Golden Gulf to host Zhuhai Leg

October's third stop of the China Tour will be staged at one of the finest golf courses anywhere in the country. Guangdong's Zhuhai Golden Gulf Golf Club, which is consistently rated among the top 10 in China despite only officially opening less than two years ago, will be the venue for the China Tour - Zhuhai Leg from October 13th to 15th.

"The Golden Gulf Golf Club is a fantastic facility and is in beautiful condition. It's as good a course as any golfer could hope to play on. We're delighted to be going to Guangdong, a province that is one of the heartlands of golf in China, and we're especially happy to be going to such a top class course as the Golden Gulf," said Nick Mould, Senior Vice-President of the World Sport Group, the China Golf Association's partners in the China Tour.

"The Elephant Golf Club was extremely well prepared for the Beijing Leg, the Kunming Country Golf Club will be in excellent condition in two week's time, and now we have another beautiful venue for the third stop," he added.

Meanwhile, the club itself is just as pleased to be playing the role of hosts in the China Tour's debut season.

"We believe we have the best course in China. We want to be known as the best and we want to be recognized as the best. By having the best players in China competing here we will cement our reputation," declared Wang Yi the General Manager of the Zhuhai Golden Gulf Golf Club (ZGGGC), adding that the course has such good drainage that it can withstand even the heaviest of the tropical downpours that hit the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Delta.

"We're very proud of the condition of the greens and fairways. Even after a "black rainstorm" it's possible to go straight back onto the course and play. That's how well the course drains!"

The 7,228 Par 72 Golden Gulf Championship Course was designed by Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie who saw the land reclaimed from the South China Sea as a perfect opportunity to use one of the century-old traditions of Scottish golf - the wind.

"It's part of the design. It adds to the challenge," Wang said.

"He got the feeling of St Andrews when he first visited the site. He got the idea that the design would use the coastal winds as one of the course's defences; just as much as the water, the bunkers and the rough. It makes it such a good challenge and it will definitely test our leading golfers."

Mr Wang's comments are backed up by the club's Director of Golf Operations, the China Tour player Guan Xuefeng. The 34-year-old Liaoning-born professional believes the Golden Gulf will be the toughest test of the year.

"Compared to the Elephant Golf Club and the Kunming Country Golf Club, I think the Golden Gulf may be more challenging. There's a lot more water and this really dictates your strategy. It affects how you think and how you play the course. If there are high winds during the Zhuhai Leg it will make things so much more difficult. The scores will become much higher if the wind blows," Guan said, claiming that his colleagues will enjoy the challenge regardless.

"Some of the world's top players have been to Zhuhai and they've all commented on how good the design is and on how well-prepared the course is."

As with all the stops on the China Tour this year, the Zhuhai Leg will have prize money of US$100,000 and will be played over three rounds, with a cut being made after the second round to send the top fifty players plus ties into the final day's play on the Saturday.

September 9, 2005

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