Shiv Kapur of India will be bringing his momentum to the US$1 million SMBC Singapore Open which starts next week.
Kapur won for the third time in 2017 two weeks ago in Pattaya after a final-round saw-see battle with Thailand’s Prom Meesawat. He is the only golfer to win multiple titles on the Asian Tour last year and he hopes to add another piece of silverware to his collection with a good showing in Singapore.
“After my win two weeks ago, I’ve just been enjoying some downtime and can’t think of a better place to kick start my season,” said Kapur.
“The SMBC Singapore Open has the feel of a big event and the crowds are always fantastic there.”
The four-time Asian Tour winner looks forward to playing at the tournament, which is co-sanctioned between the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, and he is embracing the stiff challenge of the golf course.
“I always enjoy playing in Singapore. The Serapong course, in my view, is the number one championship golf course in Asia and I’ve had some success there in the past. It requires an all-round game and it is quite demanding off the tee, which suits my game,” he said.
The 35-year-old veteran will be vying for the coveted trophy along with top Asian Tour professionals such as 2017 Order of Merit champion, Gavin Green of Malaysia, eight-time Asian Tour winner, Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, defending champion, Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand and 2017 Rookie of the Year, Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.
The best golfers from the Japan Golf Tour like Yusaku Miyazato, Yuta Ikeda and Satoshi Kodaira as well as marquee player Sergio Garcia, Pat Perez, Ryo Ishikawa and Louis Oosthuizen will also be competing at the tournament.
Beating an elite field at the upcoming SMBC Singapore Open will certainly be a feather in Kapur’s cap. Although, he will be focusing on the bigger picture and he is looking to come out of 2018 an even better golfer.
“I’m hoping 2018 will be a continuation of 2017 and obviously it’s hard to expect to match a season with three wins. The goal will be to try and improve a bit in each aspect of my game,” said Shiv.