After travelling to the Far East for this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open – the final event of the regular season on The European Tour – our stats guru has scoured the form books to come up with these five names you might want to consider for your Fantasy Race to Dubai side this week.
Matt Fitzpatrick
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Returning to European Tour action two weeks on from claiming a memorable maiden triumph in the British Masters at Woburn, Matt Fitzpatrick has travelled east to make his debut in the UBS Hong Kong Open. At 12th in The Race to Dubai, it has been a stellar first season on the top rung of European golf for the young Englishman, who will be battling it out over the last few weeks of the season with India’s Anirban Lahiri and Korea’s Byeong Hun An for the title, Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year. Fitzpatrick, as is well publicised, has more top three finishes this season than any other player (five) including that victory in his homeland fresh in the memory. Ranking inside the top ten in both Driving Accuracy and Greens in Regulation in 2015, this shot-maker’s golf course should be right up his street so expect to see the Yorkshireman in contention once again come Sunday afternoon.
Graeme McDowell
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In need of a strong end to the season in order to keep up his sterling record of finishing inside the top 16 in The Race to Dubai in each of the last five years, Graeme McDowell currently lies 67th in this year’s money list but has shown some encouraging form of late with solid performances in Germany, Scotland and at Woburn. Making his first appearance at the UBS Hong Kong Open in five years this week, the Northern Irishman has fared well at the Fanling venue in the past, having never finished outside the top 18 in four appearances including a fifth place in his last outing in 2010. Not overly long by modern standards at 6,699 yards, but tricky in different ways, McDowell has the creative game to tame Hong Kong Golf Club.
Miguel Angel Jimenez
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The names UBS Hong Kong Open and Miguel Angel Jimenez have become synonymous over the last 11 years, since El Mecanico won his first of four titles in Fanling back in 2004. Further victories at Hong Kong Golf Club in 2007 and in back-to-back years from 2012 further solidified the veteran Spaniard’s aura of legend in these parts and despite unthinkably missing the cut here 12 months ago you wouldn’t bet against Jimenez making it an historic quintet this week. Were he to do so, he would become the most decorated player in the tournament’s history and just the fourth player in European Tour history to win the same official event five times after Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods. Heady company indeed. Miguel is still winless in 2015 after close call runner-up finishes in Spain and at Wentworth earlier in the year yet has still passed the €1m season earnings mark – for a staggering 12th time in his career – and if anywhere can yield his first trophy of the year, it’s Hong Kong.
Anirban Lahiri
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It’s safe to say that Anirban Lahiri has had to adjust his goals for the season. Having already won more money in his first season than any other rookie in European Tour history, Lahiri finds himself 11th in the Race To Dubai rankings. He’s taken some time off from the European Tour since finishing in the top five in his last start at the PGA Championship. He has since been playing in the Presidents Cup and around the world and has racked up an impressive four top six finishes in his last six events. In the three European Tour events he has played in Asia this year, Lahiri has won twice and finished in the top 25 in the other. He has made the short trip over from Macau where he finished runner-up to Scott Hend on the Asian Tour last week. Safe to say the Indian likes playing in this part of the world.
Marcus Fraser
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Marcus Fraser may not be a household name but the 37 year is one to look out for this week. The Australian has played in the Hong Kong Open seven times, finishing in the top 15 five times and notching two top three finishes in the last three years. His scoring average in 28 total rounds at Hong Kong Golf Club is an impressive 67.9. As well as hitting the ball straight, Fraser has ranked inside the top ten in Putts per Round in each of the last four seasons he has been eligible and is in the top ten again this season. In his last start, he finished in the top five at the British Masters thanks to a pair of 67s on the weekend. At 58th in The Race to Dubai, Fraser will be one of many looking to cement their place in the top 60 earning a spot in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
That's our picks, now it's time to make yours. You have until late Wednesday night to confirm your Fantasy Race To Dubai team.
