Tuesday 2 May 2017 15:33, UK
Richard Kaufman reviews two entertaining events in China on the European Tour and looks at what the future could hold for Alexander Levy.
The last time I was in Asia, SSP Chawrasia showed what it takes to keep the chasing pack at bay during the Hero Indian Open.
He never wavered, never looked like being caught and took an eight-shot lead down the last hole as he cruised to victory. Thankfully, that doesn't happen often.
In football, a 3-0 half-time lead will almost always end in victory. Thing are less straightforward in golf, where a change in momentum can be decisive.
Along with the mental exhaustion of leading and being chased, the player who is in front heading into the final round of a tournament is extremely vulnerable. The last two weeks in China reinforced that.
Bernd Wiesberger is an accomplished player sitting in the world's top 50, holding all the tools required to contend at majors and play in Ryder Cups. If there's anything you would question about him, it's why he has not had more victories to his name from so many winning positions in the last few years.
His most recent near-miss before arriving at the Shenzhen International had been in Malaysia back in February, when Wiesberger was in contention throughout the final day before losing out to Fabrizio Zanotti as the Paraguayan produced a remarkable birdie-eagle finish.
Wiesberger had to dig deep to get it done in Shenzhen. The more the final round went on, the more vulnerable he seemed and it was no surprise when he was caught.
Pars from a plugged lie out of a bunker at the 12th and after finding the water at the 17th were both decisive moments in his victory, while that approach at the first play-off hole showed the talent we know he has. The Austrian has four European Tour wins to his name and looked more than relieved to get over the line.
Dylan Frittelli, though, is comparatively wet behind the ears. He was in the final pair a week earlier alongside Wiesberger, had previously won on the Challenge Tour and was a very fine amateur, but his task at the Volvo China Open was on another level.
He could have got the breaks in other circumstances. Rolling right up to a tree and under a rock won't help your cause, but they both came from poor shots as his approach play began to desert him over the back nine.
Interestingly, his driving and putting stood up under the pressure. But something changed in his game over those last half a dozen holes to open the door for the chasing pack. Frittelli looks a very fine player and he won't be the last this season who buckles under the back-nine pressure.
When Alexander Levy stood over that putt at the first play-off hole at Topwin Golf and Country Club, you really felt he would hole it.
When Victor Dubuisson played at the 2012 Ryder Cup, there were many who felt he could be the poster boy for the Ryder Cup in Paris. Whereas Dubuission is still a bit of an enigma, Levy has the personality to thrive at being the centre of attention. Given his form in China, he might prefer the Ryder Cup being played there rather than Le Golf National.
I am sure the captain Thomas Bjorn, who he played with over the first two days, was impressed. Levy has only been working with Pete Cowen for just over a month, but they certainly don't seem to have changed anything in the Frenchman's tempo.
He is a great watch and an aggressive golfer who plays with a smile. It's just a good job he wasn't leading on Sunday until he birdied the 72nd hole.
