Hong Kong golfer Jason Hak finds ‘safe’ haven in China and opportunity to compete again in Covid-19 world
- The 26-year-old leaves coronavirus chaos of US, making trek from family home in Florida to find playing opportunities in China
- National Open to operate in a bubble in Shenzhen with strict measures like the PGA Tour and the European Tour
Sitting in the comfort of his family home in Orlando, Florida, in early February, Hong Kong golfer Jason Hak Shun-yat was wondering whether he would be able to compete in a tournament for the rest of the year, or even next year.
The Covid-19 pandemic had all but closed off entry to China, and infections were rapidly rising in Europe and, worryingly, were increasing in the US. Infectious disease experts were ringing alarm bells but not all governments were taking the threat as seriously as they should have, not least the US government.
Hak, 26, continued to practice in the hope that things would eventually get better, and as a member of the exclusive Lake Nona Golf Club just a 30-minute drive from his home he was able to spend countless hours on the course practising and working on his game.
Hak has played much of his tournament golf on the two professional tours in China and when an event was announced for Hangzhou in early October he boarded a plane and made the long journey.
A five-hour flight from Orlando to Los Angeles was followed by a five-hour layover and then a 12-hour trans-Pacific flight to Tianjin, where he had to take a Covid-19 test and then go into quarantine for 14 days.
“It’s been a crazy year, that’s for sure,” said Hak, who has been practising in Hainan following the event in Hangzhou. “I really didn’t expect to be competing this year so it was an opportunity I could not pass up when I saw the event was going to take place.”
A tie for 33rd place wasn’t the result Hak was looking for but confirmation that the postponed Volvo China Open would take place in Shenzhen in December (10-13) got his juices flowing again and his practice with a new sense of purpose.
“I’m looking forward to playing at Genzon Golf Club as it will be a great way to end a year that has really been a disaster. I’ve only played the course once, and knowing that many of my fellow competitors will have played there many times means I’ve got to work as hard as I can to be competitive.”
Hak had to take a Covid-19 test three days before the Hangzhou event but otherwise things went ahead as normal.
“In China, it’s almost like life as normal right now,” he said. “It’s completely different to what we were going through in the US. I feel much safer in China, however they are talking about a second wave because winter is fast approaching. We’ve still got to be careful, but I do feel much safer being back, though.”
The 100-plus players competing in the Shenzhen event will find the requirements more stringent than those in Hangzhou.
“All players and their entourages will be tested and are required to stay in the official hotel in Shenzhen before December 6, and only after a negative test result is confirmed will they be able to enter the competition office to register,” said Wang Xinggui, chairman of Mitime Investment and Development Group, the promoter of the event.
When registering, the players will need to show a valid nucleic acid test certificate, a health code and a personal itinerary detailing their movements seven days before arrival. They must also sign a personal health commitment form.
This will be much more like the “bubble” that has allowed both the PGA Tour and the European Tour to continue to work through their delayed event schedules.
There have been glimpses of genius in Hak’s game since he turned professional in 2013 after studying at Georgia Tech. A lacklustre 76 in the third round of the 2018 Clearwater Bay Open was followed by a remarkable closing 61.
In 2008, and in his first appearance as an amateur in the Hong Kong Open, Hak birdied the final two holes of his second round to become the youngest player ever to make the cut in a European Tour event, upstaging Sergio Garcia. He was 14 years old, and would make the cut twice more as an amateur.
Since turning pro Hak has registered two wins in China – the first of which was by a 10-shot margin.
A total of 2 million yuan is on offer at the China Open, with Hak hoping for a share of the spoils.
“It’s a great golf course and I’m really looking forward to competing in the tournament. The weather should be perfect so I’m hoping to close out the year on a positive note,” he said.
“My coach and my dad both said that I’ve just got to play my own game. If I can play to even 60 per cent of my normal game I will give myself a good chance to stick around and have a chance to win.”
