Maybank Championship preview, picks and analysis

THREE major champions will be in the field for the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia at Royal Selangor Golf Club but it would be a surprise if any of them were to emerge triumphant at the end of it all.

Darren Clarke hasn't won anywhere since claiming The Open at Royal St George's back in 2011, Martin Kaymer has always blown hot and cold but right now is like an Arctic evening, while Louis Oosthuizen remains one of golf's true enigmas - a man with a flawless golf swing and an Open to his credit but who somehow manages to miss cuts when he shouldn't and lose focus when the occasion demands otherwise.

The South African is, of course, just as capable of catching fire and walking away with this event, but don't put any money on it. Please!

In my view, there are two players to beat in Malaysia. One is Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the other is Danny Willett.

Aphibarnrat was born in Thailand and despite being at least three stones overweight (and that is being very kind to one of my favourite characters) the heat and humidity doesn't seem to trouble him in the slightest. Anything but, in fact. Aphibarnrat has made a patchy start to the season, finishing outside the top 50 in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai. On the plus side, he made the cut in all three tournaments and was in contention in Abu Dhabi until stumbling to two 78s at the weekend.

The bottom line is that his game hasn't been far off, and he has been working hard to fine tune things. He is a notoriously streaky player but in 2015 he had eight top-five finishes, including two victories, and he will be drawing on those memories in Malaysia, where he will attract a huge amount of sport.

Aphibarnrat, the 2013 Asian Tour number one, also won in Malaysia three years ago. “Malaysia is like a second home to me and the victory there in 2013 really helped me achieve the success which I have today,” he said. “I like coming back to Malaysia because the people are friendly and I have a lot of fans here. The weather is also hot and it suits my game."

Willett is a different kettle of fish altogether. His Ryder Cup berth is all but secured already after beating a world-class field to win the Dubai Desert Classic. It wasn't the victory but the manner of it that was most impressive. On the final day he certainly wasn't at his best and was caught by Andy Sullivan, his fellow Englishman. Willett kept grinding away and showed tremendous character as he saved par and knocked in birdie putts when they really mattered. Most impressive of all was his ability to convert a downhill 15-footer on the final green, knowing he had to hole it to win the tournament. The ball didn't touch the sides.

It takes a special kind of player to hole that sort of putt, and perhaps we are seeing the birth of a true superstar. Willett, from Sheffield, is never going to win multiple majors, but there is a growing feeling with golf that he definitely has the game to win The Open.

Thongchai Jaidee, also from Thailand, seems to improve with age. He came to the game late in life and doesn't have a textbook swing, but he gets the job done on a consistent basis. Like Aphibarnrat, the hotter and more humid the weather, the better Jaidee seems to play.  

Matthew Fitzpatrick's form thus far has been a huge disappointment but he is far too good to be struggling for long. The best club in Fitzpatrick's bag is his temperament. He doesn't lose his cool, takes the good with the bad and will be rewarded for his patience sooner, rather than later. I fancy he could have a big week here.

Another player to keep an eye on is Younghan Song of Korea. You may not have heard of him. If you haven't, just ask Jordan Spieth how good he is. Song won the recent Singapore Open, during which he held off a charging Spieth during the final round - and you don't do that unless you have some game. Conditions in Malaysia will be similar to those in Singapore.

Betting Picks

To Win: Thongchai Jaidee. Gets better with age

Each Way: Danny Willett. Has the bit between his teeth

Each Way: Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Looking for a better week

Fantasy Picks

Thongchai Jaidee. A proven winner

Danny Willett. Fears nobody

Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Ready to rip it

David Lipsky. Underrated American

Arjun Atwal. Excellent Indian golfer hoping for return to form

Younghan Song. Filled with confidence

Matthew Fitzpatrick. One of the best players on the planet

Thaworn Wiratchant. Could outshine his fellow Thai golfers

Alvaro Quiros. Showed good form in Dubai

Peter Uihlein. Has been working hard

Tommy Fleetwood. Won't struggle for much longer

Rafa Cabrera-Bello. Had a fabulous Desert Swing