Riding Wave of Olympics Momentum, Amateur Development Program Gives Aspiring Young Golfers Unprecedented Tournament Access
(SHENZHEN, China) – Mission Hills Golf Club, the world’s largest golf facility and epicenter of China’s golf boom, announces the creation of the Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour (MHGSJT).
In light of recent reports about the relative expense of golf and lack of junior tournaments in China, the MHGSJT will make the sport more accessible to a wider sector of the population. For a low entry fee, juniors ages nine to 18 can participate in a bi-weekly, 18-hole stroke-play tournament on one of Mission Hills’ 12 world-class golf courses.
The Junior Tour, slated for launch in January 2010, promises to nurture and develop a deeper pool of golf talent in China. Supported by the Guangdong Golf Association and Hong Kong Golf Association, it will target junior golfers who have already made Mission Hills their training base, as well as those from surrounding areas with no club affiliation. With crucial tournament experience under its belt, this new crop of players will be better prepared to compete with participants from neighboring countries in the Faldo Series Asia, Mission Hills Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship, Asian Amateur Championship and other top-notch amateur events.
“It’s no coincidence the Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour is being announced just after golf’s confirmed inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games,” says Tenniel Chu, Executive Director, Mission Hills Golf Club. “We realize the impact the Olympics will have on the sport and stand ready to capitalize on the wave of excitement it’s generated. The Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour strengthens our position as China’s center for junior golf and grassroots initiatives to grow the sport.”
Each tournament field will be divided into five categories: Mixed Juniors (Boys and Girls ages 9-11), Boys (12-15), Boys (16-18), Girls (12-15) and Girls (16-18). After six tournaments, a 36-hole seasonal final will be held for top performers. Four seasons will elapse between January 2010 and April 2011 and the best players from each will be invited to the May 2011, 54-hole Mission Hills Golf Series Grand Final, also known as the Mission Hills Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship.
“Our roster of existing amateur and professional tournaments creates a network of opportunities for gifted players to rise to the top,” says Chu. “These stepping stones are crucial to our mission of nurturing the next Tiger Woods.”
A recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit found there were only 100 junior / amateur tournaments and six professional events in China per year. By comparison, the United States’ Golf Channel Amateur Tour hosts 600 tournaments annually.
States Chu: “The Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour will give young Chinese golfers a chance to play in a competitive environment and develop their skills. Success in this arena will open additional doors for them on the national and global stage.”
The Junior Tour is the first category of tournaments to be established under the Mission Hills Golf Series. Events aimed at popularizing the game among other age groups will be incorporated in the future.
About Mission Hills Golf Club
Stretching across the lush, rolling hills of Shenzhen and Dongguan in southern China, Mission Hills is China’s highest rated golf club, and the largest golf club in the world according to the Guinness World Records. The property is home to 12 resort and championship courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki and Zhang Lian Wei.
Mission Hills is a full-service, luxury resort, featuring four clubhouses, three spas, a five-star hotel, three golf academies (including one from world-renowned instructor Cindy Reid), 51 tennis courts and numerous fine dining establishments serving cuisine from around the world. It has hosted more than 50 international tournaments, including the 1995 World Cup of Golf and the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. In 2007, Mission Hills began its role as long-term host of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. The club will also host multiple editions of the Asian Amateur Championship, including the inaugural event October 29 to November 1, 2009.
Mission Hills’ recent awards and accolades include:
IAGTO Golf Resort of the Year (Rest of World category)
Best Golf Resort in China – Asian Golf Monthly (2006-2008)
Pete Dye Course named the “Best New Course in Asia” – Asian Golf Monthly
Olazabal Course ranked the No. 2 course in China – Asian Golf Monthly
Dr. David Chu, Chairman of Mission Hills Group, named one of the “Most Powerful People in Golf” – Golf Inc. (2007, 2008)
Dr. Kenneth Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group, named one of golf’s “Most Admired Operators” – Golf Inc.
World Cup Course named one of the 10 “most significant and influential courses” of last 20 years – LINKS Magazine
Olazabal Course ranked the No. 1 resort course in Asia – Golfing Magazine
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).
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