Hong Kong Open: Typhoon Mangkhut has made Fanling easier, says defending champion Wade Ormsby

The destruction of Typhoon Mangkhut saw 700 dump trucks of debris removed from Fanling and defending Honma Hong Kong Open champion Wade Ormsby says the storm is playing a role in this year’s low scores.

Ormsby won last year’s tournament with an overall score of 11 under but this year’s winning total is poised to be far lower, with three-round leader Aaron Rai already sitting at 16 under par.

“I think overall there’s a little bit more depth in the grass so it doesn’t play quite as fast, combined with the typhoon knocking quite a few trees down,” Ormsby said.

“It just feels a bit more open out there, sometimes it’s a bit more claustrophobic. The greens are probably a touch slower too, a little bit more receptive.”