Here is a tale I had meant to write last week while in Hong Kong for the UBS Hong Kong Open.

Keith Williams, Director of Golf at the Hong Kong Golf Club has always been most kind in allowing myself and a colleague to play the Old Course at Hong Kong.

Like the championship course that stages the co-sanctioned event, the Old Course is just as tree-lined and challenging but also so stately and picturesque.

I had the opportunity to play the course last Friday and teed off around 7am.  It was very quite and with no one else on the course apart from greens staff and two elderly Hong Kong Club members who kindly waved me through on the ninth hole.

However when you arrive at the 18th tee you find yourself coming very much in contact with the tournament itself.  The 18th runs one way while the first fairway of the championship lies to the left of the 18th running in the opposite direction and towards those standing on the 18th.

I had only just stepped onto the elevated tee and happened to glance down to see Scotland’s Paul Lawrie about to take his second shot, so it was a good time to wait to allow Lawrie play on.

I then hit my 8-iron tee shot to the 18th green given the hole is always shortened due to the fact the area around the back of the 18th includes the scorer’s hut along with the Genworth Putts4Charity set-up while there is always coaching clinics going on.

But back to my own game.

I managed to squeeze out a par and then jumped back in the golf cart but who should spot me driving back along the cart path in the direction of the clubhouse – none other than the current World No. 1.

McIlroy was strolling down the first fairway and there was no avoiding eye contact.

He looked over in my direction and I looked back.  I put my finger up to my lips so as to signal – ‘Shoosh!  Don’t tell anyone you’ve seen me!”

I thought I had got away with it until McIlroy asked me after his round, and after also four-putting the last to miss the cut in the defence of his title.

“How did your golf game go?” he said smiling.

“I thought it was you but then I had to have a second look.”

I asked Rory:  “I didn’t put you off, did I?”

He responsed:  “No, of course not.”

Well, I was just so pleased I hadn’t shanked the ball off the 18th tee onto the first fairway of the championship course as I had done a few years back.  And guess who was walking down the first on that occasion?  None other than Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie.

Suffice to say, I just had enough time to hurriedly retrieve my ball without incurring the wrath of the burly Scot.