European Tour moves East for China Open
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2008 Volvo China Open | Preview | 16 Apr 2008
The European Tour again joins forces with the Asian Tour for this week’s Volvo China Open at the Beijing International Golf Club in Beijing.
The tournament is being played for the fifth occasion as a co-sanctioned event between the Asian and European Tours although this will be just the second time it is to be played in Beijing and the first time at this venue.
This is the first of two consecutive co-sanctioned events in China, next week’s BMW Asian Open in Shanghai the follow up event.
Defending champion is the German golfer Marcus Brier who won by five shots last year when he claimed his second European Tour event and his first outside of Germany. Brier produced weekend rounds of 67 and 67 to leave the second placed Scott Hend, Graeme McDowell and Andrew McLardy in his wake.
As the leading word ranked player in the field and as the recent winner of the Ballantines Championship in Korea, the Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell is the player most likely to do well in this event although as we well know tournament golf does not always work out that way. McDowell finished 5th behind Tiger Woods in Dubai earlier this year and so shapes as the favourite this week.
David Howell has given every indication that he is on the way back to his best with a runner up finish in Portugal recently and a 7th place in Qatar. He has won previously in China and this event should see a continuation of the recent progress he has made after injury has seen his status in world golf drift.
It will be of much interest to see how New Zealander Mark Brown follows up his brilliant form of a month ago where he won the Johnnie Walker Classic and another lesser Asian Tour event. This is his first start since the WGC-CA Championship which may or may not work in his favour.
Soren Kjeldsen is in the middle of some good form and has played well in China previously. He is the third highest ranked player in the field after McDowell and Brown and has a genuine chance to win his first European Tour event in nearly five years.
Given that the event is co-sanctioned with both the European and Asian Tours there are many Australians in the field. Some are here through their Asian Tour status while others are looking to start their European Tour seasons in earnest with two consecutive events in China.
New South Wales golfer, Kane Webber, has been in very good form in Asia this season finishing inside the top ten in three of his last four starts as he continues to find his feet on the Asian Tour. He is a previous winner of the Macau Open and seems on the verge of a more significant victory.
Peter O’Malley, Scott Strange, Marcus Fraser, Scott Hend, Adam Blyth, Scott Barr, Terry Pilkadaris, Marcus Both, David Bransdon, Gavin Flint, Gary Simpson, Tony Carolan, Stephen Scahill, David Gleeson, Richard Lee, Adam Groom and Unho Park make up a large contingent from Australasia.
