This year’s first qualifying tournament for the Volvo China Open is about to take place at the beautiful Lion Lake Country Club in Qingyuan.120 of the host nation’s finest golfers will compete in the first of four such 36-hole events with only the very best finishers guaranteed a spot in the main championship in April.
According to Per Ericsson, President of Volvo Event Management - Golf, “Just three players will qualify from each event and go forward to compete against some of the world’s best at the Volvo China Open on April 19th to 22nd. It can get quite emotional out there. One bad shot can mean the difference between qualifying or not.”
As golf goes from strength to strength across the nation, the new young breed of professionals and teenage amateurs will be attempting to elbow out their more seasoned counterparts. One such golfer is Lion Lake-based rising star Guan Tian-lang, who at 14 became the youngest-ever winner of the China Amateur Golf Open in December. Yuan Tian, who won the Southern China qualifier last year is also in the field, as is Liu Yu-xiang, who won the 2009 Volvo Junior Championship. There is even a lady taking on the men, local professional Pang Yan-hong, hoping to make it all the way to Tianjin.
Such is the size and importance of the Volvo China Open, a pivotal event on the European Tour, that it is now always over-subscribed. This is therefore the first of four such qualifiers designed to whittle the final field down to its limit of 156. As with the British and US Open Championships, these qualifying tournaments are for those who are not already exempt. The opening event in Southern China marks the start of a frantic few weeks on some of the host nation’s best and most exciting championship courses including the new Luhuitou course in the resort city of Sanya, Kuaiji Mountains in Shaoxin, and Jade Island International in Beijing.
Qualifying Event, Course, Date
Southern China Lion Lake, Guangdong February 14-15th
International Sanya Luhuithou, Hainan March 6-7th
Mid China Kuaiji Mountains, Zhejiang March 20-21st
Northern China Jade Island International, Beijing April 3-4th
The main championship - the 18th staging of the Volvo China Open - takes place from April 19th-22nd at the stunning Pete Dye-designed Binhai Lake Course near Tianjin, 130km south-east of the nation’s capital, Beijing. This will be Volvo’s 76th tournament on the European Tour, Volvo being the first western brand to engage with golf in China in 1995, and the prize fund is RMB 20 million, (approximately $3.15 million), with the champion picking up a cheque for RMB 3,3 million, (approximately $530,000).
At present, there are four golfing Majors - one in the UK and three in the United States. As golf expands throughout Asia and beyond, it is possible that if a fifth Major is added, it will be the Volvo China Open. Indeed, from within the region, this tournament is already viewed by many in this light and is considered to be the most important championship in Asia.
For more information, conditions and regular updates, please see www.volvoingolf.com
2012-02-13
