long course but it is narrow, and they all tell me that it is the type of course that I will enjoy playing and that will fit my game,” said Garcia from his home in Switzerland where he is enjoying a break after marrying Angela Akins last month.