China’s most successful golfer, Liang Wen-Chong, has taken up a new ambassadorial role with The R&A to support the development of golf in his home
country and to promote understanding of its Rules and values.
Liang, the winner of 18 tournaments worldwide, has become The R&A’s third Working for Golf Ambassador and attended a special signing ceremony at The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse in St Andrews with Consul Degang Wan of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh.
“I am honoured to be working with The R&A and helping to promote golf and its values in China”, he said. “I have been very fortunate to become a professional golfer and enjoy a successful career. Golf has been good to me and this is an opportunity for me to give something back to the game. I look forward to working with The R&A to promote greater understanding of the game’s Rules and values in China.”
Consul Degang Wan commented: “There are many links between China and Scotland and this relationship is further enhanced by our mutual love of golf,” he said. “This is an excellent new initiative which should help improve knowledge and understanding of the game in China. Liang is a well-known sportsman at home and in this role I believe he will make an invaluable contribution to the growth of the game there and also to the ever-increasing friendship between our two peoples.”
Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Working for Golf at The R&A, said: “Liang was the first player from his country to play in The Open Championship in 2008 which is a great achievement. He has led the way for golf in China and will bring a great deal of experience and expertise to his new role. The R&A is already working hard with the China Golf Association to encourage people to learn more about golf and its values. Liang will help us to communicate these messages to an even wider audience.”
Liang will front a TV, online and print media campaign across China that will highlight and explain some of golf’s finer points and more commonly misunderstood aspects. The campaign will be launched later this year. He joins two-time Open Champion and former USPGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington and 2007 LPGA Champion Suzann Pettersen as R&A Working for Golf Ambassadors.
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