Hong Kong, November 21: Korea’s Sanghyun Park is ready to step up his chase for pole position on the Habitat for Humanity standings when he tees off at the HONMA Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi which starts on Thursday.

The Korean has occupied second place on the standings since his dominant win on home soil in September. Trailing India’s Shubhankar Sharma by slightly more than US$130,000, Park believes he has a fighting chance to overtake his Indian rival as the winner’s purse is worth US$333,330 this week.

Park has already lifted two Asian Tour titles at home this year and is also determined to prove his worth outside Korea as he continues to play regularly on the Asian Tour.

India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia hopes to expunge bitter memories from last year’s final day meltdown as he takes another stab at glory at the Hong Kong Golf Club this week. Chawrasia led for three rounds before a disappointing final day 72 saw him end the week tied for seventh place.

Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang is delighted to be back in Hong Kong almost a decade after his famous victory in 2008.

The 44-year-old is best remembered for hitting an amazing shot from behind tightly bunched trees to the green and going on to defeat Rory McIlroy in an enthralling play-off that year.

Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European and the Hong Kong Golf Association, the HONMA Hong Kong Open will welcome a stellar field that includes Masters Tournament champions, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia and world number nine Tommy Fleetwood of England.

Players’ Quotes:

Sanghyun Park (Kor)

I’m going to play in another three more tournaments on the Asian Tour to give myself a chance of winning the Order of Merit. I’m in second place at the moment and I feel really good about my game. I have been playing really well in Japan lately and throughout the season I’ve constantly been inside the top-five on many occasions and have also won a few times in Korea. I feel great about my swing and everything is good, so I do expect good things to happen for me this week. It is a big honour to have won the most prize money in Korea this season. I won the highest career earnings in Korea and I want to turn my attention to the Asian Tour standings and try to win it now.

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind)

Yes, I’ll always remember what happened last year. I was playing very well even until mid-way through the final round. I made a couple of bad shots after that and fell out of contention. But I still have a lot of good memories here. I’m playing well and this golf course really suits me. It reminds me of Royal Calcutta which is very similar. Tree-lined and you got to hit it straight. I’m mentally stronger now and all I can wish for is a good week.

Lin Wen-tang (Tpe)

Each time the Hong Kong Open comes around, I’ll always be asked the question of that win 10 years ago. I always tell people that’s so long ago already and the tress would probably have grown taller now. But that’s really the best moment in my career. I remembered my mind was blank at first but I tried to keep calm and I told myself the winner won’t be decided until I made my final shot. I just tried to hit the ball onto the green and I think God might have helped me because I made it.

Did you know?

·       Sanghyun Park is coming into this week on the back of another good result in Japan where he finished tied-fourth last week.

·       Park has been victorious at the two Asian Tour events in Korea this year. He won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May and was outstanding again at the 34th Shinhan Donghae Open in September.

·       The Korean reached a career-high of 116th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in September this year.

·       S.S.P. Chawrasia would have been the first wire-to-wire champion of the Hong Kong Open had he won last year.

·       He is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour and his only victory outside India came at the Resorts World Manila Masters in 2016.

·       His best result this season is finishing tied-sixth at the TAKE Solutions Masters held in Bengaluru in August.

·       Lin Wen-tang hit a sublime recovery shot from the trees to set-up a four feet birdie putt to stay alive in the play-off with Rory McIlroy at the Hong Kong Open in 2008.

·       He then sealed victory at the second extra hole, pitching an exquisite approach shot to a foot for the winning birdie.

Ends.