Shinichi Mizuno will become the first ever player to represent Hong Kong in the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy following his selection for the Asia Pacific team against Europe in India next month. In another first for Hong Kong, the national coach, Brad Schadewitz has been appointed Vice-Captain.
20-year-old Mizuno, a long-time member of the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) national squad commented: “I am thrilled to be selected for the Asia Pacific team and to represent Hong Kong for the first time in the Bonallack Trophy. To play alongside and against the best amateur golfers from Europe and Asia Pacific will be a great learning experience. And to have Brad there in the team room – who, along with the HKGA, has done so much for me as a golfer over so many years – will make it extra special.”
Schadewitz added: “Shinichi’s selection for the Bonallack Trophy is just reward for a strong 12 months during which he has climbed up the World Amateur Golf Rankings and finished an impressive tied-eighth in the Nomura Cup in November.”
Schadewitz continued: “For me, the invitation to be Vice-Captain of the Asia-Pacific team is a real honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I see this as a strong endorsement of the hard work that we and our partners are putting in at the HKGA and our growing credibility in world golf.”
Scheduled for March 26-28 at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bangalore, India, 12 of the best amateur golfers from Europe and 12 from Asia Pacific will compete in a Ryder-Cup style format for the biennially-awarded Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy. The matches are governed by The R&A, the European Golf Association and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and the event namesake, Sir Michael Bonallack, who holds one of the best amateur records in golf, will attend.
Hong Kong Golf Association www.hkga.com