Shanghai: Silport welcomed back auld Scottish friends when a delegation of business people and politicians from Angus County visited the club for the Carnoustie Country Invitational.

In addition to the annual golf tournament that ties in with an upcoming visit to Scotland by a delegation of Silport members and their guests to such famed Open venues as Carnoustie and St. Andrews, among others, the day proved significant in that it marked the signing of a business agreement between Berry Textile (Shanghai) Co. Ltd and Angus Council Infrastructure Services. Of the dignitaries on hand to witness the signing, among others, were the Right Honourable Jim Murphy, Member of Parliament and Secretary of State for Scotland, Beta Soong, Silport Group chairman, Councilor David May, Angus Council convener of Infrastructure Services, Simon Sung, Berry Textile (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, David Valentine, Angus Council head of Economic Development, Infrastructure Services, and Stuart French, Carnoustie Country Golf consultant. Other VIPs in attendance included John Henderson, Scotland Office deputy director, John McTernan, Scotland Office special advisor, Lesley Sawyers, Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) chief executive, Jane Gotts, SCDI international trade manager, David Chen, Shanghai Silport Golf Club general manager, Zhang Xiu-Wan, Association of Enterprises founded by Taiwan Compatriots in Shanghai vice chairman, Robert Yang, Dimerco Express Group vice president, Woody Guo, Shanghai Hormel Foods Co. Ltd. general manager, and Gong Wei-Hua, Shanghai Evertrust-Electric Co., Ltd. president.

Following a buffet lunch, a group photo and an announcement of the rules of the game by Silport caddie master Wang Hai Hong, about 90 players teed off from a shotgun start under sunny conditions over the Center and East courses.

Playing under a New New Peoria scoring system, Qin Ling topped the field with an impressive four-over 76 for the low gross, well ahead of runner-up Huang Cangjiang (81) and second runner-up Stephen Telford (81). Hong Hongnian emerged the low nett champion as the 19.2 handicap shot a 90 for a nett 70.8. Peng Yongmou (nett 71.8) finished runner-up, followed by Kong Qi (nett 72).

Other notable performances on the day included Deng Renqing and Xu Chuntang who each had a nearest-the-pin, and long drive winners Shen Jinhui and Gong Cang who unleashed blasts of 275 yards and 290 yards respectively.

Following the tournament, the festivities continued in Silport’s upstairs dining area as Scottish folk tunes set the mood. With those in attendance enjoying a buffet meal, entertainment was provided by models staging a Carnoustie Country fashion show, a prize presentation for the golf tournament and a video snapshot of Scotland, featuring the folklore and customs of the people of Angus County and a profile of Carnoustie Golf Links, a sister course to both Silport and Tiger Beach Golf Links in China’s northern Shandong province.