Cape Town - Henrik Stenson
returns to Malaysia hoping to add the finishing touch to some good early-season
form when he tees it up at the Maybank Championship.
The Swede last
played a stroke play event at Saujana Golf and Country Club in 2005 when
he finished third at the Malaysian Open but returned to win two points as part
of Europe's victorious team in the EurAsia Cup just
three weeks ago.
"I
haven't been playing much in Malaysia for the past ten years and now I've been
here two times in a month so I'm back to being a local resident, I guess," said Stenson.
"It's a
nice place, obviously a little bit on the hot side for us northern Europeans
but we'll get by that and hopefully have another good week here in the early
part of the year.
The world No 12 has since achieved top tens at the Abu Dhabi Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic, while he does not feel
he is firing on all cylinders, he has been pleased with his start to 2018.
"I still
feel like it's been a bit of a struggle, though, long game has not been where I
want it to be but putting has been pretty solid. I kept it together nicely, not
making many mistakes despite that and I'm happy with that," said Stenson.
"Two top
tens in the first two events and managed to get the win down here a few weeks
ago so, all-in-all, a pleasing start but still got some things to work on."
Meanwhile,
Fabrizio Zanotti is looking froward to defending the title he won in stunning
fashion less than 12 months ago.
The Paraguayan made one of the biggest
comebacks of the year at the 2017 Maybank Championship, overhauling a six-stroke
deficit to pip American David Lipsky with an eagle on the 72nd hole to win his
second European Tour title by one stroke.
"I
am looking forward to it a lot but I am not thinking about it too much. I am
just trying to enjoy the week, it's not often you defend a title so I am just
trying to enjoy the week," he said.
"You need to be
very patient here, all the guys are going to make a lot of birdies, so you are
going to have plenty of opportunities and you won't make all of the birdies so
to stay patient is very important for this week."
The 34-year-old
has made a strong start in the 2018 Race to Dubai, finishing tied ninth at the
Abu Dhabi Championship in his first start of the year and
is hoping to become the second player this season to successfully defend a
European Tour title following Tommy Fleetwood's victory in Abu Dhabi.
"I'm feeling
good. I played really good in Abu Dhabi, I worked hard in Paraguay for the
beginning of the year and I am happy with my game, so hopefully this week I can
play well again. The game is feeling good, I just think I need to do my thing
and stay patient, play my own game," said Zanotti.
"Today when I
played the 18th I saw the place where I holed the putt and it was just a really
good day, a really good round and I won't forget those memories."