David ‘Double-D’ Drysdale has a triple goal teeing-up in this week’s World City Championship in Hong Kong.
Drysdale has returned to Hong Kong and the stately Fanling Golf Club course for an eighth time in his career since making his debut since 2010.
However, it was his last visit in November 2018 when the affable Scot secured his best result of fifth in the then opening event of the 2018/19 DP World schedule.
Scotland’s David Drydsale driving off the 1st tee at the Hong Kong GC, venue this week for the inaugural World City Championship. (Photo – With thanks Vicky Drysdale)
Drysdale said: “We’ve always enjoyed coming here to Hong Kong. It’s a great city with plenty of restaurants and things to do.
“It also helps a lot coming back here to Fanling, knowing the course as well as I do. I finished fifth when I was last here in late 2018, so another good memory returning this week
“The golf course is pretty special. It’s a great old-style golf course, not long and where you’re not always using a driver off the tees. I would probably use the driver on about five or six holes which is pretty unique among the venues now featuring on the schedule.
“There are some great golf holes, including my favourite at the 18th. It’s just such a tough finishing hole.
“The key to scoring is simply fairways and greens, and keeping the ball below the hole as the greens are very quick down grain”.
This week’s Asian Tour event is a first in Hong Kong since 2018 following the lifting of Covid restrictions and with the R & A recognising the event with the award to the leading four players, not already exempt, into July’s 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.
The R & A’s offer comes with the Asian Tour known to be still bitterly disappointed following the St. Andrews based bodies decision to strip the Asian Tour late last year in offering a 150th Open tee-time to their money-list winner.
Their action was taken after news the Asian Tour would be supporting LIV golfers teeing-up in a number of 2023 events, including this year’s Saudi Open and Oman events.
Drysdale and his caddy/wife, Vicky made their way to Hong Kong after their top-25 finish at last week’s DGC Open in New Delhi, and in only his second event now as a full Asian Tour member.
He said: “It was a good result last week and I’m looking forward to building on that this week.
“There’s also a re-ranking after the next event in Vietnam (April 23/26), so a good result in these next events is important.
“Of course, a win would take care of that, and it would be good to qualify for The Open.
“I played good last week tee-to-green and hardly missed a fairway, and last week’s course is also much like this week here in Hong Kong, with tight narrow tree-lined fairways. I was good on the greens last week in Delhi.
“Overall, the game is in good shape”.
This week’s field boasts the likes of former Hong Kong Open champ Ian Poulter (2010) and fellow LIV golfer and past Open Champion winner, Henrik Stenson.
MEANTIME …
There are four Scots – Ewen Ferguson, Connor Syme, Callum Hill and David Law – teeing-up in the co-sanctioned Jonsson Workwear Open in suburban Joburg.
Ferguson tees-up in the $1.5m event after a best season finish of T3rd at last week’s Tour stop at Eastern Cape.
