Feel closer to the action on the DP World Tour by competing against golf fans from around the world in our official Fantasy game as the Asian Swing resumes with the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP.

To play Fantasy DP World Tour, click here.

Following an off week in the 2024 Race to Dubai schedule, the Asian Swing picks up in Japan as the DP World Tour visits Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course for the first time.

After its inaugural edition last year, the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP marks the penultimate event of the swing and there is plenty to play for ahead of next week’s Volvo China Open.

Swede Jesper Svensson and Japan’s home favourite Keita Nakajima, both winners so far in the Asian Swing, are teeing it up, while France’s Matthieu Pavon is the highest ranked player in the field.

If you have not done so already, you can sign up to play the official 2024 DP World Tour Fantasy game and submit your six-man team before round one gets under way on Thursday: https://fantasy.dpworldtour.com/

The 2024 season-long winner will win a trip to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next year, enjoy a lesson with a DP World Tour professional and a round of golf on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. For more information on this amazing prize and others, read here.

Here, we give you a rundown on three players who we think are worth your consideration for selection in your Fantasy teams this week.

Favourite – Matthieu Pavon

With his form so far this year, in fact going further back towards the latter stages of last season, it’s easy to understand why the Frenchman is the favourite among Fantasy users this week.

On his Masters debut earlier this month, he finished in a tie for 12th to earn a return visit to Augusta National Golf Club in 12 months time.

Prior to that, he finished solo fifth at the Porsche Singapore Classic – the first event on the Asian Swing – and he has missed just one cut in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR.

Having made history by becoming the first French winner on the PGA TOUR since 1907 in February, he will have his sights set on more silverware in Japan.

He finished in a tie for 35th at last year’s edition, but his career trajectory has transformed since and confidence is unlikely to be in short supply having risen to a career high of 22nd in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Form Horse – Jesper Svensson

The Swede is another player who is riding high following his maiden DP World Tour triumph at the Porsche Singapore Classic last month.

The victory in the Far East followed several eye-catching results since his graduation from the European Challenge Tour at the end of last season – including a runner-up finish in Bahrain.

With the top three finishers on the Asian Swing not already exempt for the U.S. PGA Championship qualifying for next month’s U.S. PGA Championship, a Major debut is firmly on the cards if he can sustain his momentum over the next two events in Japan and China.

Svensson is just one spot behind swing leader Keita Nakajima and can guarantee a spot in the field at the Genesis Scottish Open – the second Rolex Series event of the year – and the ‘Back 9’ events if he tops the Asian Swing following next week’s Volvo China Open.

While this will be a first experience of playing in Japan, the 28-year-old is certainly proving to be a player whose game stands up to the varying course set-ups on the DP World Tour.

Wild Card – Ryo Ishikawa

It seems remarkable to think it has been more than 15 years since Ishikawa first emerged to recognition by becoming the youngest winner on the Japan Golf Tour in 2007.

Since then he has gone on to rack up a further eight titles, three of which have come at Taikeiyo Club, including most recently in 2022 when he won the Taiheiyo Masters in a play-off against DP World Tour winner Rikuya Hoshino.

He has won both before and after the course underwent renovation in 2018 and, with this being a new venue on the DP World Tour, his experience at this week’s venue is likely to prove invaluable.

Ishikawa, who finished in a tie for 31st last year in this event, went on to record a top five in his homeland at the ZOZO Championship on the PGA TOUR towards the end of last year.

While he has played just once so far this year, finishing outside the top 40, his class is undoubted and the two-time Presidents Cup player would be a popular winner for Japanese fans.

Fantasy Insight: As it stands, Matthieu Pavon is the favourite among players of our Fantasy Game this week, featuring in 65% of teams. Other popular players include Keita Nakajima (59%) and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (51%).

Jesper Svensson, who won his first DP World Tour title earlier in the Asian Swing in Singapore, is the fourth most picked player from those in the field, featuring in 42% of Fantasy teams.

Looking back – Masters Tournament

At the first men’s Major Championship of the season, Scottie Scheffler lived up to his billing as pre-tournament favourite to claim a second Green Jacket in three years at Augusta National.

The World Number One was the lead pick among Fantasy users, featuring in 64% teams and captained by 50%.

Ludvig Åberg, who was making his Major debut, was the best performing of the four DP World Tour members making their first Masters start as the Swede – our Form Horse – delivered 170 Fantasy points for the 26% of users who selected him.

Fellow 2023 Ryder Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood was another to make it into the six-strong team of the week as he secured his first top five finish at Augusta to please those who had him in their roster of players.

Readers of this column will know we picked Justin Rose as our Wild Card, with the two-time Masters runner-up missing the cut as he registered 30 Fantasy points.

While the Masters and the upcoming U.S. PGA Championship feature within the Asian Swing schedule, points accrued in the Majors this season do not count on the swing rankings, only doing so on the season-long Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.