A Cracking Week

The foundations of The European Tour's headquarters at Wentworth are apparently in danger of cracking, such is the seismic shift in attitude since the arrival of the new chairman, David Williams, and Mr Pelley, who is a workaholic who never sleeps (I exaggerate for effect). Player agent Andrew "Chubby" Chandler (another renowned insomniac) has apparently had emails replied to instantly at four o'clock in the morning, with a decision made. Old-timers are being told to shape up or ship out. Mr Pelley, I am told, already knows the Christian name of every member of the roughly two hundred strong staff. An air of exciting positivity pervades the Tour. The next few months are going to be intriguing to watch.

Having sailed the Seven Seas this summer I'm excited about returning home in time for the UBS Hong Kong Open. It'll be the first co-sanctioned tournament between Asia and Europe since the new merger agreement was signed and no doubt there will be much discussion going on behind the scenes as to the future shape of ‘The EurAsia Tour’. On the course, Dustin Johnson will probably be demonstrating why the par-5 third on the Composite Course should really be a par 4, with a drive and a knock down 7-ron; or how to take the ditch on the 10th out of play by smashing a drive into the halfway hut. It's very likely he could surpass Padraig Harrington's 395-yard drive a few years ago on the 13th (he got a big bounce off the road that crosses it), if the fairway is firm ... and he can find it.

The European Tour has played on a number of short courses this year and the magic 59 has been threatened a few times, not least by Matthew Fitzpatrick who had a very makeable birdie putt on the 18th at the recent KLM Open to become the first man in Europe to break 60, albeit we had "placing" that week. It's strange that no one has done it yet, but perhaps the grand old layout at Fanling will finally succumb to the brilliance of a Johnson or a Justin Rose; or maybe even the enigmatic four-time champion Miguel Angel Jimenez. The Spaniard’s putting has troubled him for the past six months or so but there are signs of improvement from the Tour's oldest winner. Is that a record he could stretch yet further? Don't rule it out.

Back in my Army days flying single-engine Scout helicopters around the New Territories we always had the wide open spaces of Fanling in the back of our minds as a potential landing area in the event of engine failure. When you're on the ground, using the tree-lined fairways for their intended purpose, they suddenly don't seem quite so wide. The big-hitting Scott Hend certainly didn't try to overpower the course in winning last year, and sensibly so. It doesn't matter how far you hit it, if you're stuck behind a paper-bark tree your options are limited. Whatever happens, you can be sure that the incomparable 18th will play its part in the drama. There are few more exciting, challenging and fun final holes in Tour golf and the atmosphere around the clubhouse guarantees it will be a nerve-tingling climax. The good crowds and vibrancy of the Hong Kong Open are just one of the very good reasons why it should always be a major week in any new combined schedule. As the last tournament for European players to keep their cards and to qualify for the following weeks of the Final Series, it should be a cracking week. I look forward to seeing you there.

Footnote: Kaymer crashed at Monza. Not the full engine failure he suffered in Abu Dhabi earlier this year when he surrendered a 10-shot lead with 12 holes to play, but he staggered towards the chequered flag with oil gushing from the sump. Worrying.