Top Dutch golfer Joost Luiten doesn’t mind if he plays next week in India or has the week off before heading to Arizona.
The reigning Iskandar Johor Open champion is lying 67th on the World Rankings and just one spot outside the expected 66 players who will qualify for next fortnight’s WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship.
Normally, the top-64 players in the rankings at the close of this week’s events will qualify, but with Phil Mickelson declaring himself unavailable and England’s Paul Casey out injured, qualifying will go down to 66th on the rankings.
Joost Luiten unconcerned whether he takes his Islandar Johor Open winning game to Arizona or India. (Photo - Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
There’s also a suggestion current World No. 62 Ernie Els may not tee up at Dove Mountain.
Luiten has never contested any of the four WGCs and says a top-50 result this week should guarantee his place.
“I’ve been studying the World Rankings and I’m right 67th at the moment and right on the edge at the moment,” he said after carding a three under par 69 on the opening day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
“But I just want to play well this week and if I do I’m into the Match-Play, so I am not thinking about now.
“If I play well and finish like top-50 here in Dubai I will be going to play in the States and if not, then I will go to India next week.
“It would be nice to be going to the States as it would be good experience.”
And while the recently-turned 26 year old has not played match-play as a pro, Luiten enjoyed a superb amateur match play career winning the 2005 Spanish Amateur, German Amateur and Dutch Amateur Championships.
“I haven’t played that much match-play since turning pro but I played an awful lot as an amateur and I liked it as you can go for the pins all the time and that’s how I like to play golf,” he said.
“So hopefully it will suit my game if I qualify.”
Meantime –
Luiten revealed his Dutch homeland is presently covered in three inches of snow and it’s meant delaying taking delivery from Germany of a sporty new Porsche.
The Porsche is one of the prizes he’s bought himself in breaking through late last year in winning in Johor.
