Emerging ace Leon D’Souza following hallowed path of the greats
Hong Kong teenager’s victory in Faldo Series Asia grand final means he can now dream big
After following in Rory McIlroy’s footsteps by winning the under-18 title at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, Hong Kong amateur talent Leon D’Souza has every reason to dream big.
But Hong Kong international D’Souza readily admits he never dreamt of emulating the achievements of six-time major champion Nick Faldo.
My Dad loved to watch golf, so I was aware of the likes of Faldo, Seve [Ballesteros] and [Jack] Nicklaus – the legends of the game
The 17-year-old first picked up a club at the age of four when Tiger Woods, not Nick Faldo, was golf’s dominant force. The Englishman had by then wound down his illustrious playing career, one which had netted him three Claret Jugs and three Green Jackets, and was concentrating on his many off-course business interests, including television commentary, golf course design and even winemaking.
Europe’s leading Ryder Cup points scorer of all time, Faldo was – and remains to this day – a highly influential if at times divisive figure in the game. But for D’Souza and his pre-teen peers, it was hard to look past Woods, who in his pre-scandal days was nigh on untouchable.
“My Dad loved to watch golf, so I was aware of the likes of Faldo, Seve [Ballesteros] and [Jack] Nicklaus – the legends of the game.
“But Tiger was the one I wanted to watch. He was young and exciting. He had the ability to hit shots that nobody else could. He could be in the trees and pull something out and still win the tournament,” he says.
