Out of the Rough: Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO (2026)

The DP World Tour heads to China for this week’s Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO to kick-off the ‘Asian Swing.’

This year marks the second playing of the Hainan Classic presented by MAEXTRO with last year’s installment being the inaugural event.

Although this week’s event is the second playing, there will be changes to this year’s installment.

The Blackstone Course at the Mission Hills Resort Haikou played host a year ago. The Blackstone Course will again play host, along with the Vintage Course.

Golfers will play one of each the Blackstone Course and Vintage Course across the first two rounds. Those who make the cut will play the Blackstone Course across the final two rounds.

This event will also be co-sanctioned between the DP World Tour and the China Tour.

The Field

Following a week off and the first event of a new ‘swing,’ a full field of DP World Tour stars will be in attendance this week.

Season winners Dan Bradury (Joburg Open,) Freddy Schott (Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship) and Nacho Elvira (Dubai Invitational) will help headline this week’s field.

Other notable players teeing it up this week include Andy Sullivan, Calum Hill, Angel Ayora, Wenyi Ding, Davis Bryant, Marcus Armitage, Francesco Molinari, Frederic Lacroix, Oliver Lindell and Nathan Kimsey.

Marco Penge won last year’s installment, claiming his maiden and first-of-three victories a season ago. He will not be back to defend his title.

The Course(s)

As previously mentioned, this week’s first two rounds will be played across both the Blackstone Course and Vintage Course at the Mission Hills Haikou.

Blackstone Course

The Blackstone Course of the Mission Hills Haikou is renowned as one of the best golf courses in all of Asia.

It is a part of the Mission Hills Complex, which is the world’s second-largest golf resort that features ten championship courses. 

The course is set on top of an ancient lava field, known for its volcanic landscape. It is routed through dense jungle and open wetlands with lychee trees throughout.

It was designed by Brian Curley and opened in 2011.

It plays as a par-72 at a staggering 7,637 yards. The course was established to challenge the elite players of the world.

Last year’s installment was played as a par-73 at just over 7,800 yards. The 18th was converted to a long par-four to make up for that.

One of the course’s claims-to-fame is its ability to seamlessly blend the golf course into the natural environment.

For example, the bunkers seamlessly transition into lava rock-filled waste areas.

The fairways are described as both tumbling and feature dramatic elevation changes.

One of the featured holes of this golf course is the par-three fifth that plays over a lava field to a tiered green surrounded by a waste area.

The front-nine of this golf course is routed through dense forest as the back-nine climbs to higher elevation and offers panoramic views of the property.

The back-nine also features back-to-back par-fives, a rarity across professional golf. The first of which is the 12th hole, which is one of the easier holes on the golf course. That is followed by the daunting 681-yard 13th hole.

Vintage Course

The Vintage Course pays homage to the golden age of golf course design.

It plays as a par-72 at roughly 7,380 yards.

It too was designed by Brian Curley as he paid tribute to the legendary work of Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor, also known as “MacRaynor.”

Due to this, the Vintage Course features sprawling fairways, lined by mature trees along with strategically placed bunkers that guard undulating greens.

Much like the aforementioned Blackstone course, the Vintage Course also has a way of blending into the natural environment. 

The par-3 12th is the course’s signature hole. It is known as “The Island,” which, just as the name suggests, features an island green. 

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, there is at most, a five-percent chance of precipitation across all four-days this week. Temperatures are set for 81-degrees for both Thursday and Saturday. Friday and Sunday currently call for 82-degrees on both days. Winds are set to begin the week at 12 miles-per-hour before increasing to 14 miles-per-hour for each of Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Key Stats

• Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG: TTG)

• Average Driving Distance

• Scrambling

• Sand Saves Percentage

• Birdie or Better Percentage

• Par 5 Scoring Average

• Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)

Betting Card

Grant Forrest (+3500)

This was one of my first two first-clicks of the week. Forrest is currently tenth on Tour in average driving distance, 35th in SG: PUTT, 37th in SG: TTG, 41st in birdie-or-better percentage, 53rd in scrambling, 54th in sand saves percentage and 59th in par-five average scoring. He last played the Qatar Masters where he placed 15th. Prior to that he placed seventh at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, 41st at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, 20th at the Dubai Invitational, missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and placed 23rd at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He also placed 23rd at this event a season ago. 

Nacho Elvira (+5000)

One of my two winners on the season already, Elvira also last played the Qatar Masters where he placed 14th. Prior to that he placed seventh at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, missed the cut at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, won the Dubai Invitational, placed 46th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and 30th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He did miss the cut at this event a season ago. Elvira is currently seventh on Tour in par-five average scoring, 13th in SG: PUTT, 14th in sand saves percentage, 22nd in birdie-or-better percentage, 29th in both SG: TTG and scrambling and 84th in average driving distance. Per my stats-based model, he is my favorite this week. 

Mikael Lindberg (+5000)

This is my second first-click of the week. Lindberg is currently first on Tour in average driving distance, eighth in birdie-or-better percentage, 12th in par-five average scoring, 26th in SG: TTG, 82nd in scrambling, 102nd in SG: PUTT and 148th in sand saves percentage. He last played the Magical Kenya Open where he placed 29th. Prior to that he placed 36th at the Qatar Masters, 13th at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, 45th at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, 44th at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and 14th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He missed the cut on the number here a season ago. 

Zander Lombard (+10000)

Lombard is a guy I have bet many times since beginning covering the DP World Tour in 2023. He last played the Joburg Open where he placed 45th. Prior to that he placed 48th at the Magical Kenya Open, missed the cut at both the Qatar Masters and Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, placed 26th at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, fifth at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and 62nd at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He placed 45th here a season ago. Lombard is currently 16th on Tour in par-five average scoring, 25th in birdie-or-better percentage, 28th in SG: PUTT, 32nd in scrambling, 66th in sand saves percentage, 72nd in average driving distance and 90th in SG: TTG. 

Freddy Schott (+12500)

The disrespect to have Schott priced so low. But I’ll take it. He already won once this season, winning the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. He also placed 14th at the Investec South African Open Championship in his last start. Schott is currently seventh on Tour in birdie-or-better percentage, eighth in average driving distance, 29th in par-five average scoring, 50th in SG: TTG, 60th in SG: PUTT, 85th in sand saves percentage and 108th in scrambling. He’ll be making his tournament debut this week.

2025 Betting Card

• Marco Penge (+4500) - 1st

• Niklas Lemke (+6000) - T45th

• Jacob Skov Olesen (+7000) - MC

• Freddy Schott (+10000) - W/D