This week sees the staging of a Tournament that will be huge in Asia and the Far East but is still relatively unknown over here The Royal Trophy.
Staged at the mind blowing Dragon Lake Golf Complex in Guangzhou China it is a Ryder Cup style challenge between Asia and a strong European team led by the Ryder Cup hero himself Jose Maria Olazabal.
No part of the World is throwing money at the game like the Far East and this European team coming here the week before Xmas will have cost a fortune but the ratings will be huge and the organisers will hope this Ryder Cup spin off will push the game further forward. Both the European Tour and The PGA Tour are falling over themselves to stage events out here but the Chinese Golf Federation are keen to show the players they can stage their own high quality events and this week is about that too.
But enough of the politics how will the game go. Well last time the Asian team did to Olazabal what the Yanks couldn’t do and thats they gave him a beating all be it in a thrilling extra hole play off. That’s the thing about the Royal Trophy it cannot be a tie if they are level two team members have to bite the bullet and go out and play a sudden death play off. That should get the old heart racing.
This is being played on the King Course at this vast golfers paradise that is Dragon Lake. It’s a classic matchplay layout with long holes full of risk reward shots and big quick greens. Only adding to the matchplay excitement there is water everywhere here.
Our dear friends the Bookmakers cannot split them with many going 10/11 the pair but I think that undervalues a highly motivated, highly talented Asian team. This will not have the partisan nature of a Ryder Cup but the European team will be left in no doubt the home fans are against them and I can see the Asian team handing Olly another slap in the face.
This should be seriously good fun to watch and will be played over Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Back next week with I know what many of you have been waiting for for months, my annual end of season Golf Awards column where we celebrate the good and stick the boot in on the bad for all things little white ball 2013.
Simon Holden
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