ISSN 0219-0605 9 7 7 0 2 1 9 0 6 0 5 0 8 SGD8 / RM20 / BND8 / THB195 LAYERS COMPROMISES ZERO 5 Drivers Tested Power WWW.GOLFASIA.SG CONTENTS 32 12 FOREWORD 16 14 TEEBOX • Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard • Wie Saves Best Until Last In Nail-Biting Finish • Mickelson The Master Of Mexico • Bubba Watson Returns To Winning Form 24 BUZZ 26 SCENE • The Ee Hoe Hean Club Charity Golf Tournament 2018 • The 2018 TaylorMade M Family Launch • A BOOST For Your Golf • R&A And USGA Release 2017 Distance Study • New Beginnings 36 GEARGUIDE • TaylorMade TP5x Athlete Edition • Go Rogue! • Odyssey Reveals Their Latest Putters • New ONOFF Lady Series • Over 100 Years Of Sporting Heritage • 2018 Drivers 60 PROFILE • Keith Pelley • The Storm Is Brewing 38 CONTENTS 74 73 ESCAPE • Cool Golf Around Stockholm 83 DIRECTORY 89 LUXE LIFESTYLE • Rolex Baselworld Special • Omega Baselworld Special • Timepieces • An Award-Winning Wellness Experience • Drive Your Story • World Gourmet Summit 96 • Vibia Presents Guise • Gadgets • Autos 128 116 LUXE SCENE • A Tribute To Legendary Winery Cos d'Estournel • Emirates Unveils More Spacious Business Class Seats • Hublot Partners With Lapland Ice Driving • Lamborghini And Cervélo Join Forces • Roger Federer Wins 5th And 6th Laureus Awards • 90th Anniversary Of The Fullerton Building 128 LUXE INSPIRATION • Enata Foiler Flying Yacht 2 GOLF ASIA EDITORIAL & ART SENIOR WRITER AKANKSHA NAIR ART DIRECTOR JUNLONG LOH SALES & MARKETING- SINGAPORE BUSINESS DIRECTOR THOMAS LEOW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER MARINA CHONG ASSISTANT MARKETING MANAGER CELESTINE LAU ADMIN & MARKETING EXECUTIVE SHEILA DEVI SALES & MARKETING- MALAYSIA SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR JESSLY PAK BUSINESS DIRECTOR DAVID CHOO BUSINESS MANAGER CARMEN LEOW CUSTOMER SERVICE EXECUTIVE NURUL HANIZAH MANAGEMENT MANAGING DIRECTOR DENNIS PUA PUBLISHER BEN POON FINANCE EXECUTIVE JULIE KHONG HR EXECUTIVE WENDY CHUA MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES HONG KONG / INDONESIA / MACAU / THAILAND / ABU DHABI / CHINA / DUBAI / TURKEY / AUSTRALIA / JAPAN / SOUTH KOREA / TAIWAN: THOMAS LEOW [email protected] DISTRIBUTORS SINGAPORE: Pansing Distribution Pte Ltd HONG KONG: Times Publishing (HK) Ltd / INDIA: Apexlynx InterTrade Private Limited PHILIPPINES: Asia/Pacific Circulation Exponents, Inc / THAILAND: Asia Books Co., Ltd GOLF ASIA MAGAZINE, MCI (P)012/08/2017, ISSN 0219-0605, PPS 1317/04/2013 (022948), is published monthly by Media Group Pte Ltd. No part of articles published here may be reproduced in any other publication, printed or published, without the prior permission of the publisher. The Publisher, however, accepts no responsibility whatsoever for unsolicited manuscripts and materials. FOR ENQUIRIES MEDIA GROUP PTE LTD 20 Bedok South Road Singapore 469277 • Fax: 65 6449 9945 Website: www.golfasia.sg REGENT MEDIA SDN BHD Unit 6.02 Level 6, Menara Maxisegar, Jalan Pandan Indah 4/2 Pandan Indah, 55100 Kuala Lumpur • Fax: 603-42926251 EDITORIAL [email protected] DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTION [email protected] • Phone: 65 6446 6888 MARKETING [email protected] ADVERTISING SALES [email protected] HOTLINES 65 6446 6888 (Singapore) | 603-79548989 (Malaysia) PRINTER KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd (197801823M) Persatuan Penerbit Penerbit Majalah, Malaysia Golf Asia is an IAGTO Approved Publication Magazine Publishers Association, Malaysia CONTRIBUTORS ANDY MARSHALL (Handicap 16) - Born in England in KEN LYE is a keen 1961, Andy has been a professional freelance travel golfer and currently writer for the past 20 years, During that time, he has plays off a 4 travelled to over 50 countries including Sri Lanka, handicap. Ken loves Solomon Islands Barbados, Panama and Hungary to golf and pretty much cover a diverse range of lifestyle, travel, golf, food & all things related to wine features for various magazines around the world. golf. He especially These days he regularly works with his professional loves checking out photographer brother Paul particularly on golf , lifestyle new golf equipment and travel features. Andrew lives in a 17th century and enjoys travelling cottage on the outskirts of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire and most weekends he to explore new golf courses in the region can be found walking the Pennines with his partner Amanda. and beyond. Ken also has a keen interest in the Rules of Golf and has refereed at professional, certain major regional and PAUL MARSHALL (Handicap 18) - Born in England local amateur events since passing the in 1965, Paul is a professional photographer living in R&A Rules School in 2005. Stockholm with his wife, daughter and Welsh springer spaniel. He works on a freelance basis with different kinds of reportage and portraiture work for various NATASHA WONG publications in Sweden, ranging from lifestyle and golf started playing golf to travel and business magazines. Internationally he some 10 years ago works with Andy to supply quality images to illustrate and has developed a their golf features from around the world. self-confessed love- hate relationship with the game. These PAUL MYERS Paul has spent almost his entire career in days, she plays off the media and communications industry in Australia, a 9-handicap and North America and Asia. Now based in Bangkok, he encounters a daily battle to curb her over- manages and part owns Asian Travel Media, the only swing. Aside from being an ardent supporter dedicated golf tourism PR/media company in Asia/Pacific. of women’s golf, Natasha is also passionate ATM’s clients are located throughout the region and the about golf travel and photography. Armed company is recognised as a leader in effective consumer- with her camera, this amateur photographer oriented media communications. is constantly seeking the elusive perfect golf shot…no pun intended! DOWNLOAD YOUR DIGITAL ISSUE TODAY DOWNLOAD AND READ IT ON MAGZTER: FROM YOUR APPLE IPAD, GO TO APP STORE AND SEARCH FOR MAGZTER GET SOCIAL, FIND US AT FROM YOUR ANDROID TABLET, GO TO ANDROID MARKET AND SEARCH FOR MAGZTER WWW.GOLFASIA.SG FACEBOOK.COM/GOLFASIA.SG • 545 ORCHARD ROAD #02-18/19/20/21, FAR EAST Tel: (65) 6884 9575 SHOPPING CENTRE SINGAPORE 238883 Fax: (65) 6884 9576 • ISETAN SCOTTS GOLF DEPT.(3RD LEVEL) www.golfleisure.com.sg facebook.com/golfleisure OUR PREMIER PARTNERS EVENT MANAGEMENT PARTNER CHANNEL PARTNER SINGAPORE MALAYSIA R INDONESIA BRUNEI THAILAND Genuine Cleveland Golf clubs are available at PAN-WEST: • Orchid Country Club - 6752 3110 • Far East Shopping Centre - 6733 4331 • Isetan Scotts Level 3 - 6735 0513 • Takashimaya Department Store Level 4 - 6733 3307 PAN-WEST is the exclusive distributor in Singapore. For enquiry email to [email protected] For Corporate Services email to [email protected] or call 6356 5553 facebook.com/ClevelandGolfSingapore DISTRIBUTION GOLF ASIA IS AVAILABLE ONBOARD IT IS AVAILABLE AT SATS Premier Lounges JetQuay Lounge SilverKris Lounge PROSHOP DISTRIBUTION POINTS PMS 186C PMS 347C WHERE YOU CAN FIND US MEDIA PARTNER THERE’S SOFT. AND THERE’S TOUR SOFT. INTRODUCING TITLEIST TOUR SOFT. EXPERIENCE BETTER PERFORMANCE. EXPERIENCE BETTER FEEL. THIS IS YOUR SOFT. ©2018 Acushnet Company. GOLFINGFOREWORD back in the winner’s circle The last few months has seen a couple of very familiar faces, who are distinguished members of the golfing elite, re-emerging onto the winner’s circle. Michelle Wie won the HSBC Women’s World Championship after a four-year dry spell of sorts. The win was made even sweeter and a huge confidence booster because of the sterling field she had to beat. The high qualification criteria were set to only include, the top 20 players in the world, all tournament winners from the 2017 & 2018 Official LPGA Tournaments held the week preceding the tournament, as well as HSBC Women’s Champion Winners from 2016 and 2017. Phil Mickelson won the WGC Mexico Championship recently, his first victory in almost five years. He last tasted victory at the 2013 Open Championships and with his latest win, he proved he is 47 years young and able to mix it up with the younger crop of professionals. Bubba Watson won the Genesis Open after a low-spell over the last 2 years and that victory quickly put paid to any thoughts of retirement from professional golf. Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy ended an 18 month win drought to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational in spectacular fashion, birdieing 5 of the last 6 holes on the final day! He also put the brakes on a resurgent Tiger Woods, also looking to once again savour the addictive taste of victory since he last won at the 2013 WGC Bridgestone Invitational. And it is anyone’s guess when the aforementioned elites will win again, and the suspense makes it all the more interesting for the rest of us watching from the ropes. BEN POON [email protected] KNOW YOUR LETTER. HIT YOUR NUMBER. NEW VOKEY DESIGN SM7 WEDGES. FIND OUT MORE AT TITLEIST.COM.SG GOLFING TEE BOX Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented By MasterCard McIlroy ends 18-month PGA win drought with title ory McIlroy ended an 18-month "It's so nice to see everything come McIlroy said. "To get my first PGA win in I PGA win drought in sensational together finally," McIlroy said. "I wasn't that far don't know how long, it feels really great." Rfashion with birdies on five of the away. It takes something to click into place. The 28-year-old from Northern Ireland took last six holes to capture the Arnold Palmer Something clicked into place with my putting his 14th US PGA Tour triumph, his first since Invitational. obviously." the 2016 Tour Championship, and served Four-time major champion McIlroy McIlroy fired an eight-under par 64 to notice he is a solid threat to complete a outduelled American Bryson DeChambeau finish 72 holes on 18-under 270 and defeat career major Grand Slam by winning the and major winners Tiger Woods, Justin Rose DeChambeau by three strokes.