Hu Mu is top qualifier for Volvo China Open

Amateur sensation Hu Mu emerged from a pack of professional golfers to finish as joint winner of the Volvo China Open final qualifying event in Beijing on Wednesday, and will now compete in the 156-man field at CBD International Golf Club in two week’s time.

Much has been expected of the Shenzhen-born teenager since he was taken under the wing of teaching guru David Leadbetter, and this week he showed just why he is in a class of his own with his joint top finish at Hong Hua International Golf Club.

After a windless opening day in which the 18-year-old bogeyed his final two holes to shoot a disappointing three over par 75, typhoon-strength winds blew in on day two and resulted in rocketing scores and a five and a half-hour round.

“The wind was absolutely brutal today, I really don’t remember playing in such difficult conditions before,” said Hu after his round. No one was going to get close to level par on a day like today, so it came down to limiting the damage and keeping a calm head.”

Hu’s six-over-par 78 was the joint best score of the day, which only Cui Qiang managed to equal. However the 25-year-old professional was made to suffer after an opening round 81 and finished in fourth place to narrowly miss out on a place in the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event.

Huang Yong-huan finished alongside Hu at the top of the leaderboard after a seven-over-par 79. Also through to the US$2.2 million Volvo China Open is Deng Yong-hong, who qualified despite an abysmal 45 on the front nine.

First round leader Su Dong crashed to a disastrous 86 after playing the final nine holes in nine-over-par 45. The Vancouver-based 18-year-old amateur star found the going particularly tough on the short par three holes, two of which he double bogeyed.

“With any shot more than 50 yards out I simply tried to get it on the green,” said a disappointed Su.

“It really was that tough out there today.”

Top 20 Results:

Name R1 R2 Total +/-

1 HU Mu [A] 76 78 154 10
1 HUANG Yong-huan 75 79 154 10
3 DENG Yong-hong 74 82 156 12
4 CUI Qiang 81 78 159 15
4 ZHANG Cheng-wei 77 82 159 15
4 SU Dong [A] 73 86 159 15
7 TIAN Ye 75 85 160 16
7 LI Tian-ci [A] 74 86 160 16
9 SHI Ning-jie 81 81 162 18
9 WU Hong-fu 80 82 162 18
9 LI Kang 80 82 162 18
9 WANG Lei 78 84 162 18
9 YU Wei 77 85 162 18
9 CHENG Hai-bao 76 86 162 18
15 CAI Nan 84 79 163 19
16 LI Yong 82 82 164 20
16 ZHOU Jun 82 82 164 20
16 ZHANG Meng 79 85 164 20
16 LIU Xin 78 86 164 20
16 XING Xiao-xuan 76 88 164 20

March 26, 2008

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