By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at Sheshan International
Alexander Levy is looking to get straight back in the saddle this week at the WGC-HSBC Champions after missing out on victory in the first event of the 2014 Final Series by the narrowest of margins.
Frenchman Levy led by four shots going into the final round of the last week’s BMW Masters but, despite playing immaculate golf over the first three days at Lake Malaren, the 24 year old was blown off course on a blustery final day as a six over par 78 resulted in a sudden-death play-off from which Germany’s Marcel Siem returned victorious.
Now, after travelling just 50km south-west to Sheshan International Golf Club, Levy will make his HSBC Champions debut looking to bounce back from that near-miss with another strong showing this week.
"Here it is, four big events so the first one was a good preparation, wasn't it!” said Levy, who jumped to seventh in The Race to Dubai with his runner-up spot at Lake Malaren. “I wanted to produce very good golf right away and I managed to be on it from the very first tournament. Now I have to surf on this wave, I am playing really well and I need to keep this feeling.”
It has been a remarkable rise to prominence for the man from the south of France.
Having started the year at 226th in the Official World Golf Ranking, Levy’s two victories this year – at the Volvo China Open and the Portugal Masters – have propelled him to 59th and for a large portion of last week he looked utterly dominant and on course to make it a terrific trio of victories in 2014.
Rounds of 65, 66 and 63, on a layout which rewarded those blessed with length and accuracy from the tee, had big-hitting Levy in pole position with just 18 holes remaining before gusts nearing 30 miles per hour wreaked havoc on the field on Sunday as Siem came from five shots back to win by chipping in for birdie at the first extra hole.
Yet, despite that disappointment, the likeable Levy remains philosophical and determined to make an impression in Sheshan this week as he prepares to make just his second appearance in a World Golf Championships event following his debut in Akron in August.
"It is true that the golf course was made for me but if you have the chance to hit strong and straight, all courses are made for you,” Levy continued. “My game was so accurate during the BMW Masters and hitting good shots give you confidence.
“But the last day it was so windy, I struggled with my putting. But honestly I did not miss that many shots, it was more strategy mistakes. I hit two wonderful three irons on the 17th and the 18th during the play-off. It could have been better rewarded but that is the game. The final score 78 does not reflect my level of golf."
“I have been working on my putting before the Final Series but I lost it in the wind that day,” Levy added. “I struggled on Sunday last week but I have found a little something this morning with the rhythm and I will try to work on it this afternoon and tomorrow then I will try to start at break-neck speed on Thursday as I did during three days last week.”
