Alex Levy will defend a European Tour title for the first time in his career this week at the Volvo China Open in Shanghai, where he could enter the record books by becoming the first player in the tournament’s 21-year history to retain the trophy.
The genial Frenchman claimed his breakthrough victory 12 months ago by holding off England’s Tommy Fleetwood to prevail by four strokes at Genzon Golf Club, the host venue for last week’s Shenzhen International.
This year, the Volvo China Open has moved to Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club, which is located on the outskirts of one of the world’s most populous cities and which staged the Asian Open from 2004-2008.
And whilst Levy is not familiar with the 7,296 yards, par 72 layout, an encouraging performance in Shenzhen last week has given the 24 year old the confidence to believe he can enter the record books.
He said: “It’s nice to go back to a tournament as defending champion, especially when it’s your first title. I just want to enjoy the week. I’m playing well and my game is in good shape, so hopefully it should be fun.
“I wasn’t playing very well at the start of the season, so I just decided to go back to what I was doing before – playing more aggressively, and not thinking about things too much. It seems to be working!
“I remember last year’s win very well, especially the last day. And of course the 62 on the second day. It’s mentally tough when you lead the tournament from the second round to the last hole, that’s the hardest way to win in my opinion.
In claiming victory at the age of 23, Levy became the second youngest Frenchman to win on The European Tour after José-Filipe Lima, who subsequently switched nationalities to Portuguese.
But Levy is something of a veteran in comparison to many of the Chinese contingent in the 156-man field, with Guan Tian-lang – who made history by becoming the youngest player to make the cut in the Masters Tournament two years ago – amongst the local favourites.
In Shenzhen, teenage star Li Hao-tong also announced his arrival with a precocious display, carding weekend rounds of 65 and 67 to force a play-off with Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who prevailed with a birdie on the first extra hole.
Li, who plays predominantly on the Web.com Tour in America, will now have the chance to make immediate amends for his near miss in Shanghai, where he is bidding to become the first Chinese player to triumph on The European Tour on home soil.
Meanwhile Aphibarnrat, who won his maiden European Tour title in Malaysia in 2013, will aim to secure his third Tour victory in Asia after his dramatic triumph on Sunday.
One man with fond memories of the Volvo China Open is Nicolas Colaserts, who claimed his maiden European Tour title in the event in 2011 before coming agonisingly close to making a successful defence in 2012, finishing second.
Colsaerts subsequently went on to win his second Tour title in the 2012 Volvo World Match Play Championship and, should he win this week, the Belgian would become the first player in history to win his first three European Tour events under the same title sponsor.
This tournament will equal Volvo’s longest continuous sponsorship of a professional event, having first put their name to China’s national Open in 1995, which matches the 21 years the car company has sponsored the Volvo Masters (from 1988-2008 inclusive).
