Thefinal stretch of Rolex Series events of the 2017 season get under way with the Turkish Airlines Open as the Race to Dubai nears a conclusion.
Rewind
In 2016 Thorbjørn Olesen overcame a spirited challenge from David Horsey to claim his fourth European Tour victory at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort.
Some sensational golf over the first three days in Antalya had given Denmark’s Olesen a seven-shot lead heading into the final round, but when Horsey rattled in a 30 footer on the ninth to turn in 29 that advantage was down to two.
England’s Horsey then birdied the long 12th hole to get within one, but Olesen matched his four there and then added further gains on the 14th and 15th to pull clear once more.
A closing 69 saw the Dane finish on 20 under par, with Horsey dropping into a share of second three shots further back, alongside China’s Li Haotong.
“I actually slept alright the last couple of days,” said Olesen when asked about his huge overnight lead.
“It was a weird feeling – I knew the guys today were able to shoot a low number so I had to make a few birdies. After nine holes guys were shooting really low numbers so all of a sudden there was a lot of pressure on. I felt like I kept it pretty steady. Obviously the last four holes were tough mentally.”
The Field
Another stellar field will gather in Turkey for the sixth of eight Rolex Series events in 2017.
Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood arrives at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort aiming to become the first multiple Rolex Series winner, following his victory at the HNA Open de France in June.
Fleetwood is joined by a further 12 of the top 20 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, including fellow Englishman Justin Rose, who climbed to third place with victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China last week – his tenth European Tour title.
The field also includes four Major Champions (Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer, Rose and Henrik Stenson and two former World Number Ones in Kaymer and Lee Westwood.
Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn will also tee it up this week, as will fellow Dane Olesen who is aiming to become the first person in the history of the Turkish Airlines Open to successfully defend the title.
The Course
The Championship Course at Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort is staging the Turkish Airlines Open for the second consecutive year, with the tournament initially played at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal from 2013-15.
Turkey’s first heathland inspired golf course was designed by Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the international golf course design practice founded by five time British Open Champion Peter Thomson.
Located close to the Mediterranean Sea in Antalya’s Belek region, the par 71 layout measures 7,186 yards from the championship tees and is set on undulating sand hills with free flowing holes running through a pine forest. More than one million heather plants have been added to the existing areas of indigenous heather to create Carya’s distinctive look.
As on traditional heathland courses, a tactical approach is required, and finding the correct side of the fairway to attack the green is often more important than distance off the tee. The greens are large, undulating and fast. Many feature multiple plateaus, creating ‘greens within greens’.
Did You Know?
• The Turkish Airlines Open is the sixth of eight Rolex Series events in 2017 and begins the first of three consecutive Rolex Series events which conclude the Race to Dubai.
• With three events remaining until the winner of the 2017 Race to Dubai is crowned, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood currently leads the rankings from Spaniard Sergio Garcia by 865,769 points.
• The 2013 Turkish Airlines Open marked the first time Turkey had staged a European Tour event and in doing so, became the 41st nation to host a European Tour event.
• The Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort previously hosted the 2010 Turkish Airlines Challenge and was won by Charlie Ford in a play-off against Oscar Floren.
• If Olesen were to successfully defend his Turkish Airlines Open title this week, he would be the first person to do so in the tournament’s history. This would also be his fourth consecutive European Tour season with a victory, following the 2014 ISPS HANDA Perth International, 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the 2016 Turkish Airlines Open.
• Olesen’s three shot winning margin is the biggest in the history of the Turkish Airlines Open, beating the two strokes of Victor Dubuisson in 2013.
• Both of Dubuisson’s European Tour titles came in the Turkish Airlines Open, in 2013 and 2015.
• Even though the Turkish Airlines Open has only been played three times before, the tournament has produced two first-time winners with Dubuisson in 2013 and Brooks Koepka in 2014.
