Lee Westwood wowed the crowds at the Thailand Golf Championship last year by flirting with a 59 in the first round of the Asian Tour event and the world number six would be more than happy with a similar start to his title defence. Westwood had virtually wrapped up the title at the halfway mark at Amata Spring Country Club last December, his opening two rounds of 60 and 64 equalling the Asian Tour’s 36-hole record of 20-under-par to open up a massive 11-shot lead. The Briton eventually finished seven strokes clear of South African Charl Schwartzel in second place in a tournament in which he said he had showcased the “best golf” of his career. “Let’s put it this way – I’ll be more than happy if I can emulate my start of last year,” Westwood said in an Asian Tour statement ahead of the $1 million event from Dec. 6-9.
“In fact I probably played better the second round than I did when scoring 60 in the first. I think I was something like 20-under-par for the first two rounds. As for a 59 … you never know. “I think the beauty of the course is that it forces you to use every club in the bag and keeps you thinking. Some holes call for a booming drive and others for placement. “It’s a really good test and a very well-run tournament.” Westwood, who finished well behind the leaders at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the final event on the European Tour, headlines a field that also includes Schwartzel, 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke and Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa. The 39-year-old was glad to play his part in helping the sport take deeper root in Asia. “It is important in the region’s golfing development that they have as many tournaments of Thailand Golf Championship standard as possible and attract as many of the world’s top players as they can. “Golf’s future is beginning to look more and more as if it will have a strong base in Asia.”
Big hitters out to tame Amata Spring: Four of the longest hitters will tee up at the 2012 Thailand Golf Championship hoping that their prodigious length will carry them to victory. Bubba Watson, Nicolas Colsaerts, Luke List and Scott Hend lead the driving distance stats on the PGA Tour, European Tour, Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Tour) and Asian Tour respectively, each averaging over 315 yards with the driver. Of the four, 27-year-old American List is the longest, averaging an extraordinary 324 yards with the driver. With a win and three runner-up finishes on the Web.com Tour this year, List finished fourth on the money list to earn his PGA Tour card and an invitation to the Thailand Golf Championship. Belgium’s Colsaerts has also enjoyed his best season to date, claiming 10 top-10 finishes on the European Tour and victory in the Volvo World Matchplay Championship. His form earned him a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup where he emphatically repaid captain Jose Maria Olazabal’s faith in him by carding the lowest ever round by a Ryder Cup rookie. Currently at 35th in the world ranking, Colsaerts is looking for big things at next week’s Thailand Golf Championship.
“My long game is really strong at the moment. I’m testing a new shaft on my Callaway driver and I’m feeling that I can be even more efficient. There is going to be some bombing at the Thailand golf Championship! Be ready…” warned the Belgian who is averaging 318.3 yards with driver this year. When asked about the origin of his long hitting, Colsaerts replied: “I have always been pretty long. Since my childhood, my coach wanted me to play long, and I liked the idea. Driving is one the best parts of my game, but I like my putting and my iron game as much as my driving.” Slightly behind Colsaerts in the long-hitters league is current Masters Champion, Watson. The self-taught left-hander generates ball speed of up to 200mph, propelling the ball an average of 315.5 yards with the driver.
“I play my own golf; we joke and call it ‘Bubba Golf’. I like to hit it hard and take chances,” said Watson when asked about his unique approach to the game. One of the few professional players on Tour without a swing coach, Watson stays true to his philosophy of “practice, have fun and play your own game.” “Swing coaches may not be for me but I definitely think most players can benefit from taking advice. I support players taking lessons, as long as they don’t forget to play the game and most importantly, have fun,” said Watson.
