HONG KONG PREVIEW: ANCER GETTING REWARDED FOR PATIENCE
As much as this week’s Hong Kong Golf Club looks like favoring a player like Abraham Ancer, the Mexican star of Fireballs GC says he never goes into a tournament thinking the golf course will suit his style of play.
The 33-year-old Ancer surged into reckoning with a superb 7-under 63 on Saturday in Jeddah, but he struggled in the final round and needed to make three birdies in his last four holes to finish on even par. That pushed him to tied 12th place, his best finish of the 2024 season.
“It seems like the game is trending in the right direction,” said Ancer. “I feel like I haven’t performed the way I wanted the past two seasons on LIV tournaments, but I’m being patient and working hard to try and let the work pay off and not thinking about results.
“I rolled it really nicely on the second day and hit the ball great the other days. I just felt like I wasn’t as sharp with my ball striking and did not hit it that close to the hole.
“It’s just tournament play really. I put a lot of work in back home, but I am feeling a little bit rusty. Getting into tournament mode is tough to replicate. And it is normal, because in my career as a professional, the first tournaments coming back from a break are always a bit difficult.
“I am just trying to go out there and play. But definitely a nice week in Jeddah to build coming in here to Hong Kong, which is a golf course that I was looking forward to.”
Despite finishing tied 28th in Mayakoba and tied 21st in Las Vegas, Ancer is second in Fairways Hit in the season with 61.11% and 15th in Greens in Regulation with 69.75%. That would make him one of the statistical favorites at the tight and short Hong Kong Golf Club layout.
“Honestly, I try not to focus much on stuff like that,” said Ancer. “I feel like that kind of affects my performance. I try to see every golf course and don’t think about whether I should perform good there or not. I’m just trying equally hard on every course I play and I’m sticking to that mentality this week.
“Having said that, it’s definitely a golf course I like. It’s so much fun. You’ve got to shape the ball both ways and you have to stay in play off the tee. And it can get tricky if it gets windy. I’m looking forward to the challenge, and I love the city as well. Very cool.”
Fireballs were the reigning champions going into Jeddah last week, but they finished sixth.
Ancer said the team was feeling upbeat despite the disappointment in Saudi Arabia.
“The Fireballs are feeling great,” said Ancer. “Our chemistry is really nice. It’s been so much fun. I have enjoyed the practice rounds with the boys. Some very competitive team aspects during those rounds. I feel like everybody’s game is trending in the right direction and we're in good spirits.”