by Shanghai Star
Shanghai Star. 2003-11-13
PUTTING the impact of the SARS epidemic earlier this year behind
it, the delayed 2003 Volvo China Open will finally open on November
13. David Gleeson, the former Australian champion, will arrive in
Shanghai to defend his title as scheduled.
Meanwhile,
China's two top golfers, "Asian Tiger" Zhang Lianwei
and Liang Wenchong, will also square off in this year's challenge.
Asian PGA tournaments are usually held in humid
and hot weather conditions. "Unlike the previous Volvo China
Open, this year, players have to deal with the increasingly cold
weather," said Alistair Polson, the executive director of
Richtone Worldwide Limited.
In spite of losing his chance to defend his crown
in the Macao Open, Zhang hoped to display his strength in this
event. "I'm quite satisfied with my present situation and
I will keep it until the China Open," Zhang said.
Co-sponsored by the CGA (China Golf Association)
and APGA (Asian Professional Golfers Association), the US$500,000
Volvo China Open is a leading professional golf tournament on
the Chinese mainland, which has been held for eight years. By
2002, the event was attracting 136 players from 20 countries.
Once praised as the best golf club for holding tournaments
by Asian PGA competitors, Shanghai's Silport Golf Club has hosted
the Volvo China Open for five years. Beta Soong, the chairman
of Silport Golf Club, said that conditions in the club had greatly
improved and sufficient preparations have been made to handle
this year's tournament with an excellent course and high-quality
services for players and visitors.
Yang Yang
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