(24 November 2007 – Dongguan, China) Mission Hills Golf Club, China the world’s number one golf club, in encapsulating the new vibe and tradition at Mission Hills has made unique to the World Cup of Golf series – “Honorary Observers”, where select VIP’s get to walk inside the ropes with an international team. Today’s new tradition commenced with tennis legend Michael Chang walking the 7,251-yard layout of the championship Olazabal Course with Liang Wen-chong and Zhang Lian-wei of China.
“The concept of Honorary Observers is a special one,” says Tenniel Chu, Executive Director, Mission Hills Golf Club, China, “and Mission Hills is proud to host China’s largest golf tournament that incorporates a feeling of getting up-close-and-personal with many of the world’s best golfers. There are not many opportunities of this kind to be within a few feet of professional golfers, feeling their emotions almost first hand as they vie to win one of the most coveted trophies in all competitive golf.”
“It truly was an amazing experience to have the opportunity to walk alongside the China team as they battled it out against Finland in what was an exciting four-ball match,” say Michael Chung.
Since opening in 1994 and hosting the World Cup in 1995, Mission Hills Golf Club has emerged as one of world’s the leading venues for international golf events, hosting more than 50 international tournaments including the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. In a resounding statement about its place in the pantheon of international professional golf, Mission Hills will be the permanent home of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup through 2018. In addition, Mission Hills has firmly entrenched itself as the epicenter of golf in China, one of the fastest growing markets in the world for the construction of new golf courses and grass roots growth of the game via junior golf programs.
The Chu family, true ambassadors for the game of golf, have also invested heavily in practice facilities and instructional academies in order to promote the sport through retention of players. There are three practice ranges on site – all with state-of-the-art amenities and TOUR-level conditioning. And Mission Hills has the rare distinction of having two teaching facilities from renowned instructors in the same location: the David Leadbetter Academy and the Mission Hills Golf Academy by Cindy Reid. In conjunction with international golf star Nick Faldo, the club hosts the “Faldo Series Asia” grand final. The Faldo Series provides the best young golfers in Asia with grass roots level access to the game through a series of goodwill competitions.
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. Its 155 bunkers (including 26 on No. 15) are reflective of Olazabal’s reputation as one of the game’s great short game and sand savers. Numerous majestic vistas of untouched jungle and natural flowing streams create outstanding backdrops throughout the golf course. The signature square tees, along with undulating concave Paspalum fairways, are two distinguishing features of this true championship course. The Olazabal Course hosts the Omega Mission Hills World Cup beginning in 2007 and extending through 2018. |