Finland’s Mikko Korhonen – winner of the 2019 Volvo China Open, which has been postponed because of the Corona-virus threat, along with Malaysia’s Maybank Championship, in April. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TWO European Tour events in Asia – scheduled to be played in April – have been postponed because of the health threat posed by the outbreak of the Corona-virus.

The Maybank Championship and the Volvo China Open have both been postponed following the outbreak in China in December, of what has now been named Covid-19 – by the World Heath Organisation – after the corona-virus spread to a number of different countries, including the UK, this month.

The European Tour and Asian Tour accepted a request from title sponsor and promoter Maybank to postpone the Maybank Championship – due to take place at Saujana Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – from April 16-19.

Meanwhile the decision to postpone the Volvo China Open scheduled for April 23-26, at Genzon Golf Club, in Shenzhen, was taken following consultations with the China Golf Association, Genzon Golf Club, the Shenzhen Government, title sponsor Volvo and promoters Mitime Golf.

Discussions are ongoing with all parties looking into the possibility of rescheduling both tournaments later this season.

European Tou chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The well-being of our players, spectators and staff is always our absolute priority.

“While it is therefore regrettable the Maybank Championship and Volvo China Open have been postponed, we feel this is the correct course of action at this time.

“We are currently investigating alternative dates for both events,” added Mr Pelley, whose members lower down the Race to Dubai rankings face a much harder task to retain their European Tour cards, if the two events are not able to be rescheduled later in the year.

Datuk Abdul Farid Alias, group president and chief executive of Maybank, said: “The decision to postpone the Maybank Championship was made after intense deliberation and careful consideration in the interest of all the players, visitors, working teams and partners.

“The postponement of the Maybank Championship was not an easy decision to make.

“However, the safety of all stakeholders takes precedence, and we want to ensure that any risk of possible exposure to Covid-19 is mitigated.

“We will monitor the situation and work closely with the European and Asian Tours, as well as our other partners, as we plan for our return in the future.”

•Last year’s Volvo China Open was won by Finland’s Mikko Korhonen. Australia’s Scott Hend would have been the defending champion in the Maybank Championship.

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Padraig Harrington is back in Malaysia for the Maybank Championship as he continues to recover from a wrist injury. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PADRAIG Harrington is teeing off his 2019 season in buoyant mood at the Maybank Championship as his recovery from a wrist injury exceeds expectations.

The next European Ryder Cup captain is making his first appearance in the Kuala Lumpur event.

But the two-time Open winner has previously enjoyed success in Malaysia, recording five top eight finishes in the Malaysian Open, including tied sixth on his last outing six years ago.

Those results also include two runner-up spots, with one coming at this week’s venue, Saujana Golf and Country Club, as he finished just behind fellow three-time Major champion Vijay Singh in 2001.

Harrington, who won the Open at Carnoustie in 2007 before becoming one of just seven players since the war to successfully defend the Claret Jug 12 months later – at Royal Birkdale – admitted he is still not fully fit.

Padraig, who did not realise he had broken a bone in a wrist in a slip before Christmas, until it was spotted in early January requiring a splint, said: “I wouldn’t say the wrist is 100 per cent –it might not be 100 per cent for about nine months, or at least another six or seven months. I’m working away at it.

“It’s interesting to come out here. I hit shots on the range here, I hit shots last week and the wrist is holding up, there’s no doubt about it.

“There’s a certain amount of mobility issues and I need to work on the strength of it, but in general it’s right on track. If anything, it’s probably ahead of expectations.

“Traditionally the Malaysian Open was my first event of the season, if you go back 20 years.

“It’s my first event this year and I’m looking forward to that good karma, let’s say.

“It’s a very good set up this year. The changes to the greens have substantially changed the way the course will play.

“The greens are firm. It looks like the changes are excellent, a really, really good challenge.”

Joining the 2008 USPGA Champion in the field is fellow European Tour and Ryder Cup stalwart Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who echoed Harrington’s praise for the recent changes at Saujana.

The flamboyant Spaniard has enjoyed great success in Asia over the years, with his 21 European Tour victories including five Hong Kong Open titles.

The 55-year-old is feeling as competitive as ever as he successfully balances life on the European Tour and the over 50s circuit, capturing his first two senior Major titles last year including the Senior Open on the Staysure Tour.

Jiménez – nicknamed The Mechanic on Tour – said: “There have been a few changes, the first couple of holes are different.

“The greens are all new. The golf course is in very good shape. I feel comfortable here. I like this kind of weather. It’s nice, I feel good.

“Good golf course, good design. I enjoy coming to Malaysia.

“I’m still playing well on both tours. Now I dedicate more than 20 per cent to senior golf.

“But I still like to play on the European Tour too. I play maybe six tournaments a year.

“I still have my category to play, and as long as I have my category I will keep playing. If I didn’t feel competitive I wouldn’t come here.

“When the moment comes that I don’t feel competitive, I won’t come. There is no point coming just to show up.”

The co-sanctioned Maybank Championship is an event much closer to home for Malaysia’s highest ranked player Gavin Green.

The 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner has played in all three previous editions of the tournament and is relishing the prospect of chasing a first European Tour title, and his second on the Asian Tour, in front of a home crowd.

Green said: “It’s such a big one for me. I love playing in front of a home crowd.

“Maybank have helped me and been with me through the years. It would be really good to play well and finish as high as I can.

“I feel good, I’ve been playing well the last few weeks. I’ve just had a couple of hiccups here and there that disrupted the whole game, but it’s been good so far.

“I got my coach down for a couple of days and worked with him, trying to get ready for this event.”

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Shubhankar Sharma is aiming to follow Justin Harding into the World’s top 50 when he defends his title this week. Picture courtesy of Maybank Championship

SHUBHANKAR Sharma is feeling relaxed about his Maybank Championship title defence, as the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year aims to build on a stellar debut season on the European Tour.

The 22 year old burst on to the scene with two early victories on the 2018 Race to Dubai, following up his maiden win at the Joburg Open with his biggest victory yet, coming from four shots back to take the title at Saujana Golf and Country Club.

With two trophies in his cabinet by early February, he cemented his status as Indian golf’s new rising star by playing in all four Major Championships and impressing on his World Golf Championships debut.

He famously lead the world-class WGC-Mexico Championship field by two shots going into the final round before posting an impressive top 10 finish.

Sharma said: “I have some very special memories from last year. It just feels like yesterday that I won here.

“I made that putt on 18 and was waiting in scorers for the rest of the field to finish.  It’s great to come back – it was my biggest win.

“I love the course here. I had a good finish the year before last when I finished top 10.

“I actually just love Malaysia as a country. I love the people and the heat doesn’t get to me, which is good.

“Hopefully I can draw on the good memories and play well this week.

“I definitely feel like I’ve become a better player from last year.

“Obviously I have more experience. I’ve played some of the biggest events in the world, I played in all of the Majors last year.

“In two of those Majors I was actually playing in front of Tiger, so the biggest crowds I have ever seen. It’s good that I’ve seen all of those situations.

“I’m much more relaxed now, but you don’t want to get too relaxed when you are playing. These are some of the best players in the world and you have to be 100 per cent.

“But I’ll definitely be more comfortable than I was last year playing in the marquee group.”

Sharma is joined in the field in this week’s co-sanctioned Maybank Championship by Jazz Janewattananond, another young player – who has impressed on both the European Tour and Asian Tour and has aspirations of challenging the best in the world in the near future.

The 23-year-old Thai claimed his third Asian Tour title at the Singapore Open in January to break into the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Jazz said: “I was fortunate to crack the top 100 this soon. It was always in the back of my mind to take the next step and get into the top 50.

“This is going to be a big week, if I can play good this week I have a chance of cracking the top 50 sooner.

“Seeing the likes of Justin Harding is very inspiring. We played a lot together last year. Now that he is in the top 50 he’ll have a better chance of getting into the Masters.

“To see someone close to you do that is very inspiring and it gives you a boost and confidence that you can do it too.

“I’m feeling really good. I had a couple of good finishes coming in to this week. It’s always nice to come back to Malaysia.

“I love this city, I love the skyline, I love the street food here. I’m enjoying myself out here and we’ll try to move that into the golf course as well.”

Janewattananond is aiming for a good finish this week to help propel him towards his next aim of following his friend and recent South Africa’s European Tour winner Justin Harding into the top 50.

Also teeing it up the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur this week are three-time Major winner and current European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington and his victorious predecessor Thomas Bjørn – as well as American Kurt Kitayama, who has emulated Sharma this year by racing to two European Tour victories in his rookie season.

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