The European Challenge Tour returns to China for the first time since 2019 for the Hainan Open this week. Here’s three men to keep an eye on…
Form horse
Francesco Laporta finished in fifth place at last week’s Hopps Open de Provence to climb into 19th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings. The Italian, who won the Big Green Egg German Challenge powered by VcG earlier this season, will be hoping to continue his impressive form in China this week and cement his position in the top 20 on the Rankings ahead of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A.
Laporta will be able to feed off happy memories this week, having won the Hainan Open in 2019 on his way to being crowned Road to Mallorca Number One.
Local boy
Wenyi Ding, currently 19th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, will be looking to make his mark when he tees it up on home turf this week. The 18-year-old has made the cut in all three of the DP World Tour events he has played this season, including a tie for 23rd place finish at the Singapore Classic, while he also made his first Major appearance at the U.S. Open at The Los Angeles CC in June. The Chinese will be hoping to impress in his first Challenge Tour appearance at the Hainan Open.
The Outsider
Brandon Robinson Thompson has enjoyed a terrific first season on the Challenge Tour with a victory and two further top ten finishes in just ten starts on the 2023 Road to Mallorca. The Englishman picked up a maiden Challenge Tour title in his first appearance at the Irish Challenge earlier this season and he is currently placed 31st on the Rankings heading into the Hainan Open, the penultimate event of the season.
The 31-year-old will be looking for a strong outing in China this week to climb up the Rankings ahead of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, where the top 20 will secure DP World Tour playing rights for 2024.
