Malaysian No 1 Gavin Green is aiming to finish the year strongly in the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, which starts this coming Thursday at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
Gavin will be making his first appearance in the US$8 million showpiece reserved for the top 60 players on the European Tour’s season-long Race To Dubai rankings, who will take on Jumeirah’s Greg Norman-designed Earth Course.
“I’m really looking forward to the DP World Tour Championship as it’s my first time in the event,” said Gavin, currently ranked 42nd on the Race To Dubai.
Gavin missed the cut in the Golf in Dubai Championship at Jumeirah’s Fire Course this past week, playing without the benefit of a practice round as he only flew in from South Africa on Tuesday. The tournament started on Wednesday.
Not one to dwell on disappointment, the 2017 Asian Tour No 1 noted that he played the Earth Course a few times during his off-weeks and has mapped out a strategy with coach Chris O’Connell.
“It’s a big course but demands lots of placement and thinking, which is good! Obviously the conditions will change during the tournament with faster and harder greens. I need to miss it in the right places and give myself chances for birdies,” he said.
Having made some swing adjustments just over a month ago to improve his consistency and help manage a left wrist injury, Gavin is hoping that he can bring his ‘A Game’ to the golf course this week.
“The swing is coming along nicely; it’s still not 100% but it’s getting there. It’s just that it’s a lot harder doing it on the golf course, because sometimes I tend to go back to old habits,” he shared.
“It’s frustrating and annoying but I’m trying hard to break that. Still a work in progress!”
Whatever happens this coming week, Gavin stressed that it has been a solid third season for him on the European Tour despite the abbreviated schedule. In the two previous seasons, his final Race To Dubai rankings were 85th in 2018 and 69th in 2019.
“It’s been a solid season and I can’t complain. I enjoy what I do and I’ll just keep working till the next event comes along. Hopefully things will be more normal next year,” said the 26-year-old, who has registered three top 10s in 17 starts this year with four missed cuts.
