China’s Most-Revered Golf Club, Olazabal Course Await English Golf Star
(SHENZHEN, China) – Mission Hills Golf Club – home to 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 Justin Rose, who dramatically clinched the European PGA TOUR Order of Merit title, will represent England in the prestigious 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, November 22-25, on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills.
Rose will use the momentum and team with close friend Ian Poulter in four days of grueling yet enjoyable competition for one of the most distinctive trophies in professional golf at the world’s foremost golf venue, Mission Hills. Recognized by The Guinness Book of World Recordsas the largest golf venue globally, Mission Hills has been the site of more than 50 international tournaments, including the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. Mission Hills will be the permanent home of The Omega Mission Hills World Cup will be held on the Olazabal Course through 2018.
The 27-year-old Englishman secured the Order of Merit title after winning a three-way playoff at the European PGA TOUR’s Volvo Masters inValderrama, Spain, where a 12-foot putt at the second extra hole propelled Rose to win the season-ending tournament over Simon Dyson and Soren Kjeldsen. Rose lost a four-shot lead but rallied with nine holes to play.
"Winning the Order of Merit is extremely self gratifying," says Rose. "And the upcoming World Cup at Mission Hills is icing on the cake. I’m further inspired to represent my country and team with my pal, Ian Poulter, and so much looking forward to playing the Olazabal course there. It represents one of the finest and fun layouts anywhere in the world."
Rose and Poulter were roommates on the European Challenge Tour more than eight years ago, and with 13 victories between them look to topple a star-studded Omega Mission Hills World Cup field that includes Colin Montgomerie (Scotland), Mike Weir (Canada) and Retief Goosen (South Africa). Zhang Lian-Wei (China), who designed one of Mission Hills’ famous courses, a Par 3 spectacle replicating many of the world’s most renowned golf holes worldwide, will also compete, as will two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal on the course he designed. Germany defends its 2006 World Cup title, and 2005 champions Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge (Wales) look to rekindle their glory.
The Olazabal Course, a par-72, 7,251-yard layout, designed in collaboration with Scottsdale, Arizona-based architects Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc., will be making its debut on the international golf scene this year.
"Mission Hills is thrilled to host Justin Rose and many of the world’s best golfers," says Dr. David Chu, Chairman of Mission Hills Group. "The Olazabal course and the 11 other courses at Mission Hills are always in pristine, TOUR-ready conditions, one reason why Mission Hills has become the world’s golf gateway, attracting avid golfers spanning the globe."
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 in the international architecture firm.
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 southernChina’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 DavidLeadbetter 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
Dr. David Chu, Chairman of Mission Hills Group, named by Golf Inc. magazine as one of the "Most Powerful People in Golf."
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
