In a dramatic twist that seemed ripped from a golfing fairy tale, Nitithorn Thippong, better known by his moniker “Fever,” set the course ablaze at the Link Hong Kong Open.
With a clutch bunker shot on the 18th, he salvaged a par to snag the lead in the tournament’s opener, marking a bright spot in what’s been a tumultuous season.
Thippong’s eight-under-par 62 wasn’t just good; it was a morale booster the size of the Great Wall.
Despite the challenges of the season, this three-time Asian Tour winner hasn’t lost his touch, proving that even in his darkest times, his game can light up the scoreboard.
The leaderboard is packed with talent hot on his heels. New Zealand’s defending champion Ben Campbell, alongside Australian Kevin Yuan and Japan’s Kazuki Higa, are just a stroke behind.
Their 63s are nothing to sneeze at, making the battle for the top spot a heated contest in the humid climes of Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling.
Fever’s round was a masterclass in resilience. After a fabulous drive on the 18th, a rogue second shot saw him beach-bound in the bunker with a lie uglier than a bulldog chewing a wasp.
But with the crowd holding its breath, Thippong dazzled them by holing out his fourth shot, turning a potential disaster into a moment of glory.
“I shanked that second shot on 18 after a great drive,” said the 28-year-old. “On the first bunker shot the lie was just too bad but the next one I calmed myself down, it was great to hole it.”
“The key for me today was to make myself flow and stick with the plan. That’s all I did today, and it really worked. I pushed myself too much early on but then settled down,” Thippong shared.
“I have been thinking too much about my golf and my swing. I have had a problem with my mental game this year,” he added, revealing the challenges that have tested his resilience.
Campbell famously holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole here last year to edge Australian Cam Smith by one and picked up where he left off today.
He also birdied the 18th once more, although that was midway through his round as he started on the back nine.
“I said to Mike my caddy, you know, we sort of have to forget everything about this course,” said Campbell.
“Prior knowledge and how we played it last year goes out of the window because my driver wasn’t going anywhere near as fast, everything was just stopping.
So, yeah, I think it was just one of those days you just had to sort of play the course right in front of you and be pretty aggressive. Because, yeah, obviously you weren’t bouncing off into bad places or anything.”
With the clock ticking down on the season, the race is on. For Thippong and his fellow golfers, every swing, every putt, matters more than ever.
As the tournament progresses, eyes will be glued to see if Fever can keep burning up the course or if the chasing pack will extinguish his fiery lead.
For a deep dive into the drama of the Link Hong Kong Open and updates on the International Series, visit www.internationalseries.com.
