10,277 kilometres separate in a straight line Barrika from Sheng Shui, the location where the first event in the still short history of LIV Golf is being held this week in Hong Kong. If we were to travel this distance by car, it would be 12,873 kilometres. Quite a journey.
So far, yet so close. The cliché makes more sense than ever this week. Rahm sets foot for the first time in his life in this autonomous territory of China and despite being on the other side of the planet, he admits that at Hong Kong Golf Club he feels at home. Let’s put some context, short course of just 6137 meters, very short indeed, par 70, very narrow fairways and surrounded by many trees. Suddenly Jon teleports: “This type of golf is one of my favourites. When you go to Spain you will hardly find golf courses that are wide and open, especially where I grew up. Trees and more trees is all I saw until I was 17”, Jon admits with a certain nostalgia remembering the courses of his native Vizcaya. “With the humidity and the proximity of the water here it is much hotter than usual in the north of Spain, but the fact of not seeing the sun and going up and down hills among trees is the closest thing to being at home. It’s a familiar feeling”. Ten thousand kilometres from home and at Hong Kong Golf Club Rahm has found his little Barrika.
In this environment, Jon will try to achieve his first victory in LIV Golf and start to fine-tune for the Masters, the first major of the season in which he also defends the Green Jacket. Narrow course this one where he will have to be very accurate from the tee. Saving all the distances, it sounds like an interesting test before the first major of the season. After Hong Kong, only the Miami event remains in the week prior to Augusta. It’s time for the guitar strings to be perfectly tuned and a victory here would be a great boost for a Jon who has a podium, a fifth and an eighth place in his start on the Saudi circuit. These are interesting results but without a doubt Jon is looking to turn the screw and more so considering that the Barrika player at this stage last year already had three victories to his credit. Year of changes and adaptation to a new environment, but Mr Golf waits for no one and Rahm is looking to land in the best possible way at Augusta National.
The one who arrives this week with all the clubs very well tuned is Joaquín Niemann. Three titles this season and two of them in this start of LIV (Mayakoba and Jeddah), this coupled with the two invitations received for the Masters and the PGA Championship elevate the Chilean player as the player of the moment and a great candidate for the final victory in Hong Kong.
Of the rest of the Armada, David Puig stands out, who wants to endorse his great form with a good result on the Saudi circuit, as does Sergio García, who came close to his first victory in the LIV at Mayakoba and is looking for his long-awaited first title on the circuit. For his part, Eugenio Chacarra continues in search and capture of his best form and wants to gradually regain sensations in Hong Kong.
The event will also be the second tournament for Anthony Kim after his return to official competition. We will see if the American is able to pick up the pace on a much shorter course than last week’s in Arabia, but where it is necessary to be very accurate and make few mistakes.
Finally, perhaps more a longing for past times than something close to reality. Fourteen years ago he won on this very stage. Will this tournament be the opportunity to enjoy a great version of Ian Poulter again? It doesn’t seem so, but never tempt the golf leprechauns.
