Korea's Jeunghun Wang returns to the scene of a life-changing victory hoping the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam surroundings can help him rediscover that winning feeling.
Wang took the Trophée Hassan II title on only his 13th European Tour start in 2016 before following up a week later in Mauritius and adding the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters a year later.
The 22 year old holed three remarkable putts on the 18th green to see off Nacho Elvira two years ago in Morocco, converting from 18 feet to force a play-off then making a 50-footer to force a second extra hole and sinking a 20-footer for the winning birdie.
“I love this course and love the weather we’re having,” Wang said. “I’m really looking forward to playing here again, and I really enjoy coming back from Morocco.
“I only remember the last hole from 2016, I made three putts in a row and it changed my life.
My game is getting better and I’m exblockquoted to play here again - Jeunghun Wang
“My victory secured my card and gave me the opportunity to play more on the European Tour. I’ve had the chance to play a lot of events on the European Tour since then, and it helped me learn a lot about myself and my game.
“My game is getting better and I’m excited to play here again. Hopefully I’ll play well this week.”
Other past winners in the field include Scotland's Richie Ramsay and Spain's Alejandro Cañizares, who are both looking to rediscover their best form having not won since.
Ramsay, the 2015 champion, hopes an improvement in his short game will pay dividends having recently finished sixth in Dubai.
“I played really nicely in Dubai,” he said. “I managed to get the putter going in the last round, I’ve been doing a bit of work on the putting green. I hit a lot of edges last week and didn’t get the read of the greens.
“I need to replicate that last round a little more often and have a nice low round of six, seven or eight under par that helps move you up the leaderboard. I’m a consistent ball striker and I think I’ve turned a corner with my chipping. My chipping was poor last year and it halted my momentum.
“I can get it there a little closer now, leaving me five or six feet rather than seven or eight feet where it gets tricky. It helps you keep your momentum.”
Cañizares captured his second European Tour title here in 2014 and is keen to put an injury-plagued 2017 behind him.
“I’m working on my fitness,” he said. “I had a couple of injuries last year and one has carried over into this year. I was very happy to play last week and the way things turned out, because I hadn’t practised in a while. I’m hoping for the same this week and that my wrist behaves.”
