Jakarta, Indonesia, December 12: Anthony Kang picks his top contenders at the BNI Indonesian Masters.

Justin Rose to the top in 2017. A repeat in 2018? 

Last year Justin Rose arrived ranked sixth in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).  In the previous seven tournaments leading up to this event, he amassed two wins and played them 91 under par.  His average finish was just inside the top five at 4.7.

This year Rose starts his defence as the second-ranked golfer in the world.  In the previous seven events prior to this week, he collected one win while being 85 under par.  His average finish has improved to just outside the top three at 3.3.

Difficult as it may be to predict another dominating performance similar to 2017, recording tournament records 29 under and a commanding eight-stroke winning margin, it is easy to pick Rose as an overwhelming favourite.

A top-15 finish will see Rose return to the pinnacle of the world golf rankings.  This marks the second occasion where the Indonesian Masters provides a springboard to the top of the world rankings.  Lee Westwood reclaimed the number one position in 2011 following his victory.

Iceman in Jakarta

Henrik Stenson, 2016 The Open champion, will display his outstanding ball striking.  Known by the moniker ‘Iceman,’ Stenson will keep cool by finding fairways, putting for birdies, and minimal mistakes.  He finished the 2017-2018 PGA Tour season as the best player in driving accuracy, greens in regulation, and bogey avoidance statistical categories.

The Swede enters this week with a fourth-place showing at the Hero World Challenge where he held the third-round co-lead with Tony Finau and John Rahm, the eventual champion.  Expect the Iceman to not melt in the heat of both contention and Jakarta.

A worthy consolation for second 

The contest for the Habitat for Humanity Standings champion may be over but the race has not run its full course for Sang Hyun Park and Justin Harding (pictured above).  A second-place finish on the money list will reward either player with a start at the WGC Mexico Championship and a valuable card on the European Tour in 2019.

The leading player available will earn playing rights in Europe, a provision of the alliance between the two Tours. Shubhankar Sharma already has a winner’s category on the second most lucrative tour and thus the playing status will be granted to the next highest ranked player.

Gavin Green, 2017 Habitat for Humanity Champion, played in 27 events on the European Tour in 2018 through this route, finishing 84th on the Race to Dubai.

Harding needs to finish solo second at a minimum to have a chance to overtake Park.

Magnolia Lane in Jakarta

Shugo Imahira’s objective is to earn the coveted invitation to The Masters next year.  Currently ranked 55th, the leading money winner on the Japan Tour in 2018 needs to finish the year inside the top-50 on the final 2018 OWGR in two weeks’ time.

The 26-year-old Imahira produced a brilliant season compiling ten top-four finishes including a win at the Bridgestone Open.  A solo second should elevate the 2-time Japan Tour winner inside the top-50 of the official world golf rankings through the end of this year.

Yusaku Miyazato and Kiradech Aphibarnrat earned an invitation to the iconic major championship through a fourth and fifth place finish respectively at the Asian Tour’s finale last year.

Last Chance Saloon

The 2018 Habitat for Humanity Standings will be finalized upon completion of the week and the race for inclusion inside the top-60 in the standings begins on Thursday.

Look no further than to Sihwan Kim, who occupies seventh place on the standings with a haul of over US$370,000, on the importance of earning a full card for the following year and the opportunities that come with it.  Last year, entering this event at 71st on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, the Korean American produced a tied sixth finish to end the year 55th on the final standings.  Fast forward a year, the 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur champion is in position to end the year inside the top 200 in the official world golf rankings for the first time since turning professional.

Without a top-60 finish, a year similar to Kim’s is a long shot at best.  The players near the 60th mark understand their predicament and tension will be escalated for many this week.