Saujana Golf and Country Club is known by the members of the Kuala Lumpur complex by its graphic but affectionate sobriquet of ‘The Cobra’. Ostensibly, this moniker for the more mundane-sounding ‘Palm Course’ refers to the way in which the 18 holes coil snakelike through an historic old oil palm plantation. That is only half the story.
As Lee Westwood tells it, there is venom of the most poisonous variety – metaphorically speaking - to be found in many areas of the course which can paralyse a poor, unsuspecting golfer found lurking in the undergrowth.
This week sees the European Tour return to Saujana for the co-sanctioned Carlsberg Malaysian Open, and although Westwood is taking a rest from competition at the moment, he will be watching developments with interest from afar.
Westwood won the 1997 tournament then suffered defeat in a play-off the following season to American-based Englishman, Ed Fryatt, as he attempted to secure back-to-back titles.
Armed with the knowledge gleaned from past glories, Europe’s Number One appreciates the major difficulties and the tricky nuances associated with the Ronald Fream-designed course which was opened in 1986 and hosted the Malaysian Open for the first time two years later.
“It’s mental as much as anything” observed the Englishman, who won the Volvo Order of Merit in 2000. "The conditions are usually incredibly humid and the key is to keep your concentration and stay hydrated.
“The Europeans in the field are not as accustomed to the steamy conditions they experience in Malaysia and it’s a case of using every ounce of stamina and endurance on a course which is particularly undulating. The greens, too, are undulating and very grainy. More so than in Europe which makes them trickier to read.”
‘The Cobra’, as Westwood knows, can catch its unwary victims from as early as the second hole. Rated as the most difficult hole in Kuala Lumpur – or so the locals insist – this 216 yard par three poses a stern initial examination.
“It’s a terrific hole – definitely the signature hole in my opinion” noted Westwood. “It comes early in the round and you have to be prepared for it. From the back tee it’s a big shot over a huge ravine and the undulations and the borrows of the massive green are very pronounced.
“It’s all about club selection in relation to the pin placements and then being committed to the shot. After a nice opening par four, this is a great test of character before the first serious move downhill. The third is 605 yards long but doesn’t feel that way as the ground runs away from you. The tee shot if over a deep ravine but long hitters can make the green in two."
The course meanders through picturesque palm plantations with the eighth being next on Westwood’s list of holes where the player must be on guard. The 413 yard hole is nicknamed the ‘Stadium Hole’ because of a huge depression on the left edge of the fairway.
“It’s very tight, with rough on both sides of the fairway, making it one of the hardest holes on the course” said Westwood. “Again, the green is very fast and the breaks and borrows make you think.”
On the homeward journey, the closing three holes provide the sternest test. By now, as Westwood points out, the physical and mental exertions are taking their toll; concentration can waver, clothes are wringing wet from the intense, cloying humidity, and the sanctuary of the air-conditioned clubhouse beckons.
“This is when you need to be strongest, mentally and physically” continued Westwood. “You can’t afford to allow yourself to be dehydrated or deflated by the humidity. When I won in 1997 I came to the last three holes and finished birdie-eagle-par to win.
“The 16th is short but tricky uphill par three to a large green which can be three-putt territory. I like the 17th. It’s 360 yards and a severe dog-leg left. You can be conservative or take the ‘tiger line’ and go for the green. I did that and made a vital eagle.
“The 18th is a 575 yard par five and a slight dog-leg right. The approach to the green is narrow and there are some tricky pin positions and borrows to be negotiated before the final putt drops.”
Without doubt, Saujana will claim its fair share of casualties at Saujana this week…leaving the man who can charm ‘The Cobra’ to lift the first prize.
1st round tee-times
