2008 China Tour Guangzhou Championship - NBC News puts spotlight on China Tour

An NBC television crew was at the opening day of the Guangzhou Championship to film footage for a programme on Chinese golf. A crew from the US television network's Beijing office interviewed players and officials to produce a news piece on the Omega China Tour and the growth of golf in China.

The show, which will air on NBC's popular Nightly News show in the coming weeks, follows up from a series of stories by Dan Washburn highlighting the growth of the Tour and the fascinating background of many of its players.

Zhou Xunshu, a former security guard at a golf course, was among the players interviewed.

"I met the NBC team in January. They were later supposed to visit me in Chongqing, but the weather in the south was too bad so they came to the Guangzhou Championship instead," said Zhou, who shot an opening-day 71 despite playing several holes in the spotlight of the NBC cameras.

"I was so nervous when I saw the cameras on my first hole (the 10th). I didn't know they would be there," admitted the smiley Zhou.

Zhang Lianwei, China's most famous golfer, was also interviewed by NBC, along with Victor Fong, Executive Director of the Dragon Lake Golf Club, and Nick Mould, President of World Sport Group (East Asia), the Tour's promoter.

Mark Mullen, Senior Asia Correspondent for NBC News Worldwide, said the show was focusing on the players themselves as much as the rapid growth of the golf in China.

"We're actually part of the news division, not sports, so we're trying to show the human aspects of how this Tour has created opportunities. The sport is still in its infancy in China and we love that," Mullen said.

March 14, 2008

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