China’s top golfer and youngest player to compete in a European Tour event
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada (April 18, 2012) – History will be made at 1:05 p.m. local time this Thursday, April 19, at the Volvo China Open, being contested over the Pete Dye-designed Binhai Lake Course near Tianjin, China, 130 km southeast of Beijing.
At 13 years and 173 days old, Guan Tian-lang will become the youngest golfer to compete in a European Tour event. Guan, the current World Junior Champion in his age group, earned his spot by qualifying in Hangzhou three weeks ago.
Guan will be wearing golf attire from Sligo Wear, the Ontario, Canada-based apparel company that is building an international reputation for bright colors, bold designs, and the technical fabrications golfers need.
Guan, an amateur, won’t be the only Sligo-clad player in the field of the Volvo China Open, the leading golf event in China, which is experiencing a boom in players and new courses.
Six top Chinese professionals will be competing in Sligo Wear, lead by Liang Wen-chong, currently China’s number-one golfer, and the most recent pro to join SligoWear’s staff.
Among the other top-15 Chinese professionals playing in Sligo Wear are Gu Cui Lin, Zhou Guo Wu, Hou Jian, Wu Kang Chun, and Liao Gui Ming.
This will be the 18th staging of the Volvo China Open, which became a European Tour event in 2005. Since then, its winners have included notable international players including England’s Paul Casey, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, and South Korea’s Y.E. Yang. This will be the first playing at the Binhai Lake Golf Club in northeastern China.
Pros will be competing for RMB 20million (approx. $3.1 million US), with a first prize of RMB 3.3 million (approx. $500,000 US). The Guangzhou-born Guan isn’t eligible to take home any of that money, and modestly says his goal is simply to be playing on the weekend.
“My goal now is to be the youngest player ever to make the cut in a European Tour event,” Guan says, “and I think if I can shoot level par or better I’ll have a good chance to do that.” Those who have seen him compete in tournaments around the world-he won the World Junior title in San Diego, California-won’t bet against him.
Sligo Wear is proud to be a leading sponsor of China’s leading golfers. Its apparel blends the best of European and North American fashion trends with the technical fabrics. All pieces are designed to work as outfits, shirts coordinating with different pants and accessories. The look emphasizes bold, bright colors and designs, while the lightweight polyester breathes, stretches, and wicks moisture away from the body so golfers play and feel better.
While expanding its presence in China, both in pro shops and stand-alone stores, Sligo Wear can be found in exclusive green-grass golf shops, boutique stores, and world-class golf retail locations in Canada, the U.S., Australia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Great Britain, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Panama, South Africa and Taiwan.
Sligo Wear is for golfers who are young at heart regardless of their age-and more and more, around the globe. As the tagline says, “Same game. New vibe.”
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
908/963-6013
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
