Danish brand ECCO – a leading global manufacturer of innovative footwear – announces that it has signed Chinese golf star Wu Ashun, who will compete in the brand’s Tour Hybrid model throughout the 2013 season.
Ashun, who recently became only the second Chinese player to qualify for the Open Championship, will also showcase the ECCO logo on his shirt collar and participate in the brand’s marketing initiatives. The 28-year-old competed on the European, Asian, Japan Golf and OneAsia Tours in 2012. He captured the JGT Toshin Golf Tournament last season, while also recording top-25 finishes at nine other tournaments, including the European Tour BMW Masters.
Considered by many to be China’s top golfer under age 30, Ashun was the first Chinese player to win on the JGT and is currently No. 179 on the Official World Golf Ranking. He represented Asia as a member of Royal Trophy winning team in 2012 and after first being introduced to the game about a decade prior. The son of a truck driver and municipal worker, he was a star basketball player and had never heard of golf before representatives from a charity background golf coach visited his school looking for potential talent.
“Wu Ashun is already a renowned player in Asia and has the potential to become a recognized name globally with continued strong performances,” says Jesper Thuen, ECCO Global Sponsorship and PR Manager – Golf. “He’ll be at the core of our marketing and PR work in China, which is an exceptionally strong and growing market for the ECCO Golf business.”
The first-ever classic crossover golf shoe, Tour Hybrid features a traditional leather upper design atop the award-winning Street outsole featuring the ECCO dynamic traction system (E-dts). It combines hand-crafted elegance with advanced shoemaking technologies to create a style which uniquely and seamlessly transitions from the boardroom to the car to the country club.
ECCO golf shoes are also worn in competition by Tour stars Couples, Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjorn, Thongchai Jaidee, Stuart Appleby, Andreas Hartø, JB Hansen, Belén Mozo, Gerina Piller, Caroline Masson and Line Vedel Hansen.
ECCO www.ecco.com/golf