Opportunity knocks for China’s Young Golf Guns

11/09/2009

The fifth staging of the Volvo China Junior Championship not only presents the chance for the cream of junior golf in China to shine at their national championship and to savour the atmosphere of the Volvo China Open, as Jack Nicklaus predicts a great future ahead for Chinese golf.

The fifth Volvo China Junior Championship, to be staged at the Beijing Bohing Golf Club from 2nd – 5th October 2009 is expected to confirm the ever-improving standards amongst the elite of Chinese junior golf, with all the winners being afforded development opportunities as a result of their success.

China’s most talented juniors will compete over three days at Beijing Bohing Golf Club, a first round pre-qualifying event followed by the demands of quarter-finals and semi-finals on the same day, with the National Finals taking place on Monday 5th October 2009.

A record entry for the 18-hole stroke play pre-qualifying is expected, whilst competition in the four age groups, Boy’s & Girl’s 15 – 17-years-old and Boy’s & Girls 11 – 14-years-old in the match play format as the Volvo China Junior Championship looks set to be even more competitive than ever.

Staged under the auspices of the China Golf Association, promoted by China Prosperity (Beijing) Co, Ltd, and supported by Volvo’s award-winning title sponsorship, each of the age group winners will benefit from significant new opportunities aimed at enhancing their golfing education.

In addition to winning a place in the Volvo China Open, the national open golf championship of China, the Senior Boy’s champion will enjoy an entry into the Volvo China Open, whilst the Senior Girl’s champion will again be invited to play in the Volvo China Open Pro-am.

And, in a new development, the Junior Boy’s and Junior Girl’s champions will win the opportunity to witness the 16th Volvo China Open at close quarters as special VIP guests of Volvo.

Said Per Ericsson, President & CEO, Volvo Event Management (Golf), “Volvo has always believed in supporting not only the elite end of this great game of golf through 120 title sponsorships of professional events worldwide, but also by providing opportunities and pathways for future generations of golfers.

“That is why we have always offered playing opportunities at the Volvo China Open for the Volvo China Junior Championship Senior Boy’s and Senior Girl’s champions, but this year we wanted to continue the benefits and opportunities of success whilst for the first time introducing an important learning experience for the Junior Boy’s and Junior Girl’s champions.”

Meanwhile, Volvo’s role in Chinese golf in general and junior golf in particular has received the backing of star player Zhang Lianwei, the 2003 Volvo China Open champion.

"The vision of Volvo and the support of the China Golf Association has brought the Volvo China Open onto the world stage and there is an exciting future that I hope to be able to play my part in," he said, adding, "Young Chinese golfers are coming up thanks to high-level golf competitions in China such as the Volvo China Junior Championship."

Commenting on the enhanced benefits on offer for the four Volvo China Junior Championship champions, Zhang Yan, Deputy Director of Administration Office, Multi-ball Games Administrative Center of State Sports said at the Press Conference, “This is excellent news as it is essential that our young players have the opportunities to play at the highest level and are able to experience at first hand great champions playing elite championships at home and abroad as part of their wider golf education.

“China Golf Association welcomes these developments and we would hope that given time, we may see some of these extremely talented youngsters taking part in the Volvo World Match Play Championship and representing China in the World Cup of Golf,” added Mr Zhang.

Following the big breakthrough for golf in the Far East with the first-ever Asian golfer winning a ‘Major,’ and the news that golf is set to rejoin the Olympic Games from 2016, Per Ericsson believes the future for Chinese golf has, “Never been brighter.”

He explains, “These are two massive developments and the China Golf Association, under the stewardship of Mr Zhang Xiaoning has made the sort of progress in a generation that, traditionally, most countries have taken over 100 years to achieve.”

Continued Ericsson, who along with senior representatives of the China Golf Association will be on hand to present the trophies to the four Volvo China Junior Championship winners on Monday 5th October, “Volvo was the first western brand to forge a partnership with the China Golf Association and both parties remain side-by-side almost 20-years-later taking the sport even further forward.”

As she prepares to defend the Junior Girl’s 11 – 14-year-old title she won at Beijing Bohing Golf Club last year, Wang Ziyi commented, “Winning the Volvo China Junior Championship last year was the biggest thing to have happened to me in my golf career, and I hope I can go on to retain my title.”

The Volvo China Junior Championship takes place at Beijing Bohing Golf Club from Saturday 3rd – Monday 5th October 2009, with an 18 hole stroke play pre-qualifying tournament from which the best eight players in each of the four age groups will qualify for the match play stages, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the Grand Finals played under knock-out rules.

vcjc.volvochinaopen.com / www.volvochinaopen.com / www.golf.org.cn

Dignitaries at the 2009 Volvo China Junior Championship press conference - 10/09/2009

Concept by Meridian