Hainan Classic Each-Way Tips: 40/1 Aphibarnrat primed in China

• Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat can win again

• Back the promise of Joshua Berry at a big price

• Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti is not done at this level

As regular readers of the column will appreciate, I'm a keen fan of the grandiose claims golf course owners like to make of their layouts.

In the case of Hainan Island in China, it seems that the location itself excels at hyperbole.

Why so? Well, read this astounding proclamation about the island: "It is what could be described as the only golf city in the world, perhaps even the Capital City of World Golf."

Crikey.

Move over St Andrews.

Turn aside Pinehurst.

Quieten your hipster claims, Melbourne sandbelt.

Of course, old world reluctance to bow down to modern money aside, there have to be reasons for this outrageous self-confidence and there are: the island, once known rather sinisterly as 'Project 791', is the centre of Chinese golf tourism and boasts a staggering 27 courses.

The LPGA has been visiting Hainan for years and so, too, has the Challenge Tour.

This week the DP World Tour makes a first visit there, at least if you don't count the 2011 World Cup.

Yes, 14 years ago that once grand, then ailing, now distinct event travelled to this week's venue Blackstone GC at Missions Hills, an event won by Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland (USA) with England (Ian Poulter, Justin Rose) and Germany (Martin Kaymer, Alex Cejka) sharing second.

Rory McIlroy also played that week and he said of the course: "Wide fairways, big bunkers, undulating greens. We'll all be hitting fairways and it gets more difficult from there. The thing about golf courses in China is that they are all modern designs and very similar." He added: "I think the wind will play a big factor this week."

His partner Graeme McDowell concurred, saying: "It's wide open off the tee, but you have to control your iron play going into the greens, especially in the wind." (It's worth noting that the wind has often been a factor for the LPGA event on the island.)

Main Bet: Kiradech Aphibarnrat 1pt each-way @ 40/1

It's seven years since the big Thai golfer won the last of his four titles on the DP World Tour which makes it all the more extraordinary that he's still only 35 years of age.

But it is also only a year since he very nearly made it five wins, when he lost to Jesper Svensson in last spring's Singapore Classic after extra holes.

His summer was pretty flat after that but he was fifth in the Australian Open in November, eighth in the Ras al Khaimah Championship in January, and in the last two weeks has impressed again.

He was third at halfway in the Indian Open before finishing T13, and then third after 54 holes last week in the China Open before recording T10.

He's bubbling and his long game stats are tempting.

He was seventh and 15th for Approach in the last two weeks (and first in the Aussie Open). He's been 21st Off the Tee the last two weeks. And he was also 12th for Putting last week.

He has a good record on modern Chinese resort courses, too. He won at Hidden Grace in 2015 and has top 15s at Binhai Lake and Sheshan International as well as last week at Enhance Anting.

After a bogey-free 65 last Saturday, he said: "I'm really happy with the way I've played the last few rounds. I've stayed calm and patient.

"I stuck to my game plan and talked to my caddie all day. I'm really enjoying my golf."

Sticking to the game plan is often a hint that the head is in the right place.

"I just need to beat everyone on the course, that's the job I need to do," he added. "I haven't thought about when my last win was. I think about when my next one is coming and I don't think it's far away."

Next Best: Joshua Berry 1pt each-way @ 100/1

He's not going to turn 20 until this time next month but the young Englishman Joshua Berry has had a good year so far.

He kicked it off with seventh place in the Kenya Open and then thrashed a second round 62 on his way to victory in the Kolkata Challenge on the second tier.

He backed that up with second place a week later in the Delhi Challenge and then proved that the top seven finish on the main tour was no fluke when sixth in the Indian Open.

He was also more impressive last week in the China Open than it seems at first glance.

He was T116 after a first round 76 whereupon he added 67-69-72 to move through the field to T43.

Those three results make his price this week very tempting.

Final Bet: Fabrizio Zanotti 1pt each-way @ 80/1

The Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti is hitting the ball nicely at the moment.

He's ranked top 20 for SG Tee to Green in his last three starts with his Off the Tee and Approach stats especially solid.

His best effort in that run was ninth in the Singapore Classic when he was second with 18 holes to play but he's capable of better and it's not so long ago that he competed in the Open de France and was seventh in Andalucia Masters.

He has a decent record in China, too.

He's got top 30 finishes at Beijing International, Hong Kong, Binhai Lake, Lake Malaren, Hidden Grace, and Topwin. He also has winning experience in Asia (the 2017 Maybank Championship).

Now read Steve Rawlings' preview of the Zurich Classic.

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