This week marks Volvo China Open’s 14th appearance on the European Tour with the 7,261 yard par 72 Topwin Golf & Country Club hosting the event for the third consecutive season.
Our stats guru has weighed up the numbers and picked the following three players who could be contenders for your Fantasy team this week.
Favourite: Alex Levy
It's hardly surprising that defending champion Alex Levy comes into this week as tournament favourite. The Frenchman touches down in Beijing off the back of securing last week's Trophée Hassan II title in Morocco. Levy, now ranked at a career-high 47th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), owns the two best rounds vs. the field in the tournament’s European Tour history, with his 63 last year (+10.0) bettered only by his 62 in 2014 (+11.1). He's the only man to have won this tournament twice and has yet to finish worse than 39th in his four previous starts.
With the course ranking 11th lowest to par of the 35 repeat courses over the last two years on the European Tour, expect the challengers to feature high in birdies made this week. Levy finished T13 in this category last week and leads the field in stroke average so far this season (68.95) after 20 rounds.
Form horse: Kiradech Aphibarnrat
The big-hitting Thai is making his first start since his share off 44th at the Masters Tournament. In the form of his life and no doubt feeling refreshed, the World Number 32 has talked up his game after strong performances at the World Golf Championship events preceding the Masters where he finished in a tie for fifth in both.
Aphibarnrat is 55 under par for his collective six stroke play starts this season on the European Tour and will relish the opportunity to take on a course with plenty of birdie opportunities.
Still a resident in his native Thailand, he has only a much shorter commute to China this week compared to the majority of the field. He has also spoken about how much it would mean for him to win in China given his father's Chinese ancestry. Good form, good preparation and motivation - a recipe for success?
Wildcard: Thomas Detry
Tipped as one of the European Tour's rising stars, many believe 2018 to be Belgian Thomas Detry's break out year in his second full season. Like Aphibarnrat, Detry ranks high in accumulative under-par scoring so far this season at -62, the seventh best on Tour this season. Furthermore, Detry ranks eighth in scoring average (70.06) after 36 rounds this season.
The 24 year old arrives in China off the back of a tied for 19th finish in Morocco thanks to a final round 68, the third lowest on Sunday. He shot a second round 66 at this event last season, so knows he has what it takes to go low around this track.
Think you've got what it takes to pick a winning team? Time to register your side for our season-long game byclicking here. Good luck!
