China Golf, 中国高尔夫

Age is less and less an issue for golfers all around the world. From Tom Watson making his run for the British open this year to Greg Norman’s run Last year to Zhang Lianwei on the Asian tour. With the training methods of all golfers today players are staying competitive thru their 50’s and into their 60’s as with Hale Irwin. “It does not matter how old you are because if you are 20 and do not enjoy coming out to compete, you will not be successful. I’m still hitting the ball nicely,” said Zhang Lianwei the Chinese star. “At the end of the day, it all boils down to how determined you are to win. 51 year old Paul Surniak recently playing on the Omega china tour says “players today are just staying in better shape, I am a big believer in fitness” Paul Surniak was sponsored by Birdieball and culturefish media. Paul is a PGA Professional, six time long drive champion and has recently opened a golf academy in the Colorado springs area.

Lianwei: The desire to win is more important than your age.

Mission Hills

Shenzhen is home to hundreds of factories, one of China’s two mainland stock exchanges, a theme park called Window on the World that features more than 100 miniature versions of monuments like the Taj Mahal, a Soviet aircraft carrier, and, of course, the world’s largest golf resort: Mission Hills.

But this has not stopped the Mission Hills team from achieving another world record.

Last month, they opened the world’s largest practice putting green, a beautiful 17-acre spread of 18 rolling greens and tiny sand bunkers.

Already, the resort boasts 12 world-class golf courses designed by some of the most famous names in the game – Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, and Nick Faldo – and hosts major world tournaments.

Mission Hills is a curious mix of extreme luxury and developing world. It has three spas, 3,000 caddies (all of them women – to seem less intimidating to novice golfers – and all wearing red jumpsuits and plastic helmets). Some 2,000 rounds of golf are played here each day.

The resort abuts the city’s industrial outskirts, and to drive from one end of the resort to the other requires passing a vacuum sealing plant, an electronics factory, and acre upon acre of actively tilled peasant farmland.

Even the staff works to keep up.

中文
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Jeev Mikha

NEW DELHI: Jeev Milkha Singh’s world ranking of 42 has earned India a rare direct entry into the Mission Hills World Cup to be played at Mission Hills Golf Club in China on Nov 26-29.

The field is selected through each nation’s leading player on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as of June 22.

Jyoti Randhawa, who played with Jeev last year in the same event, is likely to be his partner once again. Currently Randhawa at 154th is the next best Indian and Arjun Atwal is ranked 296th.

The leading player may select any player of his choice from the same country provided such player was ranked within the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking as of either June 22, 2009, or August 17, 2009.

If there was no other available player from that country within the top 100 on the OWGR on either of the dates, the exempt player’s partner shall be the next highest ranked available player from the same country outside of the top 100 as of August 17.

Besides India, 17 exempt nations have now been confirmed for the 2009 World Cup.

The final field of 28 nations will be completed following three qualifying tournaments to be played in Asia (Kuala Lumpur), Europe (Estonia) and South America (Venezuela), with three countries going through from each regional qualifier to join the 18 exempt nations and hosts, China, at Mission Hills.

Jeev likely to have Jyoti as partner for World Cup

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Sergio Garcia

Edited by Fanja

BEIJING (Reuters) – World number five Sergio Garcia will represent Spain for the fourth time in the $5.5 million World Cup of Golf in Shenzhen, China later this year, organizers said on Thursday. The 29-year-old, who won the HSBC Champions in China last November to briefly take over the world number two spot, will select his own team mate to take on 27 other nations at the Mission Hills club from November 26 to 29.

“There are always a lot of good teams at the World Cup. I think that the Swedish team, the defending champions, will be very good,” the five-times Ryder Cup player said in a statement.

“The Americans always seem to bring a good solid team into the tournament. Australia, of course, is going to have a good one coming in. One of the Asian teams could be solid.”

Swede Henrik Stenson, the world number seven, has confirmed he will defend the title but he may have to choose a new partner as 2008 European number one Robert Karlsson might need to take the rest of the year off because of an eye problem.

The hopes of a first American win since Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara’s victory in 2000 will rest on the shoulders of world number 34 Nick Watney and whoever he selects as his team mate.

One of the most exciting young talents in the game, Rory McIlroy, will play in the united Ireland team for the first time and has chosen fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell as his partner.

World number 19 Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher return to southern China to represent England again after finishing sixth last year, while Martin Kaymer will be back flying the German flag.

Nineteen countries, including hosts China, have already secured their places in Shenzhen with nine more spots up for grabs at regional qualifiers.

The resplendent Mission Hills, which will host the World Cup for at least another decade, has 12 courses but the tournament will again be played on the championship layout designed by Garcia’s compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal.

“The next time I see Jose Maria I’ll probably ask him about the course,” said Garcia, who played at the World Cup alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez in 2001, 2004 and 2005.

“I’ve seen a little bit of it on TV and I’ve heard good things about it … I’m just hoping that my partner and I can do well and bring the victory to Spanish soil.”

中文

Garcia to represent Spain at World Cup in China
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The 2009 China Female Professional Golf Tour has been held recently in Shanghai with fierce competition. Teenager players including Minting Shi, Jiaxin Yong, Xiyu Lin, Yu Liu, Xin Wong catch most of the attention from the media.

In the qualifying tournament on Monday, the 14-year-old Xin Wong and 11-year-old Minting Shi entered the elite tournament as No.1 and 2. Minting Shi participated the tournament with the recommendation from China Golf Association. She entered the final with a ranking of 45 which gained her a name of “child prodigy” given by the media. Even the champion of the tour station Shanghai, Ping Huang, admired her skills, saying “her putter is very precise.”

The three little pretty girls, Jiaxin Yong, Yu Liu, Xiyu Lin, have been the heated topic in the competition. Jiaxin Yong and Yu Liu had experience in Oriental Female Tour; they straightly entered the elite tournament. Xiyu Lin’s achievement also surprised the audience. Finally, Jiaxin Yong won the Award of Best Amateur Player with a ranking of 12. Yu Liu ranked 29 with a steady performance. It is reported that Jiaxin Yong and Xiyu Lin will attend the France Evian Teenager Masters Golf Cup on July 18th and 19th. This elite tournament played the role of warming up for them before France.

These teenager players are not to be ignored, for their marvelous achievements and adept skills. However, being young and short results in serving balls in a short distance. The 6399 yard in Shanghai Oriental Field is still too long for these young players. Critics say their lack of strength explains their disadvantages. Though these young competitors cannot match the adult professional players, their courage and perseverance make us believe that golf will have a bright future as a sport in China.

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Australia will be represented by Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby at this years world cup. The World Cup will be played at the world renowned Mission Hills Golf Resort in Shenzhen China. The World Cup was first played in 1953, it is made up of 28 two man teams. Allenby and Appleby have been life long friends since their jr. golf days back in Australia. For More be sure to visit www.china-golf.us and www.birdieball.com

Mission Hills Norman Course

Allenby and Appleby to play at World Cup.

Greg Norman is in talks with China to develop 20 new golf projects throughout the country. He is also considering moving other parts of Great white Shark Enterprises to China. Norman is chief executive officer of Great White Shark Enterprises Inc., a closely held company that lists course design, apparel, golf equipment, wine and residential development among its activities. In recent years, he has focused more on business and less on golf.

Check out www.birdieball.com

Norman plots design of 20 golf courses in China – The China Post.

US-based Golf Digest magazine has released its annual list of what it considers to be the China’s top ten golf courses. According to the magazine’s editors, if you’re looking for China’s best courses, forget Shanghai, Beijing or Shenzhen – the best golf in China is in Kunming.

Kunming took three of the top six spots on Golf Digest’s list, here are the results:

1. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort (Lake course), Kunming, Yunnan province

2. Spring City Golf & Lake Resort (Mountain course), Kunming, Yunnan province

3. Sheshan Golf Club, Shanghai

4. Shenzhen Golf Club, Shenzhen, Guangdong province

5. Tiger Beach Golf Links, Haiyang, Shandong province

6. Lakeview Golf Club, Kunming, Yunnan province

7. Jian Lake Golf & Country Club, Shaoxing, Zhejiang province

8. Trans Strait Golf Club, Fuzhou, Fujian province

9. Pine Valley Golf Resort & Country Club (Old course), Beijing

10. Mission Hills Golf Club (Norman course), Shenzhen, Guangdong province

Kunming ended up beating out the big coastal cities with the top two courses – both at Spring City Golf and Lake Resort. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, Spring City’s Lake course was named best in China, beating out Spring City’s other championship course, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Mountain course.

Kunming reappears at the number six spot on the list with Lakeview Golf Club, which has been the site of the Yunnan stops of the Omega China Tour as well as the Faldo Series Asia.

Shanghai’s Sheshan Golf course rounded out the top three.

Shenzhen is the only other city with multiple courses in Golf Digest’s top ten – Shenzhen Golf Club was named number four, while Mission Hills Golf Club’s Greg Norman-designed course came in tenth.

Editor’s note: This story was cross-posted on China Sports Today

Image: Spring City Golf & Lake Resort

This article is from http://gokunming.com/en/

KurtBarnes_CreditWorldSportGroup

June 18, 2009: Australian Kurt Barnes blasted an Omega China Tour record round of nine-under-par 63 to lead fellow big-hitter Yuan Hao by one after the first round of the inaugural RMB700,000 Dongfeng Nissan Teana Open in Anji, Zhejiang province.

Australian Anthony Brown shot a bogey-free 66, while 18-year-old Korean Eom Jae-woong, 20-year-old amateur Han Ren and Liu Junfeng each carded a 67 to share fourth at the Anji King Valley Country Club.

Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant, the 10-time Asian Tour winner, shot 70 on his Omega China Tour debut to share 19th place, while Luxehills Golf Championship winner Chen Jian carded a 74.

The burly Barnes, nicknamed ‘Australia’s John Daly’’, finished his round with an eagle at the 525-yard, par-five ninth to set a course record over the 7,150-yard Mark Hollinger-designed layout.

“It’s lucky I hit my wedge fat. I thought it may have rolled on, but when I got there, I saw Thaworn (Wiratchant) on the green indicating it was just six feet. Holing that was a nice way to finish,” said Barnes, who won April’s Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open in Nanjing on his Omega China Tour debut.

“It was my best course management in a long time. It was tough for me not to try to use my driver on a couple of the par-fours, especially one and five. Instead, I used three-irons to set up sand-wedges and birdied both of those. I gave myself a pat on the back for that.”

Despite bagging seven birdies and an eagle, the 28-year-old admitted his most important hole was his fifth, the 380-yard 14th, where he pulled his tee-shot left into the trees. 

“The highlight of my round was finding my ball in the bushes on hole 14. I managed to pitch out and then get up and down for a lucky par. That was the turning point, as my round could have gone either way after that,” said Barnes, whose best tournament round was a 62 in the 2006 Victorian PGA Championship.

Barnes, one of nine PGA Tour of Australasia pros in the field, played in a high-profile flight with Thaworn and Liao Guiming (72), the reigning Omega Order of Merit winner.

“I’ve played with Thaworn a couple of times in Asian Tour events. He didn’t hole as many as he usually does, but after a slow start, he knocked a few in on the second nine, so I expect him to come good in the next couple of days,” said Barnes, joint-fifth in last week’s Luxehills Golf Championship in Chengdu.

Yuan, arguably the longest hitter among mainland pros, shot eight birdies in his bogey-free 64 as he continued his mission to win his first title on the Omega China Tour.

“My iron play was great today and helped set up a lot of birdie chances. I got lucky with a couple of long putts and that helped. The course is not that long, so hitting close with your irons is most important,” said Yuan, 29, who has 15 top-10 finishes in 28 events.

“It was my first time playing with Lu Wen-teh and it was great to watch him. He has a great routine to all his play and his short game and his ability to save par was great. He’s so steady.”

Lu (69), a five-time Asian Tour champion and third in Chengdu last week, is one of two Chinese Taipei invites along with Lin Wen-hong (71), younger brother of Lin Wen-tang, the reigning UBS Hong Kong Open champion.

Thaworn is one of five Mercedes-Benz Tour pros from Southeast Asia along with compatriots Wisut Artjanawat (70) and Pariya Junhasavasdikul (69), both fellow Asian Tour players, and Singaporeans Goh Kun Yang (69) and amateur Choo Tze Huang (70).

Dongfeng Nissan Teana Open, Anji, Omega China Tour

Leading first-round scores (par 72; Chinese unless stated):

63 – Kurt Barnes (AUS)

64 – Yuan Hao

66 – Anthony Brown (AUS)

67 – Eom Jae-woong (KOR), Liu Junfeng, Han Ren (A)

68 – Liu Qing, Lee Joung-wook (KOR), Fan Zhipeng, Kevin Huang Wenyi (A)

69 – Yuan Tian, Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA), Goh Kun Yang (SIN), C.J. Gatto (USA), Lu Wen-teh (TPE), He Shaocai, Deng Yonghong, Wong Woon-man (HKG)

70 – Choo Tze Huang (SIN) (A), Chen Dongsheng, Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Li Chao, Wisut Artjanawat (THA), Liu Anlin, Tom Prowse (AUS), Johnson Xing Xiaoxuan, Josh Lane (AUS)

71 – Yang Yonggang, Rowan Beste (AUS), Zhang Changlei, Liu Guojie, Lin Wen-hong (TPE), Brad Andrews (AUS), James Su Dong, David Wei Wei (A), Shang Lei, Xie Zhi

Selected scores:

72 – Liao Guiming, Hu Mu (A), Kevin Chen (USA)

73 – Michael Moore (AUS), Lucas Bates (AUS), Zhang Xinjun (A)

74 – Tang Shing-chi (HKG), Kelvin Jones (NZL)

75 – Jim Johnson (USA)

76 – Tristan Lambert (AUS)

78 – Max Kellner (GER)

80 – James Stewart (HKG), Philip Luke (AUS)

81 – Park Sang-hun (KOR)

www.omegachinatour.com

ENDS

Complimentary low-res photos attached

Credit: David Paul Morris/World Sport Group

For high-res photos

Visit the Gallery at www.omegachinatour.com and click on any image to access the high-resolution option. Credit: David Paul Morris/World Sport Group

For further information

Contact: John Higginson, Media Manager, World Sport Group (East Asia).

Email: j.higginson@worldsportgroup.com.hk

Media centre tel: +86 572 5521-812

Mobile: +86 136-3131-7977

Dongfeng Nissan

Dongfeng Nissan represents the Dongfeng Motor Company, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Nissan Motor Company. It produces the Nissan Sunny, Nissan Bluebird, Nissan Teana and Nissan Tiida for sale in China.

Dongfeng Nissan Teana Open

June 17, 2009: Luxehills champion Chen Jian is hoping his improved short game will help him justify his tag as one of the favourites at this week’s inaugural RMB700,000 Dongfeng Nissan Teana Open, the first Omega China Tour event in Zhejiang province.

Chen, 34, became the circuit’s most surprising winner when he beat former Asian Tour player Rowan Beste in a play-off to win last week’s Luxehills Golf Championship in Chengdu , four years after his last top-10 finish on the Tour.

The Kunming-based teaching pro competes this week on another Mark Hollinger layout at the new Anji King Valley Country Club, where most of the challenges lie on the sloping greens, most notably the treacherous ninth and 18th holes.

“ King Valley is not long but it’s quite difficult, especially on the greens. You really need to pay attention on every stroke, especially on your approach shots, as you can roll off the greens,” said Chen, who featured in a pre-event photo shoot at the Anji Bamboo Forest with Australian Kurt Barnes.

“It was overwhelming to win in Chengdu , but this week is a new beginning. I need to forget about last week and start again. There are many top players who can win, especially at this tournament,” added Chen, who will play the first two rounds with Dell winner Wu Weihuang and national team amateur Huang Wenyi.

Liao Guiming, who finished fourth last week, played with Chen in the third round in Chengdu and witnessed his friend’s improved short game.

“We supported each other during the round and his 68 put him in the final flight on Sunday. His putting and chipping are very good now,” said Liao, the reigning Omega Order of Merit winner.

“Chen Jian has played many events on the Omega China Tour and his victory was a reward for how hard he has been working on his game.”

Liao agreed this week’s tournament could be won on the greens. “This is the first golf course in China surrounded by bamboo,” he said. “It’s beautiful and offers a lot of great views of the mountains, but the greens are very difficult, especially holes nine and 18.”

Liao has been drawn with big-hitting Kurt Barnes, winner of April’s Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open, and Thailand ’s Thaworn Wiratchant, the 10-time Asian Tour winner making his Omega China Tour debut. Barnes, who finished joint-fifth last week, looked forward to playing in an international flight.

“Thaworn’s a top player. He has a very unusual swing and putting style, but obviously it works. He seems to hole everything,” said Barnes, one of nine PGA Tour of Australasia pros in the field.

“You don’t need to be long on this course, but the closer you can get to the greens, the easier it is to put the ball where you want. I’m in good form so I hope to be challenging this weekend.”

Zhang Yongjiang, Director of Anji King Valley Country Club, said this week’s event was a big boost for Anji and Zhejiang province.

“This is a great occasion as it’s the first major professional golf tournament in Zhejiang ,” Zhang said. “Anji is renowned as ‘bamboo country’ so it’s a very beautiful natural environment, so I’m really happy the Omega China Tour players have the chance to play here.”

Dongfeng Nissan, a joint-venture company that produces Nissan cars for sale in China , is the first automobile manufacturer to sponsor an Omega China Tour event. Nissan Teana cars are on display at the 10th and eight tees, with the latter hole, a 231-yard par-three, offering the new model as a hole-in-one prize.

“This is the first anniversary of the Nissan Teana car being on sale in China and this week we have launched the new version of the Nissan Teana,” said Denise Guo, Deputy General Manager, Marketing Department, Dongfeng Nissan.

“Despite the economic recession, Nissan sales have been great on the mainland, which is why we’re supporting the Omega China Tour, as it has a nationwide platform. Golfers and Nissan Teana owners have a similar profile.”

This week features one of the Omega China Tour’s most competitive fields due to a particularly strong foreign contingent. Thaworn is one of five Mercedes-Benz Tour pros from Southeast Asia along with compatriots Wisut Artjanawat and Pariya Junhasavasdikul – both of whom also play on the Asian Tour – and Singaporeans Goh Kun Yang and Choo Tze Huang.

Lu Wen-teh, a five-time Asian Tour champion and third last week, is one of two Chinese Taipei invites along with Lin Wen-hong, younger brother of Lin Wen-tang, the reigning UBS Hong Kong Open champion.

www.omegachinatour.com

ENDS

Complimentary low-res photos (Credit: David Paul Morris/World Sport Group):

Press conference trophy photo features (left to right):

Denise Guo – Deputy General Manager, Marketing Department, Dongfeng NISSAN

Liao Guiming – Winner, 2008 Omega Order of Merit

Chen Jian – Winner, Luxehills Golf Championship, Chengdu

Zhang Yongjiang – Director, Anji King Valley Country Club

Guo-Liao-Chen-Zhang_CreditWorldSportGroup

Anji Bamboo Forest photos feature (left to right):

Chen Jian – Winner, Luxehills Golf Championship, Chengdu

Kurt Barnes – Winner, Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open, Nanjing

For high-res photos (Credit: David Paul Morris/World Sport Group)

Visit the Gallery at www.omegachinatour.com and click on any image to access the high-resolution option.

For fur the r information

Please contact John Higginson , Media Manager, World Sport Group ( East Asia ). Email: j.higginson@worldsportgroup.com.hk. Mobile : +86 136-3131-7977.

Dongfeng Nissan

Dongfeng Nissan represents the Dongfeng Motor Company, a joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Nissan Motor Company. It produces the Nissan Sunny, Nissan Bluebird, Nissan Teana and Nissan Tiida for sale in China .