You would think that Hong Kong as a destination itself is a very obvious draw - and this is also true, to an extent. The young single men who make up the composition of both the European and Asian Tours enjoy our city's nightlife at the beginning and end of the week (not much frivolity goes on during the tournament days itself), while those pros who travel with their wives and families are certainly thankful for our luxury hotels and the obvious shopping opportunities that Hong Kong presents. Today's golfers visit all sorts of places, so you can clearly understand why Hong Kong comes as a very welcome stop for many after visits to distant courses in southern Taiwan, rural Austria and the Prague hinterland. Wonderful all these places undoubtedly are, these tournaments' proximity to places of interest can be a hindrance.
What makes the Hong Kong Open for the players is of course the combination of agreeable weather - and we were blessed once again despite the earlier-than-usual October date - and the more than agreeable verandah at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Every other tournament stop features a players' lounge within the clubhouse where the pros can cool off after their round, have something to eat and wait until the shuttle bus or courtesy car (depending on their status) is ready to whisk them off to the hotel. There is in fact a players' lounge at Fanling but as far as anyone can tell, it has never been used. Nowhere else in the spheres of European or Asian Tour golf do the players mix as freely with the members and their guests as they do in Hong Kong. The verandah is quite simply the place to be. It is testament to it that so many of Rose's fellow pros stuck around to lap up the complimentary Stella Artois and cheer him into the clubhouse after he had sunk the final putt ... normally, most of them would be on the way to the airport and catching up with the final scores in the business class lounge.
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