Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills China, has joined OneAsia as a senior official as the golf tour embarks on its fourth and biggest season yet.
Chu, who has extensive relationships in golf throughout the world, joins as Secretary-General, reporting directly to OneAsia Commissioner and Chairman Sang Y. Chun.
He will handle an array of responsibilities including working with national golf governing bodies, professional golf associations, tournament sponsors and course and resort owners to develop additional events for an OneAsia platform that has already seen extraordinary growth since its launch in 2009.
OneAsia already boasts the national Opens of five countries –Australia, China, Indonesia, Korea and Thailand– among its 14 tournaments, and with a total purse of over US$16 million is the most lucrative regional tour in the Asia-Pacific.
“It is an honor to have Tenniel Chu join the OneAsia team,” said Sang Y. Chun. “Mission Hills and OneAsia share a common vision about the enormous potential of golf in Asia, and both are pioneers in elevating the status of the game in the region.”
Chu hails from a family that put golf on the map in China. The conglomerate founded by his father, Dr. David Chu, owns and operates Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen and Dongguan southern China, which with 216 holes is listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s biggest golf club.
Its more recent development on Hainan Island boasts 10 courses designed by Brian Curley which celebrate landmark designs and signature holes from around the globe.
Chu’s appointment comes soon after OneAsia’s 2012 season teed off with the U.S. $1 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open, which for the first time was co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation as part of an historic three-year deal.
The tour moves toTianjinthis week for the Volvo China Open (19-22 April), which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
“In OneAsia I see a platform that suits my vision for golf in the Asia-Pacific region,” Chu said. “The collaboration of national amateur golf bodies and professional golf associations with an executive boasting world class broadcasting expertise and business acumen means all our stakeholders are taken care of – from the players and fans, to the tournament organizers, corporate sponsors and golf developers.”
The combination of Chun and Chu gives OneAsia’s executive a potent mix of youth and experience.
Born in Hong Kong in 1976, Chu graduated with a degree in economics from University of Toronto and furthered his interest in golf by taking up a post-graduate study for Professional Golf Management at Humber College. At the completion of his studies, he worked at PGA TOUR headquarters before joining the family business.
OneAsia was formed by the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Tour, the Korea Golf Association and the PGA of Australia to provide a stage for the region’s top players to showcase their talent and, ultimately, a destination to complement the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
All OneAsia tournaments are broadcast live on a global television platform that includes ESPN Star Sports across Asia,Korea’s SBS television, One World Sports in theU.S., and SuperSport acrossAfrica, giving prime exposure to players, events and corporate sponsorship partners.
OneAsia www.oneasia.asia