Fantasy Three to watch in Hong Kong

Just days after Francesco Molinari was crowned the 2018 Race to Dubai Champion, the 2019 European Tour season gets under way at the Honma Hong Kong Open presented by Amundi.

Tommy Fleetwood, the Italian's friend and closest rival for the European Number One spot, will tee it up at Hong Kong Golf Club aiming to build on another excellent season. Since the event joined the European Tour International Schedule in 2001, there have been 14 different champions, including Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Padraig Harrington and José María Olazábal.

The par-70 course is 6,734 yards and has a scoring average of 70.41. No man has enjoyed more success at this course in recent years than Miguel Ángel Jiménez. The 54 year old has won four times - 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2013 - a feat made all the more impressive by the fact he has never held the outright 54-hole lead.

Ahead of the 18th edition, our stats guru has combed through the numbers and picked three players to include in your Fantasy side this week.

<h3>Favourite: Tommy Fleetwood</h3>

You wouldn't bet against Fleetwood picking up where he left off. The 2017 Race to Dubai Champion finished second to Molinari in the season-ending standings and recorded a top 16 finish at the DP World Tour Championship last week. Prior to Dubai, Fleetwood had recorded four consecutive top tens, including a share of second at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The three-time tour winner had the best Greens in Regulation percentage of any player on tour last season (75.4%), enjoyed the second best stroke average (69.58) and finished third in Strokes Gained Tee to Green (+2.135).

Fleetwood has an impressive track record in this event, finishing in the top six in both of his previous appearances, and has a tournament stroke average of 67.5. Of the players in this week's field, nobody is better off the tee than Fleetwood. Everything is pointing to another fine week.

<h3>Form horse: Sergio Garcia</h3>

Life is good for Sergio Garcia. An incredible couple of months, including a win in his native Spain in October, mean the Spaniard arrives in Hong Kong with reason to believe he's a serious contender. Victory at the Andalucía Valderrama Masters, a tournament hosted by Garcia's foundation, came off the back of an impressive Ryder Cup performance and a top seven at the Portugal Masters. The 38 year old finished runner-up at the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player, before enjoying a share of ninth in the Middle East last week.

Garcia may well feel at home on this track, with tight tee shots reminiscent of Valderrama, a course he professes to be his favourite. If he can channel some of those Valderrama vibes this week, a 16th European Tour title could be in the offing.<br /><div> </div>

<h3>Wildcard: Matt Fitzpatrick</h3>

Matt Fitzpatrick may not be coming into this week in strong form, but don't let that stop you backing the Yorkshireman. Since winning the Omega European Masters in September, Fitzpatrick hasn't finished better than a tie for 16th (Sky Sports British Masters). However, the Englishman has performed well in his two previous visits to this part of the world. A third place finish in 2015 was followed by a tie for 19th last season, with a solid scoring average of 68.

Fitzpatrick has gained an average of 2.25 strokes per round in this event and will hope to continue that kind of showing in a bid win a second trophy in two months.