Hong Kong Open (golf)

Hong Kong Open
Tournament information
Location New Territories, Hong Kong
Established 1959
Course(s) Hong Kong Golf Club
Par 70
Length 6,699 yards (6,126 m)
Tour(s) European Tour
Asian Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund $2,000,000
Month played November
Tournament record score
Aggregate 258 Ian Poulter (2010)*
To par

−22 José María Olazábal (2002)
−22 Ian Poulter (2010)*

*These records only date back to 2001 when this tournament became a European Tour event.
Current champion
Australia Sam Brazel
Hong Kong GC
Location in China
Hong Kong GC
Location in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Open is a golf tournament which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour. It was founded in 1959 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since 2001. The Hong Kong Golf Association, Hong Kong PGA, and Chinese PGA also receive a limited number of exemptions into the tournament for their members.

Since taking its place on the European Tour the event has always been held at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Sheung Shui, New Territories. The current title sponsor is Swiss banking giant, UBS.

The tournament remains alongside the Masters at Augusta, Georgia, as the only two professional events in golfing history that have been played at the same venue for more than 50 years. [1]

In its early years, the tournament used to be played in spring.[2] Since 1995, the tournament has usually been played towards the end of the year, in November or December, and often falls into the following year's European Tour season.

History

In 1958, Hong Kong Golf Club member Kim Hall wrote to Australian professional Eric Cremin to see if those players playing in the Philippine Open in 1959 would consider staying in the region to play in Hong Kong. Hall then approached Peter Plumley, secretary of South China Morning Post, who was also a golfer. Plumley then persuaded his boss to sponsor 1000 Australian pounds in prize money in the name of South China Morning Post. Then, the first Hong Kong Open was launched in February 1959. [3]

According to Hong Kong Golf Club member Willie Woo, Kim Hall was very keen for the tournament and he talked a lot with Australian golfers, including Peter Thompson. Woo helped to get Taiwanese players through his connections. [4]

The first tournament was hosted by Sir Robert Black, the then-Governor of Hong Kong. Around one thousand spectators joined the tournament.[5] Taiwanese golfer Lu Liang-huan won the inaugural edition of the tournament.[6]

The success of the Hong Kong Open prompted Malaysia, Singapore and Japan to introduce their own tournaments and bring about the setting up of the Far East Golf Circuit.[6]

Despite the SCMP’s agreement to keep up its 1,000 pounds sponsorship of the Hong Kong Open, it was felt that prize money would need to be increased if the best players were to be attracted. As a result, the 1963 Open was jointly sponsored by the SCMP and British American Tobacco Co., with the purse going up to 4,000 pounds.[6]

Due to poor weather conditions during the 1966 event, the Hong Kong Golf Club lost HK$10,442 as the money put up by the sponsors was insufficient to cover expenses. As a result, the club decided that in future it could not undertake to assist financially in any way, but would provide only the courses and the general facilities.[6]

The 1968 tournament was the first to be shown live on television.[6]

In 1969, the newly formed the Hong Kong Golf Association took up the task of organising the tournament.[6]

In 1996, Hong Kong golfer Dominique Boulet finished fourth, the best result by a local golfer.[7]

In 2008, Florida-based Hong Kong amateur Hak Shun-yat became the youngest player ever to make the cut in a European Tour event, at 14 years and 304 days, eclipsing the record set by Sergio García at the Turespaña Open Mediterrania in 1995.[8] At the other end of the age spectrum, Miguel Ángel Jiménez became the oldest golfer ever to win on the European Tour when he won in 2012 at age 48 years, 315 days, and extended his record by defending his title in 2013 at age 49 years, 337 days.[9]

In 2013, organizers and potential sponsors raised concerns over the complex becoming enmeshed in a controversial redevelopment plan for Fan Ling.[10] The tournament was played that year without a title sponsor.

Winners

European Tour and Asian Tour event

Year* Winner Country Score To par Margin
of victory		 Runner(s)-up
Asian Euro
UBS Hong Kong Open
2017 2018
2016 2017 Sam Brazel  Australia 267 −13 1 stroke Spain Rafael Cabrera-Bello
2015 2015 Justin Rose  England 263 −17 1 stroke Denmark Lucas Bjerregaard
Hong Kong Open
2014 2014 Scott Hend  Australia 267 −13 Playoff Philippines Angelo Que
2013 2014 Miguel Ángel Jiménez (4)  Spain 268 −12 Playoff Wales Stuart Manley
Thailand Prom Meesawat
UBS Hong Kong Open
2012 2012 Miguel Ángel Jiménez (3)  Spain 265 −15 1 stroke Sweden Fredrik Andersson Hed
2011 2011 Rory McIlroy  Northern Ireland 268 −12 2 strokes France Grégory Havret
2010 2010 Ian Poulter  England 258 −22 1 stroke England Simon Dyson
Italy Matteo Manassero
2009 2009 Grégory Bourdy  France 261 −19 2 strokes Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
2008 2009 Lin Wen-tang  Taiwan 265 −15 Playoff Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
Italy Francesco Molinari
2007 2008 Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2)  Spain 265 −15 1 stroke South Korea K. J. Choi
Thailand Thongchai Jaidee
Sweden Robert Karlsson
2006 2007 José Manuel Lara  Spain 265 −15 1 stroke Philippines Juvic Pagunsan
2005 2006 Colin Montgomerie  Scotland 271 −9 1 stroke South Korea K. J. Choi
South Africa James Kingston
Taiwan Lin Keng-chi
United States Edward Loar
Thailand Thammanoon Sriroj
Omega Hong Kong Open
2004 2005 Miguel Ángel Jiménez  Spain 266 −14 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Pádraig Harrington
South Africa James Kingston
2003 2004 Pádraig Harrington  Ireland 269 −11 1 stroke South Africa Hennie Otto
2002 2003 Fredrik Jacobson  Sweden 260 −16 2 strokes Argentina Jorge Berendt
Sweden Henrik Nyström
2001 2002 José María Olazábal  Spain 262 −22 1 stroke Norway Henrik Bjørnstad

* The first year listed is the one in which the tournament was played and the Asian Tour season which it belonged to. The second year listed is the European Tour season that it fell into.

Asian Tour event
Year Winner Score To par Ref
2000 England Simon Dyson 263 −21 [11]
1999 Sweden Patrik Sjöland 269 [12]
1998 South Korea Kang Wook-soon 272 −12 [13][14]
1997 New Zealand Frank Nobilo 267 −17 [15]
1996 Philippines Rodrigo Cuello 275 [16]
1995 United States Gary Webb 271 [17]
1994 South Africa David Frost 274PO [18]
1993 United States Brian Watts 274 −10 [19]
1992 United States Tom Watson 274 [20][21][22]
1991 Germany Bernhard Langer 269 [23]
1990 United States Ken Green 205** [24]
1989 United States Brian Claar 274
1988 Taiwan Hsieh Chin-sheng 274
1987 Wales Ian Woosnam 275
1986 Japan Seiichi Kanai 285
1985 United States Mark Aebli 270
1984 United States Bill Brask 268
1983 Australia Greg Norman (2) 134*
1982 Australia Kurt Cox 276
1981 Taiwan Chen Tze-ming 279
1980 Taiwan Kuo Chie-hsiung 274
1979 Australia Greg Norman 276
1978 Taiwan Hsieh Min-nan 275
1977 Taiwan Hsieh Yung-yo (4) 280
1976 Taiwan Ho Ming-chung 279
1975 Taiwan Hsieh Yung-yo (3) 288
1974 Taiwan Lu Liang-huan (2) 280
1973 Australia Frank Phillips (2) 278
1972 New Zealand Walter Godfrey 272
1971 United States Orville Moody 266
1970 Japan Isao Katsumata 274
1969 Japan Teruo Sugihara 274
1968 Australia Randall Vines 271
1967 Australia Peter Thomson (3) 273
1966 Australia Frank Phillips 275
1965 Australia Peter Thomson (2) 278
1964 Taiwan Hsieh Yung-yo (2) 269
1963 Taiwan Hsieh Yung-yo 272
1962 Australia Len Woodward 271
1961 Australia Kel Nagle 261
1960 Australia Peter Thomson 272
1959 Taiwan Lu Liang-huan 281

* Reduced to 2 rounds due to rain
** Reduced to 3 rounds due to bad weather

(Source: Robinson, S (1989), “Festina Lente – A History of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club”, p. 105 & related news reports.)

Scorecard

Hole Name Yards Metres Par
1 Trench 468 428 4
2 The Trap 149 136 3
3 Fearsome 551 504 5
4 Temptation 288 263 4
5 Table Top 192 176 3
6 The Pimple 447 409 4
7 The Narrows 380 347 4
8 Oasis 188 172 3
9 The Bend 493 451 4
10 Holland 367 336 4
11 The Paddy 466 426 4
12 Short Hole 144 132 3
13 The Long Hole 529 484 5
14 The Bungalow 395 361 4
15 The Burn 426 390 4
16 The Road Hole 411 376 4
17 The Graves 406 371 4
18 The Ultimate 410 375 4
Total 6710 6137 70

References

  1. ↑ Sense of heritage key to general manager Ian Gardner's vision for Fanling South China Morning Post, 5 October 2015
  2. ↑ A different era – founding father of the Hong Kong Golf Open recalls the early days of city’s oldest sporting event South China Morning Post, 3 October 2015
  3. ↑ A different era – founding father of the Hong Kong Golf Open recalls the early days of city’s oldest sporting event South China Morning Post, 3 October 2015
  4. ↑ The last Happy Valley golf survivor: Willie Woo goes down memory lane South China Morning Post, 21 October 2015
  5. ↑ S.C.M Post Open Golf Competition - New Page in Sporting History of H.K., South China Morning Post, page 1 & 20, 2 February 1959
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Robinson, S (1989), “Festina Lente – A History of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club”, p. 85 -105
  7. ↑ Boulet thrills Open fans with final round flourish, South China Morning Post, 9 December 1996
  8. ↑ "Hak breaks Sergio Garcia's record, makes Euro Tour cut at 14 years old". ESPN. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
  9. ↑ "With This Win: Miguel Ángel Jiménez" (Press release). PGA European Tour. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  10. ↑ Chen, Bonnie (22 July 2013). "In a hole". The Standard. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  11. ↑ 戴臣香港高球賽奪冠, Ta Kung Pao, page B7, 18 December 2000
  12. ↑ Suttering Sjoland helds off Woosnam in gripping finale, South China Morning Post, 29 November 1999
  13. ↑ 韓好手姜旭淳奪標, Hong Kong Commercial Daily, 1998-11-30
  14. ↑ Final round duel puts friendship to test, South China Morning Post, 29 November 1998
  15. ↑ Nobilo steadies ship, then takes Open by storm, South China Morning Post, 8 December 1997
  16. ↑ Cuello shrugs off all challengers in Open win, South China Morning Post, 9 December 1996
  17. ↑ Win makes Webb rethink career, South China Morning Post, 20 November 1995
  18. ↑ Frost solves putting riddle in Open play-off, South China Morning Post, 28 February 1994
  19. ↑ Watts stays the course for thrilling Open win, South China Morning Post, 15 February 1993
  20. ↑ Public golf course plea by Open winner Watson, South China Morning Post, 9 March 1992
  21. ↑ Nerve-jangling win for Watson, South China Morning Post, 9 March 1992
  22. ↑ 湯屈臣失準製造緊張 仍以三桿壓倒華費迪, Sing Tao Daily, page 11, 9 March 1992
  23. ↑ Langer tames Fanling, South China Morning Post, 11 February 1991
  24. ↑ American Green wins golf Open, South China Morning Post, 26 February 1990

Coordinates: 22°29′31″N 114°06′54″E / 22.492°N 114.115°E / 22.492; 114.115

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