It’s no ordinary week on the European Tour as players are set to tee it up at both the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and the Australian PGA Championship. Following Wade Ormsby’s win in the first event of the new season at the UBS Hong Kong Open, the second and third trophies of the season are both up for grabs, with Masters Champion Sergio Garcia headlining the field in Australia.
Traditionally, Australians have dominated their home event, with last year’s champion Harold Varner III the first non-Australian to win since David Howell in 1998. Across the Indian Ocean, just the third edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open will see Dylan Frittelli, Nicolas Colsaerts and Jamie Donaldson aim to take one of the most distinctive trophies on tour.
Our stats guru has combed through the facts and figures to find three players to keep an eye on this week.
Favourite: Sergio Garcia (Australian PGA Championship)
Sergio Garcia arrives on the Gold Coast as the current Green Jacket holder, the highest-ranked player in the field and on the back of one of his most successful seasons to date. There is reason, then, for the Spaniard to be optimistic about his chances on his Australian PGA Championship debut. Despite being one of the most decorated players in the field, there is little pressure riding on Garcia this week as he goes in search of his fourth victory of the calendar year. If Garcia can combine a relaxed attitude with his current form, comprising a win at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, a share of fourth at the DP World Tour Championship and a tie for 19th in Hong Kong, he could be the man to beat.
The fact that the reigning Masters Champion hasn’t played in Australia since 2009 should not weigh too heavily on him either. As leader in Stroke Average (69.3) and Scrambling (66.5%) last season, and third in Greens in Regulation (74.5%), the 37 year old knows he has the game to compete on any course.
Form Horse: Dylan Frittelli (AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open)
There is a feeling South Africa could have its next superstar after the way Dylan Frittelli performed last season. With two top-four finishes in his final four events, Frittelli proved he has the game to mix it among the best. He finished runner-up to Justin Rose at the Turkish Airlines Open and in a tie for fourth at the DP World Tour Championship, before continuing the good form at the UBS Hong Kong Open last week. A share of 16th at Hong Kong GC kept the ball rolling for the University of Texas graduate and means his stroke average in his last two events is an impressive 68.1.
A win at the Lyoness Open powered by Organic in June was a real show of intent from a man playing in his first full season on tour. With an impressive 19th place finish in the final Race to Dubai Rankings, Frittelli is riding a wave of optimism right now and is well fancied to triumph in Mauritius.
Wildcard: Matthieu Pavon (AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open)
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon was one of many European Tour rookies to impress last season. The standout result came at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, where Pavon finished in a tie for third. Top sixes at the Open de Portugal at Morgado Golf Resort (tie for third) and the Nordea Masters (tie for sixth) contributed to a bright campaign that finished strongly. Playing in the same field as some of the game’s most decorated players in the final three Rolex Series events of the season proved profitable for the 25 year old, as he achieved three top-20 finishes in Turkey, South Africa and Dubai.
Pavon tees it up at Heritage GC with reason to believe a first European Tour win is within reach. He ranked 16th in Driving Distance last season (304.6y), but will have to use his power sparingly on a course that only measures 6,987 yards. With confidence flowing, however, Pavon is a genuine candidate to sneak under the radar.
