Defending champion Paul Casey will feel right at home when he attempts to retain his TCL Classic title in China next week.
The talented Englishman enjoys playing at the Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya on the tropical southern island of Hainan and has fond memories of his dramatic victory 12 months ago.
"I played great golf all week," he recalls. "I think the reason for that is that I love the course, it's a great layout and I felt at home all week in Sanya. Hainan is a fantastic place, I didn't know that sort of place existed in southern China."
Casey won a dramatic duel with Ireland's Paul McGinley in the 2005 TCL Classic, finally getting his hands on the trophy after an engrossing final round followed by two tension-packed play-off holes.
Casey appeared to be heading for victory in the regulation four rounds before Ireland's McGinley produced a stunning 63 that included five consecutive birdies on the back nine.
After having putts for the win at both the last hole of regulation play and the first play-off hole, Casey nailed a 25 foot birdie effort on the second extra hole.
"The decision to go and play in China certainly paid off handsomely and it was exciting to register my fourth European Tour victory, even if it took a couple of extra holes," he says.
"It was great to cap it off the way I did, especially after having a chance on 18 and leaving it short. To finish it off on the second play-off hole was very, very nice."
Casey, 28, has turned into something of a China specialist with two victories and another top-ten finish in 2005.
His victory in the TCL Classic was followed by a seventh place in the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai last November, the first event of the 2006 European Tour International Schedule.
The following week he captured his fifth European Tour title at the Volvo China Open in Shenzhen, coming from five shots off the pace to beat fellow Englishman Oliver Wilson with a birdie at the first extra hole.
"Returning to China, I probably should have expected there to be a play-off and for me to be involved," says Casey.
"China was very kind to me in 2005 and winning there a second time helped me turn around a relatively disappointing year. It also helped me achieve my goal of getting back into the World's top 50 by Christmas.
"Perhaps I was a little fortunate getting into the play-off but, once that occurred, I was quickly able to focus on the task at hand and draw on the positive experience I had at the TCL Classic."
Casey's record in China and his liking for Yalong Bay will make him one of the favourites when the US$1 million TCL Classic - once again co-sanctioned by The European and Asian Tours - is staged on March 16-19.
He is certainly relishing the prospect of heading back to Sanya, where he will be part of a strong field made up of players from the European and Asian Tours together with some of China's up-and-coming young professionals.
"I'm very much looking forward to returning to defend my TCL Classic title," he says.
"China was obviously a very successful destination for me in 2005 and that all started in Sanya last March."
Can Casey make it three wins in a year in China? Fans at the TCL Classic are about to find out.
