MAJESTICKS GC MEMBERS LOOK TO REVIVE LOVE AFFAIR WITH ASIA IN SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE – Majesticks GC go into this week’s LIV Golf Singapore hoping their past history in hot and humid Asian conditions will correct their present form.
Disappointed members of the team were critical of their performances in Adelaide, where the team finished 13th, but it was clear they were leaving no stone unturned to turn around their fortune at the Serapong course of Sentosa Golf Club.
They have been spending extended time on the driving range and putting greens at the course despite the weather.
The big advantage Majesticks will have over the others this week is their knowledge of tackling the conditions and their familiarity with the golf course.
Co-Captain Ian Poulter is a past winner at the golf course during the 2009 Barclays Singapore Open. Lee Westwood has won several titles in similar weather conditions in countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Henrik Stenson was a runner-up at Thai Golf Championship and has had multiple wins in the Middle East.
Putting has continued to be the team’s bugbear, with Sam Horsfield the best place among the team in year-to-date putting stats at No37 with 29 average putts per round. The rest are all below the 40th place – Poulter 44th at 29.28, Westwood 51st at 29.78, and Stenson 54th at 30.44.
However, both Poulter (9th at 61%) and Stenson (2nd at 64%) are inside the top-10 in fairways hit, which is a good thing to do on a tricky and demanding course like Serapong.
In Friday’s opening round, Poulter has been paired with Patrick Reed and Paul Casey and starts from the 5th tee; Horsfield starts from the 14th tee alongside Branden Grace and Kieran Vincent; Westwood will be on tee 12 with fellow former world No1 Martin Kaymer and Anirban Lahiri, while Stenson will play with Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson from the 18th.