(Mike Jansen, 23 June 2011, Hong Kong)

Organisers of the UBS Hong Kong Open scored a massive coup last year when they managed to clinch US Open champion Rory McIlroy‘s signature for two years (starting last year).

At the time the Irishman’s appearance fee was a fraction of what he can demand after winning his first-ever major at The Congressional this past weekend.  Reports are that McIlroy can now bank on an appearance fee of at least US$1 million.

McIlroy (pictured by Getty Images below) has played the UBS Hong Kong Open on 3 ocassions, but has not won in the Territory yet.  His closest shot at the title came in 2008 when he was involved in a dramatic tie with eventual winner, Taiwan’s Lin Wen Tang. (Watch the YouTube video below)

I was fortunate to share some time with the youngster at the Happy Valley Race Course ahead of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open.  On the night, McIlroy tried his hand at the (horse) races and, while it’s not known whether he won anything, he did have a great time in the City.  Last year there were no minders, bodyguards or other appendages super stars come with these days. It will be interesting to see if anything has changed following his first Major win.

The 2008 Hong Kong Open

Molinari, McIlroy and Lin play-off. I haven’t been to too many big tournaments, let alone a 3-way play-off, but I am happy to say that I was standing right behind Lin Wen Tang when he played THAT amazing shot (2:15 into the video clip)!  The best player on the day eventually was crowned UBS Hong Kong Open Champion.

Take a bow Lin Wen Tang. 谢谢 !

Past winners since 2001 are:

2001 Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP)

2002 Fredrik Jacobson (SWE)

2003 Padraig Harrington (IRE)

2004 Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP)

2005 Colin Montgomerie (SCT)

2006 Jose Manuel Lara (ESP)

2007 Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP)

2008 Lin Wen Tang (TPE)

2009 Gregory Bourdy (FR)

2010 Ian Poulter (ENG)

After becoming the first world No.1 to play in Korea and the first to win the Ballantine’s Championship, Lee Westwood would like to be the first player to retain the trophy.

“Yes, I’d like to come back,” confirmed Westwood after his dramatic victory at Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul on Sunday. “I always try to defend a tournament.”

The English star triumphed by one shot over Spanish veteran Miguel Ángel Jiménez to underline his status as the world’s best player.

He is the first world No.1 to win the Ballantine’s Championship after victories by Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell in 2008, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee in 2009 and Marcus Fraser of Australia 12 months ago.

And he had a special word of praise for the Korean galleries who turned out in large numbers to cheer on the players.

“The fans were great, very supportive, and it just shows the keenness of the Korean public to come out and watch the players they’ve seen on TV playing in other parts of the world,” said Westwood.

Sunday marked the day the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship came of age.

After the first three editions of the tournament were played on the Korean holiday island of Jeju, organisers moved the event to just outside Seoul and were rewarded with large galleries and a duel between the world No.1 and one of golf’s great characters.

It ended when Jiménez’s 14-foot birdie putt at the last slid past the hole, leaving Westwood the winner by a single shot. It was his second victory in a row following his success in the previous week’s Indonesian Masters.

Also “leaving an impression” on the 2011 tournament were Korean challenger Park Sang Hyun, who delighted the home fans with an eagle at the last to finish third, and American star Dustin Johnson – making his competitive debut in Asia – who was fourth.

“The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship has been a huge success for us and on behalf of everyone at Ballantine’s I’d like to congratulate world No.1 Lee Westwood for his truly impressive win,” said Christian Porta, Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, owner of Ballantine’s.

“The stunning course proved an exciting challenge for our strongest field yet and Lee mastered it beautifully.

“The exceptionally high level of competition between the world’s best players and Korean’s rising stars was testament to the way in which our tournament has gone from strength to strength. Our aim was to step up a level in our fourth year and we certainly achieved this at Blackstone Golf Club.

“Ballantine’s is proud of its golf heritage and continues to be committed to international golf in the long-term. We look forward to staging Korea’s premier golf event again next year.”

World No.1 Lee Westwood hits a drive in front of a stand packed with Korean golf fans on his way to victory in the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship. (Pic: Paul Lakatos/Parallel Media Group)

Lee Westwood showed exactly why he is world No.1 with a thrilling one-shot victory in the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea earlier today.

The English ace returned a five-under-par 67 at Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul to edge out Spanish veteran Miguel Ángel Jiménez.

The win left Westwood celebrating back-to-back victories in Asia following his success in last week’s Indonesian Masters.

In a nail-biting finish, Westwood birdied the par-five 18th to take the outright lead at 12-under for the tournament and Jiménez, playing four holes behind, was unable to find the birdie required to force a playoff.

Jiménez’s 14-foot birdie putt at the last slid past the hole, leaving him as runner-up on 11-under after a closing 71.

“I’m delighted,” said Westwood, the first world No.1 ever to play in Korea. “Professional golf is all about winning so it is great to do it two weeks in a row. It was nice to come back from last week, refocus and get it all together for this week, as well.

“When you’re No.1, it’s always nice to come to a place and play like the No.1 and I think I’ve done that this week.”

Westwood, who began the final round three shots behind the leading trio of Jiménez, Welshman Rhys Davies and Alex Noren of Sweden, added: “It was very difficult out there today. The wind was up and swirling around.

“There were some tough holes, difficult to club, and my distance control with my irons has been very good this week. I have a great caddie in Billy Foster, as well, which always helps on a day like today.”

“To go around without making a bogey, five birdies and 13 pars, was a special round of golf, I think,” said Westwood, who earned €367,500 for his 21st European Tour victory.

With his world No.1 status underlined, Westwood was in no doubt about his next target.

“My next goal is to win a Major championship,” he said. “It’s the dream of all professional golfers to get to No. 1 in the world rankings, and I’ve done that.

“I haven’t won a Major yet and that’s the missing thing. So that’s what I gear all my practice and scheduling towards. That’s the next thing, hopefully.”

Korean Tour regular Park Sang Hyun (69) delighted the galleries at the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship with an eagle the last to take sole possession of third place on 10-under.

American star Dustin Johnson – making his competitive debut in Asia – carded a 69 to finish fourth on nine-under.

After the rain-affected third round was completed on Sunday morning, Jiménez, Davies and Noren were on 10-under, one shot ahead of Australian Brett Rumford.

After just three holes, Noren had moved to 12-under and held a three-shot lead over the field but four bogeys between No.4 and No.11 ended his challenge. He returned a 74 to finish tied fifth with Korea’s Hong Soon Sang (69).

Rumford – joint second in the Ballantine’s Championship 12 months ago – carded a 74 to finish joint seventh while Davies fell away with a 77 to end up tied for 13th place.

The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship was once again co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA.

World No.1 Lee Westwood displays the Ballantine’s Championship trophy on Sunday (1 May) after his dramatic one-shot victory at Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul, Korea. Picture: Paul Lakatos/Parallel Media Group

Hook Howzit-HongKong up on Twitter. Add us using this Twitter name: @BlitzBokke

Briton Lee Westwood clinched the Ballantine’s Championship by a stroke on Sunday with a scorching final round that secured his second consecutive title in Asia and consolidated his world number one ranking.

The 38-year old Englishman, who won the Indonesian Masters last week, hit a blemish-free five-under 67 at the Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul to finish with a 12-under total of 276, one better than Ryder Cup team mate Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain.

Park Sang-hyun of South Korea finished third on 10-under in the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event after carding a final-round 69 with an eagle on the last hole.

Westwood, who wrested back the top ranking with his win in Indonesia, trailed the leaders by three strokes after the weather-hit third round finished on Sunday morning.

He holed two birdies on the front nine and finished with three more after the turn but had to endure an anxious wait in the clubhouse as overnight joint leader Jimenez finished his round.

Five of the star players appearing in the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea – (from left) Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter, YE Yang, Lee Westwood and Miguel Ángel Jiménez with the tournament trophy inside the clubhouse at Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul. Picture: Paul Lakatos / Parallel Media Group

“It feels great. I must admit it was nerve-racking sitting there watching people play. You never wish ill on anyone but I’m delighted to win,” Westwood said.

“I’ve won two weeks in a row before but it’s still very special. It’s tough to come down off a win and get yourself re-focused, but the more experience you get the easier it is to do it.”

The pony-tailed Jimenez needed just one birdie in the closing holes to force a play-off with Westwood but could manage only pars on the back nine.

“We had a nice bottle of red and after dinner I said ‘I’ll see you in the playoff tomorrow’ and it nearly went that way,” said Westwood, who dined with the Spaniard on Saturday before winning his 21st European Tour title.

“Billy (Foster, his caddie) said to me on the sixth or seventh that 11-under will have a chance so that was the figure we were aiming for.

“It’s tricky out there. It’s a difficult course because it goes around the hills and it’s difficult to pick the wind up, it swirls a lot.”

While I have to admit that I don’t follow any other top of the log golfer (US Masters champion Charl Schwartzel recently put out a pressie denying that he has a Twitter account, so I promptly un-followed that imposter) I must say that there are few more prolific Twits (can I say that?) than Ian James Poulter.

Let me rephrase that:

There are few more prolific sportsmen-who-tweet than world number 17 Ian James Poulter.

On his way to the official dinner at the Ballantine’s Championships in Korea a few days ago, the Englishman tweeted about his chauffeured car as well as his driver (“The car is all black. The driver is wearing all black. A bit gangsta ish“)

He also told, in less than 140 characters at a time, what he was wearing.  He told of how his velvet tie matched (in his opinion) his velvet slippers (I think he meant slip-in-shoes).  He hated his socks though.

His tweets were backed up with Twitpics from all the locations and of all items he was tweeting about so no imposter this time around.

Here at Howzit-HongKong HQ we receive tons of ‘official press releases’ about players (golfers, football players, sailors, rugby players, etc.) quoting said players as well as their vital statistics relating to their games, etc.

However, nothing tells one more about a player, his thoughts or his preferences that those 140-characters-at-a-time messages.

Some people speak out about Poulter’s on-course dress sense. What they cannot deny is that Ian James Poulter is a brand who uses the social-media age to promote it to it’s fullest.

Like in Sheung Shui, Hong Kong last year, a couple of championship trophies along the way also help.

All the best in Korea, playa.

All dressed up and ready to go. Ian Poulter on his way to the Ballantine’s Dinner (Picture via TwitPic)

I shook hands with Ian Poulter at the 2010 Hong Kong Open after sitting through yet another bizarre Hong Kong-style press conference following the tournament:

Ballantine’s has been title sponsor of the Ballantine’s Championship since 2008 and has committed to the event until 2013.

The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship takes place at the Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul, Korea.

please visit www.ballantineschampionship.com

(Additional picture of Ian Poulter: Paul Lakatos/Parallel Media Group)

Eight leading firms have come out swinging in the Ageas Corporate Golf League – Hong Kong ’s first downtown inter-companies golf competition.

The exciting new tournament is being staged at City Links Golf Lounge, the state-of-the-art indoor golf centre in The Centrium, Wyndham Street – just a chip shot away from Central’s bustling business district.

The two-player teams are competing over seven weeks for the “War on Wyndham” trophy, a HK$20,000 donation to a charity of their choice and a golf weekend for two to Bangkok from Golfasian.com, including two rounds of golf, two nights accommodation and round-trip airfares.

“We have a particular interest in golf so we were very excited and enthusiastic when we heard about the chance to be associated with Hong Kong’s first-ever indoor corporate golf league,” said Angela Yam, Head of Branding, Marketing and Communication, Ageas Insurance Company (Asia) Limited.

“We believe it will become one of the city’s premier golf events. It ties in with our interest in helping charities, too, because we have agreed to make a substantial donation of HK$20,000 to any recipient chosen by the champion team.”

Ageas already sponsors the Hong Kong PGA Championship – the territory’s flagship tournament for locally-based professionals which this year was won by French golfing icon Jean Van de Velde.

In addition, the company supports many other sports and charity events such as FCBEscola – the soccer school run by Spanish giants Barcelona – the Matilda Sedan Chair Race and the Oxfam Trailwalker.

Angela Yam, Head of Branding, Marketing and Communication, Ageas Insurance Company ( Asia ) Limited, and Rajah Chaudhry, Director, City Links Golf Lounge, display the Ageas Corporate Golf League trophy. Pic: Garrige Ho/Two Up Front

The Ageas Corporate Golf League, which is being staged from 12 April to 24 May, is being played on Full Swing Golf’s E6 golf simulation software using the Fourball Better Ball format.

The teams are playing seven of the world’s most famous courses – the “home of golf” St Andrews, Pebble Beach , Kapalua Plantation, Spyglass Hill, The Belfry, Valderrama and Torrey Pines.

Entry is HK$7,000 per team and includes seven competition rounds and open bar and finger food each week. Team substitutes are being encouraged to come along and support their colleagues, making for an intense atmosphere as the players ditch their suit jackets, loosen their ties and go in search of golfing glory.

“We know Hong Kong executives are passionate about their golf and take the game very seriously,” said Rajah Chaudhry, Director, City Links Golf Lounge. “So a downtown corporate golf competition both appeals to their competitive instincts and fits in perfectly with their busy schedules.

“We think the Ageas Corporate Golf League is going to be a big hit and has the potential to become a major annual sports tournament among Hong Kong ’s top companies. We are especially grateful to Ageas for their generous support and we look forward to what promises to be a high-profile, competitive and, most important of all, fun event for everyone involved. May the best team win!”

Companies interested in playing in the Ageas Corporate Golf League should contact Kim Inglis, Director of Golf, City Links Golf Lounge, on 2522 6366 or send an email to kim.inglis@citylinksgolf.com

Coming straight after the opening Major of the year, The Masters Tournament from 7-10 April, Nike Golf team up with Nike Athlete Tiger Woods for the first Nike Golf “Make It Matter” Tour in China and Korea.

The Nike “Make It Matter” Tour aims to illuminate the sport of golf in Asia among youth, golf fans and aspiring athletes alike — all through the insights shared by Woods as it relates to golf, including athletic training, practicing, preparing for competition and product innovation.

The Tour’s first stop in Asia is the Mission Hills Golf Club, marking the second time the club has hosted Woods. His inaugural visit 10 years ago was a landmark event for Chinese golf development, raising the game’s profile both domestically and overseas.

An excited Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Golf Club said: “We warmly welcome the return of Tiger Woods. Ten years ago, his visit was an important milestone for Mission Hills and the golf community in China.

“Mission Hills has long been committed to developing golf events for young people and training the next generation of players in China. We lookforward to cooperate with Nike Golf and hope Tiger Woods’ strong appeal will attract more enthusiasts into the game of golf, especially among our younger athletes.”

As part of the Nike “Make It Matter” Tour, Mission Hills will host the Nike Golf Junior Championships for golfers aged 12 to 18.

The tournament will be held from 11-12 April at the Mission Hills Duval Course, with 120 young golfers competing for the chance to meet Woods in person. All contestants will also be invited to participate in the Tiger Woods Golf Clinic on 12 April on the Olazabal Course.

During his last visit 10 years ago, junior golfers such as Han Ren and Feng Yue had the chance to play with Woods, with both going to become some of China’s leading amateur golfers after that experience.

Woods will also share some of Nike Golf’s innovative new products with the junior golfers, alongside Nike Golf President Cindy Davis.

Nike Golf ‘Make It Matter’ Asia Tour activities include ：

· Tiger Woods Golf Clinic

· Tiger Woods demonstration

· Tiger Woods discussion on product development

· Tiger Woods and Cindy Davis media meeting

· Tiger Woods discussion on player exercise/training

(Additional image of Tiger Woods by http://americansportss.wikispaces.com/Golf)

A determined Ernie Els believes he can still win another Major and has made that his top target this year.

The ”Big Easy“ – who will return to Korea next month to play in the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship – is adamant he can still work his magic over the closing holes of golf’s big four tournaments.

“Yes, absolutely, I can win another Major,” insisted Els, winner of the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and the British Open in 2002. “That is what I’m working on right now.

“I’m trying to get my putting going as good as I can as that’s the one thing that’s holding me back a little bit, and then I’ll just work on my confidence and try and get it going.

“I’ve got all the experience in the world, I just need to let it all blend in and happen. I’m definitely looking forward to a Major this year.”

Ernie Els will return to play in the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea Pic: Parallel Media Group

Els, 41, famous for his globe-trotting schedule, revealed he was cutting back on tournament commitments and relaxing more.

“I did that this year for the first time. I had a five-week break before playing in the Match Play [WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson from 23-27 February]. I normally play in the Middle East and on the US West Coast, but I had a nice break and took it easy.”

Els started this season with a bang, winning the South African Open Championship for an astonishing fifth time, and will be looking to make it third time lucky at the Ballantine’s Championship after top 10 finishes in the past two years.

“I had a chance last year and I didn’t play a good final nine holes,” said the world No.13. “So I’m coming back this year with the objective to try and win the tournament.

“It’s a prestigious event and they get a number of really good players, so if you can win, you’ve beaten a really good field. I would love to win, especially on a new course.”

The Ballantine’s Championship, to be staged from 28 April to 1 May, is moving to the prestigious Blackstone Resort in Seoul after the first three editions were played at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.

Joining Els in Korea’s biggest golf tournament will be world No.2 Lee Westwood, his fellow Englishman and world No.14 Ian Poulter, and Korean hero YE Yang, Asia’s first Major winner.

Els insisted he would do his homework ahead of the event. “I always read up on who designed the course,” he confirmed.

“It will be a long flight to get there so you can do a bit of background research and start reading up on the designer and his philosophy.

“You also take a look at the weather report, so you start to familiarise yourself with what you might expect.”

Els, one of golf’s truly global players with more than 60 victories worldwide, was full of praise for Asian golf and the advances it has made.

“The changes have been huge,” he said. “I’ve been playing in Asia since the early Nineties, so I’ve seen some of the players come and go, but I’ve never seen it as strong as it is now.

“Golf in Asia has exploded, everywhere you go it is such a popular sport. They televise tournaments from Europe and the US and, of course, there is such a large audience.”

The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship will once again be co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA.

Blackstone Resort, in Incheon, just south of Seoul, will host the event for at least the next three years. It is the first time that the exclusive venue – which opened only in 2009 and has just 300 members – has staged a professional tournament.

World No.1 Lee Westwood will headline a quartet of golfing greats at the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship in Korea this April.

The English ace will be joined by South African superstar Ernie Els, world No.10 Ian Poulter and Asia’s first Major winner, YE Yang, as the tournament moves to the prestigious Blackstone Resort in Seoul.

Westwood will be making his first visit to Korea since playing in the 2009 Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.

In the 21 months since he has been in superb form – winning the inaugural Race to Dubai in 2009, claiming four top-three finishes in Majors, winning on the US Tour for the first time in a decade, and ending Tiger Woods’ five-year reign at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

“I thoroughly enjoyed playing in the Ballantine’s Championship in 2009 and I’m very much looking forward to returning to the tournament this year,” said Westwood.

“It is exciting that the event is moving to Blackstone Resort, I’ve heard great things about the venue and, like the vast majority of the players, it will be my first time there so it promises to be quite a challenge. “I enjoyed a fantastic 2010 and becoming the world No.1 has been the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition. Obviously, I’m very keen to maintain the momentum in 2011 so I’m aiming to put on a great display for the Korean fans.

“Korea has really put itself on the world golf map these past few years with the performances of its top players and the facilities there are second to none, so it has all the makings of a great week.”

The 2011 Ballantine’s Championship – once again co-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA – will be played at Blackstone Resort in Icheon, just south of Seoul, from 28 April to 1 May. The club will host the event for at least the next three years.

It will be the first time that the exclusive venue – which opened only in 2009 and has just 300 members – has hosted a professional tournament.

Ernie Els has more than 60 victories worldwide including three Majors – the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and the British Open in 2002.

He recently won the South African Open Championship for an astonishing fifth time and will be looking to make it third time lucky at the Ballantine’s Championship after top 10 finishes in the past two years.

“I’ve got off to a great start this season and hopefully I can maintain this form throughout the year,” he said.

“I enjoyed my two previous visits to the Ballantine’s Championship and both times I was in with a shout going into the final day, so the aim this time is to take any chances that come my way and be in the mix again on Sunday.”

Ian Poulter in Hong Kong (Pic: Getty Images)

Ian Poulter will be appearing in the Ballantine’s Championship for the first time although he previously finished runner-up in the 2008 Korean Open.

He enjoyed a career year in 2010 – becoming the first English winner of a WGC event when he captured the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona, then playing a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup success, before ending the year on a high with victory in the Hong Kong Open.

“I’ve got fond memories of my last appearance in Korea so I’m really looking forward to making my Ballantine’s Championship debut,” said Poulter.

“I’ve heard great things about the tournament from my fellow professionals and I’m told the Blackstone course is exceptional, so it promises to be a great week. I had a wonderful 2010 and I’m very optimistic about what this year holds in store for me.”

Korean YE Yang made history – and earned hero status in his native Korea – in 2009 by becoming Asia’s first Major winner when he fended off Woods to clinch the US PGA Championship. Now he is looking forward to his third appearance in the Ballantine’s Championship.

“It’s always a thrill to play in front of my home fans so I’m full of anticipation for this year’s Ballantine’s Championship,” he said. “The Korean galleries are always so supportive and knowledgeable and they love seeing the home players mix it with some of the world’s best.

“It’s fantastic for Korean golf that the Ballantine’s Championship is going from strength to strength and this year’s tournament promises to be the best yet.”

Korea’s YE Yang (Pic: SportyDeskTops)

(I am busy going through my iPhone after this past weekend’s UBS Hong Kong and I’m discovering a lot of footage and pics not used so far.

Expect some more posts on this past weekend’s golf.)

The Hong Kong media and the bizarre questions asked at pressies…

I have attended my fair share of press conferences and media events covering sports events over the past 3 years.

I don’t know if it’s a cultural clash or maybe a language issue, but the Hong Kong media never fails to astound with the questions asked, in the main to visiting sportsmen and women.

I remember hearing a staffer with the (co-sanctioning body) European Tour commenting after the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open Media Launch: “Well, that was interesting!”

And it always is.

I had my iPhone at the Champion’s press conference after the UBS Hong Kong Open and caught this short interaction:

Cheers to Ian Poulter, winner of the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open for his straight-faced response!