With prestigious national titles on offer and a major stepping-stone to golfing glory, 32 of China’s finest young players are spending their National Day holidays at Stone Bay Golf & Resort for the seventh staging of the Volvo China Junior Championship, which is Volvo’s 50th title sponsorship in partnership with the China Golf Association.
They have come to Stone Bay Golf & Resort from all over China as the Volvo China Junior Championship - with the four most highly-prized age group titles in Chinese golf up for grabs - breaks new ground by moving from Beijing for the first time in its history, to Weihai, Shandong Province as Volvo celebrates a record half-century of golf events in China.
32 top junior golfers, in four age groups, Senior Boys and Girls (15-17years-old) and Junior Boys and Girls (11-14-years-old) are set to battle it out for the title of ‘Champion of China,’ with all the recognition and rewards that could follow.
An intriguing blend of rookies and experienced players who have been there before, the eight players in each of four age groups have the opportunity of a practice round over the Stone Bay course and the chance to get to know each other at the Welcome Dinner on Sunday, the day after China’s National Day holiday, celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Monday 3rd October sees the traditional 18-hole stroke play qualifying round, following which the Quarter Finals and Semi Finals, all under the dramatic match play format will deliver the two finalists in each age group, head-to-head competition, winners take all.
With a place in the line-up for the Volvo China Open - China’s national open golf championship itself – on offer for the Senior Boys champion, the blue riband event sees two youngsters, top seed Liu Si Yan from Beijing, third last year and Dou Ze Cheng, also from Beijing back for a second bite of the cherry, whilst Guangdong youngster Chen Zhi Hao, third in the Junior Boys last year steps up from Junior Boys for a shot at the Senior Boys crown.
“The Volvo China Junior Championship is, in its own way, just as important as the Volvo China Open itself,” says Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf, explaining, “We aim to recreate the world-class facilities and organisation that has marked the Volvo China Open out in recent years here at the junior event, so all these talented youngsters have to concentrate on is competing to the best of their ability.
“And, by setting the same gold standard, we hope to inspire China’s best young golfers to go out and play their very best, against a very good golf course and their talented rivals” continues Mr Ericsson, adding, “With national pride in the short term and the 2016 Olympics on the horizon longer term, there is a great deal at stake, although we are certain that matches will be played in the unique spirit of sportsmanship that only golf can engender.”
Meanwhile, in the Senior Girls competition, three of last year’s finalists return in search of the trophy, Guangdong star Wang Xi Yue, the number-one seed, while Beijing pair Yang Jia Xin and Wang Zi Yi are also back with their eyes on the prize.
Two players in each of the Junior Boys and Junior Girls are back for an action replay, boys second and third seeds Xu Guo Zhen and Yang Yi Nong, both from Beijing, and junior girls top seed, Ji Rong from Yunnan Province together with Guangdong youngster Yin Zi Jun both return in search of golfing glory.
Wednesday 5th October is D-day for China’s young golfing guns, and with no defending champions in the field, four new names are certain to be engraved on an increasingly impressive Roll of Honour, and, who knows, a future winner of the Volvo China Open or an Olympic golf gold medal could be revealed?
Concludes Per Ericsson of title sponsor Volvo, “That this is Volvo’s 50th title sponsorship in Chinese golf illustrates our commitment to the sport and to its development here in China,” adding, “The stage is set, the competition will be intense, but the standard of play at the Volvo China Junior Championship seems to go up and up with each passing year, so, I say, ‘Good Luck’ to the players and, most of all, Enjoy.’”
The field comprises of the top-eight eligible ranked players on the China Golf Association Junior Golf ranking as at 15th September 2011.
The Volvo China Junior Championship is staged under the auspices of the China Golf Association and the R&A / USGA and is promoted by China Prosperity (Beijing) Culture Media Co. Ltd.
2011-10-02
