By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at Sheshan International
As we continue the build-up to the second event in this year’s Final Series, the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, europeantour.com spoke to three men looking to move onwards and upwards as The 2014 Race to Dubai nears its conclusion.
While Rory McIlroy continues to dominate proceedings at the very top of the money list with now just three events of the 2014 season remaining, Marcel Siem exhibited just how significant a jump is possible with success in a Final Series event last week at the BMW Masters.
The German prevailed last Sunday in a play-off against Frenchman Alex Levy and England’s Ross Fisher and with it made a staggering move from 53rd to fourth in The Race to Dubai after claiming the 1,666,600 points on offer for winning any one of the four Final Series events.
Still plenty to play for, then, not least for Victor Dubuisson, looking for his second top ten finish in The Race to Dubai in succession, Charl Schwartzel, hoping to surge inside the top 15 for a cut of the $5million Bonus Pool, and Felipe Aguilar, eyeing a move into the top 60 and a third appearance at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
So, as Sheshan International Golf Club prepares to host the HSBC Champions for a ninth time this week, who is going to be the main moving man this time in Shanghai?
VICTOR DUBUISSON
2014 R2D: 9th – 20 events; 3 runners-up, 4 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 70.73; Earnings €1,800,166
2013 R2D: 6th – 21 events; 1 win, 6 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 70.13; Earnings €2,031,675
Twelve months ago, the eternal enigma that is Monsieur Dubuisson sprang to prominence in the game during the inaugural Final Series as a maiden European Tour title at the Turkish Airlines Open and a third place finish in Dubai helped the Frenchman to a sixth place finish in The 2013 Race to Dubai.
The 24 year old has not let up in 2014 either, having also come close to adding to his trophy cabinet with runner-up finishes at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, the Nordea Masters and the ISPS Handa Perth International two weeks ago, yet Dubuisson still refuses to get ahead of himself as he continues a stretch of events he clearly enjoys.
“I will just try to do my best, like I do every day, play the best I possibly can and then just see what the result is at the end of the year,” said Dubuisson. “I can’t control what other people do so my ranking will be what my ranking will be, but it would be satisfying to finish in the top ten again certainly.
“I like the course here, I like the course in Turkey, of course, and I also like the course in Dubai so I am quite hopeful I can do as well as I did last year. This place is beautiful, a great golf course, and a great field to challenge myself against.
“I am playing with Jamie (Donaldson), who I am really good friends with after The Ryder Cup, so we will have some fun.”
CHARL SCHWARTZEL
2014 R2D: 20th – 15 events; 1 win, 5 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 70.24; Earnings €1,239,418
2013 R2D: 27th – 13 events; 1 win, 3 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 69.63; Earnings €1,006,692
The South African started his year in some style late last November with three consecutive finishes inside the top six, including the retention of his Alfred Dunhill Championship title at Leopard Creek, and will this week be looking to add to his already-impressive record in the World Golf Championships this year.
Schwartzel finished tied ninth at the WGC-Cadillac Championship back in March and followed it up with a tied fourth finish in Akron at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, while he also finished tied fourth at Sheshan International the last time he played here in 2011.
Plenty of positives, then, for the former Masters Tournament champion to feed upon this week as he looks to move inside the top 15.
“I’m trying not to focus on the Bonus Pool in particular but obviously with this week and Dubai still to come it would be nice to get inside the top 15 just for myself,” said Schwartzel, who has finished no lower than 35th in the money list since 2005.
“I’m close enough, I just need to play well each week with all the point on offer. I was right up there for a while this season and have dropped down a little recently but still have a chance of finishing in the top 15.
“I’ve played well here a few times and I like this course and I also finished third the last time I played in Dubai so still lots to play for and at the end of the day, a win is what I’m here for and the rest will take care of itself!”
FELIPE AGUILAR
2014 R2D: 61st – 19 events; 1 win, 3 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 70.92; Earnings €496,720
2013 R2D: 50th – 27 events; 1 runner-up, 7 other top 10s; Scoring Avg 70.93; Earnings €703,070
Aguilar won his second European Tour title at the Championship at Laguna National earlier this year – and in some style – as a final round 62 propelled the diminutive Chilean to success in Singapore.
The Valdivia native’s best finish in the money list came back in 2008, when Aguilar finished 41st and, with his 40th birthday falling in Shanghai this Friday, Aguilar could well celebrate by rubber-stamping his spot in the season finale in the UAE.
“It’s all in my hands whether I get in to Dubai, I don’t have to depend on anyone else if I can play well this week,” said Aguilar. “I should make it because all the other guys close behind me will have to play really well in Turkey to push me further out.
“It is my birthday on Friday so it would be especially nice to do well as I always seem to be away on my birthday so a good finish would compensate for that too!
“These last few courses we play are perhaps a little long for me; I’m hitting a lot of four irons, three irons, rescues whereas some of the longer hitters might have the extra edge like you saw last week with the big guys at the top.
“The precision and shaping needed in Turkey suits me more, perhaps, but then again, every course is the same every week for every player and you still just have to put every putt in the centre of the hole!”
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