Major Champions Olazabal, Goosen and Weir Among Those Scheduled to Visit the World’s Largest Collection of Premier Golf Courses
(SHENZHEN, China) – Mission Hills Golf Club – the world’s largest collection of premier golf courses with layouts designed by many of the greatest golfers and golf-course architects hailing from five continents – today announces that the 28-team field is set for the 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, scheduled for November 22-25 on the Olazabal Course.
The world’s largest golf club as recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records, Mission Hills first hosted the World Cup in 1995 on its Nicklaus Course. Since then it has been the site of more than 50 international tournaments, including the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. The Omega Mission Hills World Cup will be held on the Olazabal Course through 2018, an unprecedented commitment by the International Federation of PGA Tours and a testament to Mission Hills’ position as the world’s leading international golf facility.
"Mission Hills’ ability to attract the world’s greatest players to China on an annual basis will solidify its place as the epicenter of Asian golf and as one of the premier international golf destinations," says Dr. David Chu, Chairman, Mission Hills Group.
Jose Maria Olazabal’s inaugural, signature course is widely regarded as one of Mission Hills’ strongest tests. It plays to nearly 7,400 yards from the tips (making it the longest of the 12 courses), and boasts 155 bunkers (including 26 on No. 15) – reflective of Olazabal’s reputation as one of the game’s great short game and sand savers. Numerous majestic vistas of untouched jungle and natural flowing streams create outstanding backdrops throughout the golf course.
The signature square tees – a classic design feature, along with undulating, concave Paspalum fairways, are two distinguishing features of this true championship course. Olazabal worked closely with architect-of-record Brian Curley of Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc. to craft a course that would stand out from the other 11, and on its own in terms of challenge, strategy and variety.
Among the headliners committed to play in the event are Olazabal, the 1994 and 1999 Masters champion; Retief Goosen of South Africa, the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open champion; and Mike Weir, winner of the 2003 Masters.
Scheduled to join the three major champions in the field are players such as Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie, the eight-time leader of the PGA European Tour’s Order of Merit, former Ryder Cup participants Justin Rose and Ian Poulter of England, and rising South African Trevor Immelman.
Arron Oberholser and Sean O’Hair will represent the United States.
The field of 28 was only finalized after regional qualifying was completed in Asia and the Caribbean.
The Aruba qualifier, held at Tierra del Sol Resort, was won by the Puerto Rican team of Wilfredo Morales and Miguel Suarez. Also qualifying from Aruba were Ireland (Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin), Colombia (Gustavo Mendoza and Jorge Benedetti), Italy (Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari), and Paraguay (Carlos Franco and Fabrizio Zanotti).
Meanwhile, the Thai team of Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng took first place in the Malaysia qualifier, held at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur. Other qualifiers were the Netherlands (Maarten Lafeber and Robert-Jan Derksen), New Zealand (Richard Lee and Stephen Scahill), Korea (Lee Sung and Lee Seung-ho), and the Philippines (Tony Lascana and Gerald Rosales).
On hearing the announcement of the field for the 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, Dr. Chu said, "The nations represented truly demonstrate international goodwill through golf, and the golf fans both in China and at Mission Hills are looking forward to welcoming players from around the world and beginning a new era of golf development in China."
Mission Hills: The Story Behind the World’s Largest Golf Club
Mission Hills is the brainchild of Dr. Chu, who in 1992 had a vision of building the largest, most opulent golf resort in the world. The first course at Mission Hills – the World Cup Course by Jack Nicklaus – opened in 1994 and was immediately hailed as one of Asia’s best. It was the first course in China to receive PGA accreditation and was the venue for the 41st World Cup in 1995.
Ken Chu, Vice Chairman of the Mission Hills Group, was the driving force behind the completion of Mission Hills’ signature courses from Ernie Els, Nick Faldo, Jumbo Ozaki and Vijay Singh, and spearheaded the 12-month expansion program from 2003 to 2004 that lead to the David Duval, David Leadbetter, Annika Sorenstam, Greg Norman and Jose Maria Olazabal courses opening on the nearby rolling terrain of Dongguan.
Scottsdale, Arizona-based Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc. created the master plan for Mission Hills and played an integral role in the architecture of each course. During the second phase of construction, their on-site efforts required 2,000 laborers, 250 excavators, and 750 dump trucks, working in two ten hour shifts, seven days a week.
"It was not uncommon to find a mountain gone overnight," says Brian Curley, Partner.
Adding to Mission Hills’ standing as the largest golf club in the world (as named by The Guinness Book of World Records in 2004), two new courses opened in the summer of 2007: the 18-hole regulation Pete Dye Course, the first Pete Dye design in China, and the par-3 Zhang Lian Wei Course, the first par-3 course in China. Both courses were designed in conjunction with Schmidt-Curley. Collectively, these 12 world-class layouts advance Dr. Chu’s long term vision of growing the game exponentially throughout China.
Encompassing more than 4,500 acres (18 square kilometers) – roughly the equivalent of five Central Parks – and developed on southern China’s most breathtaking terrain, Mission Hills is a surreal vision, a golfer’s paradise that must be seen to be believed.
The original five golf courses emanate from the palatial Shenzhen Clubhouse, a 300,000 square-foot masterpiece of Far-Eastern architecture with fine dining, a full-service spa and swimming pools. Five of the remaining seven courses are accessed from the Dongguan Clubhouse, a staggering 680,000 square-foot building that houses the "World’s Largest" golf shop and is also the largest clubhouse in the world. A third clubhouse to serve the Faldo and Dye courses is under construction and is scheduled to open soon. Upwards of 3,000 female caddies clad in imperial red uniforms attend to the need of every member and guest.
Mission Hills also offers members and guests access to a diverse set of practice ranges: The Golf Academy Range, located at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy, features two floors, 58 bays, and floodlighting at night; The Shenzhen Club Driving Range includes bunkering and lakes flanking practice greens.
For golfers arriving late, or who desire to play as much golf as possible, Mission Hills provides state-of-the-art floodlighting on several courses for night golf. In addition to the renowned Leadbetter school, golfers can also acquire instruction at the Mission Hills Golf Academy by LPGA legend Cindy Reid. Reid relocated to Mission Hills full-time after spending 18 years at TPC Sawgrass where her clients included Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and Davis Love III.
With its proximity to Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Mission Hills has rapidly evolved as China’s most exclusive address for high-end golf real estate. The Kennsington, Hampstead, Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Rosedale villas, all located at the center of the Nicklaus World Cup Course, feature sandstone-clad facades, neo-traditional interiors, arches, columns, spacious balconies, private gardens and lavish swimming pools. Residents have access to a private putting green and driving range accessible through individual passageways.
Mission Hills is a full-service, luxury resort, featuring four spas, a 315-room, five-star hotel, 51 tennis courts and numerous fine dining establishments serving cuisine from around the world.
Mission Hills’ awards and accolades include:
IAGTO Golf Resort of the Year-Rest of World Category
Best Golf Development and Best Development China by Bentley International Property Awards
5-Star Mobile Travel Guide
"The Most Favorite Golf Club to Millionaires in China by Euromoney China
The golf club in China most frequently visited by PGA TOUR players
The "Most Preferred Golf Club" in the 2005 Survey of the Preferred Brands of China’s Richest (Hurun Report)
Destination of Tiger Woods’ first visit to China
Getting There: Mission Hills Golf Club is a short drive north of Hong Kong International Airport,www.hongkongairport.com. Flights on most major airlines from most major cities are available into Hong Kong. From the airport, Mission Hills transports golfers in luxury shuttles across the border to the resort hotel.
For more information about Mission Hills Golf Club, visit www.missionhillsgroup.com, email info@missionhillsgroup.com, or call (852) 2122 1616 (Hong Kong) – (86 755) 2802 0888 (Shenzhen) — (86-769) 8728 8888 (Dongguan).
About the World Cup
The 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup will launch a new and exciting era in the history of the event. John Jay Hopkins, a noted Canadian industrialist, founded the event in 1953 as a way to promote goodwill among nations through golf. Initially named the Canada Cup, it became the World Cup in 1967 and is scheduled to be played at Mission Hills Golf Club through 2018. The 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup will offer a purse of $5,000,000. It is a four-day team event that will feature a four-ball (better-ball) format on days one and three, and a foursomes (alternate shot) format on days two and four.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
Buffalo Communications
704.519.8381 (cell)
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Communications
703.761.1444
sreynolds@billycaspergolf.com
