Ahead of the final three Rolex Series events of the season, the European Tour heads to China for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions. Justin Rose won the first of his two tour titles last season at Sheshan International Golf Club, coming from eight shots behind to win, and the Englishman returns to Asia to defend his title.
Among those joining Rose in the field are many of his Ryder Cup teammates, including Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm. World Number One Dustin Johnson will also tee it up, hoping to atone for a final round 77 that saw his 54-hole lead dissolve last year.
Our stats guru has scoured the form book and crunched the numbers to select three players for your Fantasy team.
Favourite: Justin Rose
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There are a few strong options in this week’s field, but defending champion Justin Rose is as well placed as any to take home the trophy. Outside of his impressive victory 12 months ago, the Englishman has two other top seven finishes in this event. Rose has also shot par or better in 18 out of his 20 career rounds at Sheshan International.
Rose’s consistent form helped him to World Number One earlier in the year. He’s enjoyed five top tens, including runner-up spot at The Open Championship and a recent eighth place finish at the Sky Sports British Masters. His all-round play has been incredibly strong, with only four players laying claim to a better Strokes Gained: Tee to Green record this season (+1.727). He arrives in China in top form, knowing he can perform well around this track. Keep your eye out for the defending champion.
Form horse: Tyrrell Hatton
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Although Tyrrell Hatton has enjoyed another fine season on the European Tour, he will be eager to close it with a win over the next few weeks. He hasn’t gone more than three events without a top ten finish this season, a hugely impressive achievement given the quality of fields he’s teed it up in. Hatton’s last two results are back-to-back top tens at the US PGA Championship and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, with a Ryder Cup victory sandwiched in between.
The three-time tour winner is ninth for the season in Stroke Average (69.64) and is third in most Top Tens (seven). The confidence should be flowing and he has performed well at Sheshan International in the past too, finishing in a share of 11th last season and tied for 23rd in 2016. You wouldn’t put it past him to better previous results in a bid for win number four.
Wildcard: Erik Van Rooyen
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One of the surprises of the season has been that Erik Van Rooyen hasn’t yet made a winning breakthrough. Despite being in his rookie year on tour, the tall South African has seriously impressed, recording five top tens. After finishing runner-up at the Joburg Open early in the season, Van Rooyen has consistently impressed, particularly in finishing in a tie for fourth at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. He is 15th in Greens in Regulation (73.7%) for the season and 23rd in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (+1.333).
The 28 year old will make his WGC debut this week, but has shown on many occasions this season that he is hard to faze. Should Van Rooyen win, he would be the first South African victor of a WGC event since Ernie Els in 2010 and the first 2017 Challenge Tour graduate to lift a title. There’s a lot that needs to go right for that to happen, but there is plenty to suggest this could be his week.
