Mission Hills Golf Club will once more step into the limelight when it plays host to this week’s Faldo Series China Championship.
Exactly four months after staging the 10th edition of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, the world’s largest golfing establishment takes centre stage at the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) event.
Six-time Major championship winner Sir Nick Faldo, Britain’s most successful golfer, acknowledged the crucial role that Mission Hills has played in establishing the Faldo Series Asia as one of the world’s foremost elite amateur golfing series.
Faldo said: “Mission Hills China has been synonymous with the Faldo Series Asia since our inauguration 10 years ago. My sincere thanks go to Mission Hills for all they have done. We are indebted to the wonderful support we have received, particularly from the late Dr David Chu and also from Ken and Tenniel Chu.”
After a decade of Grand Finals at Mission Hills, this season sees the Faldo Series Asia break new ground with the 11th Grand Final to be hosted by Sir Nick at Laguna Lang Co in Danang, Vietnam, in March, 2017.
Faldo said: “As with our European final, it has always been the long-term intention to rotate the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final around the region. We are very excited that we are going to Vietnam. I’m also delighted that the Faldo Series China Championship is remaining at Mission Hills so that we can maintain our close ties with the club.”
Tenniel Chu, Mission Hills’ Deputy Chairman, said: “It is recognised that Mission Hills places great emphasis on junior golf and the Faldo Series Asia fulfils our vision to grow the junior game in China and around the region.
“I hope the Faldo Series Asia continues to go from strength-to-strength and that we at Mission Hills will carry on working closely with Sir Nick Faldo to make it even bigger and better in the years to come.”
A host of talented mainland Chinese golfers will tee-it-up in what is the fourth leg of the record-breaking 2016-17 Faldo Series Asia campaign.
Such is the status of the Faldo Series China Championship that results not only count to the WAGR but also the China Golf Association’s Junior Ranking System.
Competitors with the lowest gross score in each of the age group divisions over the Greg Norman Course at Mission Hills Dongguan will qualify for the final in Vietnam.
The leading player of Chinese nationality in each age group division will also receive a wild-card invite to the Grand Final if he or she does not qualify automatically.
Supported by The R&A and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2016-17 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months.
As well as two events in China, India and Thailand, championships will be staged in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006.
Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, touching more than 7,000 golfers each year. Past winners include Tseng Ya-ni and Rory McIlroy, both multiple Major winners.
Faldo Series http://nickfaldo.com/about-faldo-series
Mission Hills www.missionhillschina.com
Laguna Lang Co www.lagunalangco.com/golf/