BackThe world’s best at close range
Rory McIlroy beat Tiger Woods in an exhibition match, but in China, golf means so much more than just big names
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Move over drab pastels and canvas. Bring on the bling and chiffon. Chanel diamond earrings, Hermès scarves and Birkin bags. Oh, and designer heels. The dress code for The Match at Mission Hills. A golf match, on a golf course. Of course, when that match involves men like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the women will give it their Sunday best. Who cares if it was a Monday?
Did the Chinese declare a national holiday? Sure looked that way from the numbers that turned up. Organizers peg it at 20,000 but I would like to differ. I would say a million after coming perilously close to being rolled over by waves of humanity on more than one occasion.
What began as a trickle at the start of the day (28 October) multiplied into a deluge by early afternoon when Woods and McIlroy made their way to the practice range for some sabre rattling before their duel. There was a build-up. Billboards with the two recognizable faces announced The Match at Mission Hills, all the way from Hong Kong to Hainan, a tropical island destination for the Chinese just off the eastern edge of the mainland, with Japan a short boat ride away on the other side. A popular golfing spot too, going by the number of golf bags lined up in the hotel overlooking the Blackstone course, the venue and also leading a line-up of 10 (yes, 10) Mission Hills golf courses spread out over lava rocks along the island’s northern coast.
Palm trees, some water and slivers of green running through black stone do make quite a picture. Apparently rare as well, as there are only two dozen-odd such layouts in the world, almost half of which are to be found in a bunch around the city of Haikou.
This is the new China. Opulent, glitzy and raring to flaunt. The enterprising have hit upon a pastime and what better place to showcase your association with an aspirational sport than the golf course. And they are heading there pretty early.
Guan Tianlang played four rounds of the Masters earlier this year at 14 years of age and he was at hand to exhibit his talent at the pre-match skills challenge against the two heavyweights at the Blackstone range. He beat both of them from 100 yards out.
Bestowed with the task of honorary observer for two holes, I waited smugly on the ninth tee along with a group of young women who had come to realize that elevated footwear did not go well with the soft turf of a golf course. The reason for my smugness was that my exalted status allowed me to walk inside the ropes in close proximity to the two main actors of the show. At least, that is what I was given to understand. It didn’t quite pan out that way.
As Woods and McIlroy made their way towards it, a sea of colourful bodies closed in on the ninth hole. At one point, it looked like the sponsor boards would buckle and the two players and their respective bagmen would be swept off the elevated tee. The hopelessly outnumbered crowd marshals admonished, begged and finally pleaded for the frenzied multitude to hold their ground. Mobile phones and tablets were whipped out. Every move, including the golf swing, was captured. Girls squealed as they inspected their handiwork with the camera phones. To their credit, the cynosure of all the attention looked fairly composed, probably resigned to their fates by now, and continued to go about their work within inches of the electronic devices.
The crowds poured in through the trees and ran on to the fairway. The marshals ran after them. The honorary observers were hopelessly outrun. When I finally waded through to the side of the green, I turned to a wide-eyed official next to me. “Have you ever seen anything like this before?" I asked.
“No, but this is exciting," blurted out the profusely sweating man before sprinting off.
A woman broke the flimsy cordon and made a dash for the tenth tee to join the lot who had already managed to make their way there and taken every vantage point, cameras on the ready. A couple of controllers caught up with her and herded her back. Now, who said golf was a staid sport?
No room for complaint when you could pick out every visible sinew as the world’s best golfer lashed out at the golf ball. Watching across from acres of space and polite clapping was passé.
What’s more, the one-on-one went down to the wire. Woods missed the green on the 17th and failed to covert his chip to give McIlroy the advantage, which he held on to on the last hole. Whew, that was fun.
Prabhdev Singh is the founding editor of Golf Digest India and a part-time golfer.
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