Shandong Province: Zhang Lianwei leads a top field of the mainland’s best golfers as the China Tour touches down at Tiger Beach Golf Links this week for leg three of the nascent circuit.

The China No. 1 comes into the US$100,000 Shandong leg as the Order of Merit leader on the second-year circuit after finishing runner-up in the Hainan opener and winning in Zhuhai. The victory ended a 2 year drought for the country’s golfing pioneer, dating back to his historic Volvo China Open win at Shanghai Silport in November 2003.

Zhang who has played all over the world in his travels, said the links style of Tiger Beach would provide valuable lessons for the young Chinese pros, saying they needed to learn to play on all styles of courses if they are to succeed.

“This leg is going to be very challenging,” he said, adding that a lot players will likely find trouble in Tiger Beach’s knee-high rough and deep pot bunkers.

“Links golf requires very different skills and strategies to the golf we usually play. It takes a lot of experience to learn how to play in specific conditions of a course like Tiger Beach. It will benefit the Chinese golfer as those skills can be used in more typical courses too.”

Zhang, who pulled out of the Bangkok Airways Open in Samui, Thailand, with an upset stomach, said his first win on the China Tour last month at Zhuhai Golden Gulf provided a much-need confidence boost.

“Winning in Zhuhai was very important for me; important for me as it was in my hometown and also as a golfer, there is nothing better for your confidence than a victory.”
With Hainan-leg winner Liang Wenchong playing in Japan this week, other top Chinese to watch include Zheng Wengen, third on the Order after a runner-up in Zhuhai, and Li Chao, the big-hitting Shanghai-based pro who is capable of going low or going wild, depending on the day.

Silport Group chairman Beta Soong, the designer of Tiger Beach, said his labor of love would provide a steep learning curve for the Chinese pros. “To succeed to the top of the golf world, Chinese golfers are going to have all-round games and that includes being capable on links courses,” he said.
“It is my great pleasure to welcome China’s top players to Tiger Beach. It is a course that I think they will always remember and I hope they can take something away from that.”