The Faldo Series has announced its return to Lakeview Golf Club in Kunming on January 22-23, 2013. The global golf development programme continues to benefit young golfers in Yunnan Province and southwest China with a record field expected in Kunming for the sixth consecutive year.
“The Faldo Series has given golf a real boost in this region of China,” commented Steve Gong, General Manager of the award-winning Faldo Design course at Lakeview. “Numbers of participants have increased by more than 300 per cent since we introduced the Series six years ago and we expect another record turnout this year. At the same time, interest from local children in our year-round grassroots activities continues to grow.”
Local girl Ji Rong will headline a field of more than 100 golfers aged 12 to 21 in the Kunming Championship. After winning last year’s tournament, the 15-year-old finished runner-up in the Girls’ Under-16 division at the 2012 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.
Five more age-group champions from the 2013 Kunming Championship will qualify for the seventh Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club on March 13-15, 2013. Three boys and two girls will join Sir Nick Faldo in Shenzhen for the World Amateur Golf Ranking event.
Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.
The 2012/2013 Faldo Series Asia schedule features a record 18 tournaments in 15 countries, including four in mainland China and others in The Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, official golf wear partner UFL and official suppliers TaylorMade and Tricor. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation.
Golfers born in 1991 or later wishing to enter the sixth Faldo Series Kunming Championship at Lakeview Golf Club on January 22-23, 2013 should email stevegong@lakeview.cn or visit www.lakeview.cn.
Faldo Series www.nickfaldo.com