Tri-sanctioned for the first time by the European Tour, the Asian Tour and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, the fourth edition of the Fiji International is almost under way in the topical surrounds of the South Pacific. In its second consecutive year on the European Tour International Schedule, we take a look at everything you need to know ahead of this week’s tournament.
Rewind
Brandt Snedeker fired a closing 68 to win the Fiji International by nine shots and claim his first European Tour title at Natadola Bay Golf Course.
Playing in just his fifth regular event on the European Tour, and his first visit to Fiji, the island paradise provided a stunning backdrop as Snedeker produced some stunning golf to finish at 16 under, nine shots clear of his closest rival in New Zealand’s Michael Hendry.
Rounds of 69-65-70, including a run of 49 holes without a bogey, handed Snedeker a three-shot lead coming into the final day with nobody able to close the gap.
Hendry finished on seven under par for the tournament, one shot clear of fellow countryman Brad Shilton and Australians Andrew Evans, Matthew Giles and Anthony Houston.
Giles and Houston had played in the final group with Snedeker on both Saturday and Sunday but they could not keep pace with their playing partner, carding closing rounds of 74 and 75 respectively.
Australians Ben Eccles, Daniel Fox, Matthew Griffin and Jake Higginbottom all finished at five under, alongside South Korean In-hoi Hur.
The Field
Three former Masters Tournament Champions are confirmed in the field this week. Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, a two-time Major winner who triumphed in the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters amongst his 51 professional victories, joins Fiji’s Vijay Singh and Canada’s Mike Weir, who secured their Green Jackets in 2000 and 2003 respectively.
Home favourite Singh will tee it up this year on the course he revamped - the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course – with the 54 year old instrumental in the redevelopment of the championship layout since the 2016 tournament concluded.
Australia’s Brett Rumford, who sealed his sixth European Tour title at this year’s ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, 18 year old Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, who finished in second place behind the Australian in Perth, and three-time European Tour winner Jeunghun Wang of Korea will also travel to the beautiful surroundings of Fiji.
Joining them is the current World Number 92 Scott Hend, a two-time European Tour winner and nine-time Asian Tour winner, who impressed at the recent WGC-Bridgestone International – where he finished tied tenth.
The Course
With the sparkling backdrop of coral reefs and the Pacific Ocean on 15 out of the 18 holes, Natadola Bay provides perfectly manicured seashore paspalum grass for golf to be enjoyed all year round.
Measuring 7,146 yards, the par 72 championship golf course is renowned for its breathtaking views, as it takes in coral reefs and rolling surf breaks in the South Pacific.
The course was originally designed by three-time Major winner Singh in 2009. He has overseen major renovations ahead of this year’s event, to include wider fairways, flatter greens and a finessed layout.
In total 12 of the 18 holes have had some form of alteration and the front nine has been rerouted, with the signature par three, the 227-yard eighth hole, set to be a focal point amongst the players and the fans this week.
Natadola Bay was officially opened in June 2009 with the staging of the Fijian Open, with the course since hosting the 2010 Fiji Open, the 2011 Nomura Cap, the 2012 Natadola Bay Fiji Classic and now the Fiji International.
Did You Know?
• The Fiji International was first played in 2014 and was included on the European Tour International Schedule in 2016, as Fiji became the 42nd different country to host a European Tour event.
• The 2017 tournament is tri-sanctioned for the first time by the European Tour, the Asian Tour and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
• America’s Brandt Snedeker secured his maiden European Tour title with his 2016 victory at Natadola Bay. Snedeker fired a closing 68 to finish at 16 under par and win by nine shots for the biggest winning margin of the season - beating Charl Schwartzel's eight-shot victory at the Tshwane Open.
