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

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)

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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.

June 9, 2009: Former martial arts champion Wu Weihuang will be at the forefront of the mainland challenge at this week’s Luxehills Golf Championship in Chengdu following the withdrawal of Alex Wu Ashun from the Omega China Tour event.

Wu Ashun, the 23-year-old Asian Tour star, pulled out on Tuesday with a lower-back problem, a similar injury to the one that had earlier forced Zhang Lianwei out of the Luxehills event, which will feature live television coverage on Saturday and Sunday.

Wu Weihuang, who held off Wu Ashun to win his first career title at the season-opening Dell Championship in Xiamen , believes the local players will rise to the occasion at the Luxehills International Country Club despite the withdrawal of arguably the two leading mainland pros in the field.

“We have a good number of Chinese players who can win, not just Zhang Lianwei and Wu Ashun, and I would count myself among those players. It really just depends who has a good week,” said Wu, who finished joint-seventh at Luxehills last September and eighth in last year’s Omega Order of Merit.

Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Chi-huang is among the pre-tournament favourites after winning last year’s event with an 18-under total of 270, an Omega China Tour record. Many eyes will also be on the PGA Tour of Australasia contingent headed by Kurt Barnes, who won April’s Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open in Nanjing .

Wu sized up another couple of pre-tournament favourites on Monday when he played a practice round with Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh, the five-time Asian Tour winner, and American C.J. Gatto, 24, winner of this year’s Qualifying School and joint-fourth in Xiamen .

“I have a lot more belief in my game since winning in Xiamen . It has opened the door for me for more success,” Wu said. “I waited a long time for that first win, but having done it once, I think it will be easier to win a second time.”

Wu is a former Fujian champion in the martial art of Nanquan, a contemporary form of Wushu. Now 41, he only took up golf in his late 20s after being introduced to the sport by a business colleague, but his athletic background has propelled him to become one of China ’s top players.

“I’ve become a lot physically stronger after working out in the gym more regularly since the winter and this has helped me stay strong on the course,” Wu said. “I’m hitting my driver between 20-30 yards longer than before, which is giving me more chances to attack pins.”

Liao Guiming and Yuan Hao, second and third at Luxehills last year, Li Chao, the eight-time Omega China Tour winner, Zhou Jun and Wu Kangchun are also among the leading mainland pros competing at Luxehills.

The CCTV Golf and Tennis Channel, Shanghai Sports Channel and Shenzhen Sports Channel will air live coverage of the Luxehills Golf Championship on Saturday and Sunday from 1.00-3.00pm.

Live television marks a significant step for the Omega China Tour, which this year has featured record purses and invited pros from the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Mercedes-Benz Tour of Sou the ast Asia.

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Jason King, Chris Gaunt, Brad Kennedy and Ashley Hall had appeals rejected and were banned for the rest of the season, in a decision in Singapore.

Jason King and Brad Kennedy who also played and made the cut in the Sofitel open in Nanjing china on the Omega China tour are two of the four players who have been banned for the rest of the year from the Asian Tour.

“The Tournament Players Committee (TPC) has turned down the appeals made by the four players in relation to the disciplinary action handed to them for their participation in the Volvo China Open,” Asian Tour chief Kyi Hla Han said.

They were also hit with a maximum $6377 fine.

Asian tour rejects Aussies who played OneAsia event

Luxehills Golf Championship

 May 22, 2009: Mark Hollinger of the JMP Golf Design Group believes the Omega China Tour record total set at last year’s inaugural Luxehills Golf Championship in Chengdu will not be under threat in next month’s second edition.

 Last September, Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Chi-huang shot four rounds in the 60s for an 18-under total of 270 at the Luxehills International Country Club, while another 11 players finished under par.

Tsai at Luxehills-Creditworldsportgroup

“I expected thewinning score to be between 10-under and 12-under, so I was surprised when Tsai shot 18-under,” said Hollinger, who designed the 7,335-yard, par-72 layout. “I don’t expect 18-under this year, but if the green speed is quick, I’d expect the top players to shoot between 12-under and 15-under.” 

Hollinger also designed theLongxi Hotspring Golf Club in Beijing, which hosted last year’s season-ending Omega Championship, where only champion Zhou Jun finished under-par.

“I thought the scores would be the other way around as Longxi Hotspring is a wider course, but the greens were really quick and the rough was really long, which made it tough,” Hollinger said.

This year’s Luxehills Golf Championship offers an increased purse of RMB1 million and will be held from June 11-14, an ideal time for thePaspalum fairways and rough, while balmy early-summer weather is expected in the Sichuan capital.

“The course will be in perfect condition for thetournament, as Paspalum is a perennial warm-weather grass so will be in top condition in June,” Hollinger said. “Also, compared to last year, the trees are getting bigger and there are more properties around the course, which suits the landscaping.”

Last year big-hitting Yuan Hao set thepace with an opening 66, while top amateur Zhang Xinjun shot a 66 on day two to lead on 11-under. Tsai, a former Asian Tour regular, shot a third-round 66 to tie Zhang for the54-hole lead on 14-under before shooting his third 68 to finish 18-under, three clear of Liao Guiming.

Tsai and Zhang at luxehills_creditworldsportgroup

“It never ceases to amaze me how good these guys are. The course has some teeth, it’s not easy. However, there is room to drive the ball and thegreens are large,” Hollinger said. “Pros hit it so long and straight, they can avoid problems. Even though there are bunkers, lots of them, it’s a course you can attack.”

C.B. Fong, the club’s General Manager, said the large galleries also played their part in inspiring low scores and expected thesame at June’s event, when Zhang Lianwei will be among many top players competing at Luxehills for the first time.

“Luxehills had the biggest crowds on the Omega China Tour and this makes a difference for theplayers,” Fong said. “It gives them added incentive to play well and they’re encouraged when they have the crowd cheering their birdies. The golfers respond to the fans.”

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For high-res photos

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

For further information

Please contact John Higginson, Media Manager, World Sport Group (East Asia). Email: j.higginson@worldsportgroup.com.hk. Tel: +852 2891-2000. Mobile: +852 6626-1443.

About the Luxehills International Country Club

Luxehills International Country Club is Chengdu’s most central golf club and part of the Luxehills International Community, the most prominent real estate project in China’s southwest region. The project was developed by Wide Horizon Real Estate Co. Ltd. The golf club is renowned for its beautiful landscape and spectacular scenery and includes a North American-style clubhouse, an 18-hole championship course by JMP Golf Design Group and international-standard facilities. Firmly established in China’s golfing community, Luxehills was voted Favourite Course of the Year by the players on the 2008 Omega China Tour and hosted the 2008 National Golf Clubs General Managers Conference.

Now Birdieball, a world leader and innovator in Golf practice equipment and Golf gifts has enlisted the aid of Asia’s SEO, PR 2.0 and Social Media leader CFM to maintain their brand status as the top golf accessories manufacturer for fun and educational products for hobbyists and professionals alike.

Birdie Ball, which with CFM, just sponsored Paul Surniak as he played the Omega China Golf Tour is committed to conversational marketing and opening up opportunities for golfers of all ages and ability worldwide.

Birdieball has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and dozens of respected media sources with top products and gifts for golfers. They hope to broaden awareness of their products and solicit ideas for new offerings through conversations with customers and players.

Birdieball’s website is located at http://www.birdieball.com

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I had a chance to play in the practice round with Barnes and two of the other Aussies in the tourney. Barnes is one of the longest hitters I have played with in a while. I kept up with them thru the practice round despite some drives being 30-40 yards longer than mine. All of them were quality players and quality people.

Barnes finished with a four-under total of 284, one ahead of Thailand’s Wisut Arjanawat, who shot a 68, and two clear of Zhang Lianwei, who posted a 75 on the closing day of the 1.2 million yuan ($A246,000) event.

Liu Guojie (72) was fourth on one-over, Yuan Hao (74) was fifth on two-over, while 18-year-old South Korean Eom Jae-woong (72), Ye Xionghui (75) and Australian Craig Scott (76) shared sixth on three-over.

Barnes, who won 225,000 yuan in the Omega China Tour’s richest event, was congratulated by fellow Australian players, caddies and fans as he broke a four-year trophy drought and won his first title outside of Australia.

“This feels awesome. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” said the 27-year-old, whose previous victory was the 2005 Victorian Open.

Barnes paid tribute to crowd favourite Zhang, who held a one-stroke lead over the Australian going into the final day after the pair shared the lead in the first two rounds, but came unstuck early on.

“I was surprised to be in the lead so quickly and go three ahead after three holes,” said Barnes, who birdied the par-five second, which Zhang bogeyed before suffering a double bogey on the par-three third.

Like the last four years of his career, it was an up-and-down final round for Barnes, who bogeyed the sixth, eagled the par-five seventh and then four-putted the par-three eighth for a double-bogey.

“I dodged a lot of bullets today, especially after I four-putted eight and hit into the hazard with my tee-shot on 16,” said Barnes.

On the back nine he had two birdies and two bogeys, including at the 16th, where he was six-over for the week.

The back nine was tough for everyone especially during the first two rounds because of the high winds. Lots of balls from veteran players ended up in the water.

Wisut, who had three top-10 finishes on last year’s Asian Tour, was another happy debutant after an impressive final round. After bogeying the first two holes, the 27-year-old racked up a chip-in eagle on the par-five 11th, six birdies and two more bogeys for the joint low round of the day.

As Barnes celebrated, a gracious Zhang regretted another missed opportunity to win the Sofitel title, following two runner-up finishes in the past two years.

“I had a bad start in the first three holes and was never able to catch up after that,” said the 43-year-old, who has won six titles on the Tour and the 2006 Omega Order of Merit.

Not making the cut was disappointing, but I am looking forward to coming back to the tour to play in other events.

Special thanks to Golf Gift providers Birdieball who helped sponsor my trip. And my appreciation for Roland Catellier and The World Sports Group for making the event a reality for me. It was a beautiful course, a well organized tournament and a great chance to meet quality Chinese sportmen.

Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club

Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open, formerly known as the Sofitel Golf Championship, will offer 1.2 million RMB. It is the highest purse in the five seasons of the Omega China Tour, comparing to the cheque for 225,000 RMB for the champion of the April 23-26 golf event. The award-winning Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club is hosting the event for the third successive year.

“The Omega China Tour is still young in international terms, but the level of Chinese players is improving, the number of players is increasing and fields are becoming more international,” said Nelson Jia, General Manager of Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club. Please visit Xinhua Press for more information.

He is on 133 after firing a a five-under-par 67 after the second round with four strokes ahead of Alex Wu Ashun who is on 137 after 36 holes at the opening event of the Omega China Tour.

Taiwan’s Lin Kengchi, South Korean Eom Jae-Woong ,who is only 18 year old, and Kong Weihai from China are sharing the third place.

For more information about the China Tour in Xiamen, please Click Here to see the full list of the Leading second-round scores.