Yang, Stenson ready to compete in China Open
By Jia Feishang |
March 4, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE China Open will tee off in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, from April 15 to 18, organizers said yesterday.
YE Yang of South Korea, 38, who was the first male Asian player to win a major at the US PGA Championship last year, and world No.11 Henrik Stenson from Sweden headline the list of players.
Both have confirmed they will compete at Suzhou Jinji Lake International Golf Club, which is 96 kilometers from Shanghai.
The China Open, which is sponsored by vehicle maker Volvo, will be co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the European Tour with prize money totaling US$2.5 million, a 14 percent increase over last year. The winner will receive a China Open record of US$416,660, organizers said in Suzhou.
"To become the first Asian golfer to win a major by winning the PGA Championship last year was a huge achievement and with success comes responsibility, an opportunity to help develop Asian golf on the world stage," Yang said in a statement.
Yang added that he enjoys playing in China, especially since he won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in 2007.
Stenson, winner of the 2008 World Cup of Golf, said with golf becoming an Olympic sport at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, it will surely spur-on Chinese golfers and redouble the efforts of the China Golf Association to develop more young talent.
Both Yang and Stenson will fly to China after competing in the US Masters, which will end on April 11.
Per Ericsson, president and CEO of Volvo Event Management, said he hoped in the future a better date can be chosen for the China Open.
He said playing the week after the US Masters makes it more difficult to attract the world's best players. Ericsson said he expects some other top 50 players to enter the event.
YE Yang of South Korea, 38, who was the first male Asian player to win a major at the US PGA Championship last year, and world No.11 Henrik Stenson from Sweden headline the list of players.
Both have confirmed they will compete at Suzhou Jinji Lake International Golf Club, which is 96 kilometers from Shanghai.
The China Open, which is sponsored by vehicle maker Volvo, will be co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the European Tour with prize money totaling US$2.5 million, a 14 percent increase over last year. The winner will receive a China Open record of US$416,660, organizers said in Suzhou.
"To become the first Asian golfer to win a major by winning the PGA Championship last year was a huge achievement and with success comes responsibility, an opportunity to help develop Asian golf on the world stage," Yang said in a statement.
Yang added that he enjoys playing in China, especially since he won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in 2007.
Stenson, winner of the 2008 World Cup of Golf, said with golf becoming an Olympic sport at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, it will surely spur-on Chinese golfers and redouble the efforts of the China Golf Association to develop more young talent.
Both Yang and Stenson will fly to China after competing in the US Masters, which will end on April 11.
Per Ericsson, president and CEO of Volvo Event Management, said he hoped in the future a better date can be chosen for the China Open.
He said playing the week after the US Masters makes it more difficult to attract the world's best players. Ericsson said he expects some other top 50 players to enter the event.
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