Shanghai: The growth of golf among China’s business community was clearly evident at the 2009 Zi Jiang Cup Shanghai Led Enterprise Association tournament as about half of the 60 participants were playing the sport for the very first time.

With about 30 participants swinging away at the driving range under the tutelage of Silport professionals, the other half of the group was teeing off over the North and West courses in warm yet stormy conditions.

Playing under a New Peoria scoring format, Jin Chunyun topped the field as the 3.6 handicap carded a round of seven-over 79 to win the Gross Champion honor, one stroke ahead of Wang Hong. Zeng Qiang was second runner-up.

The Nett Champion title proved equally competitive as Xu Jun and Li Yu both finished with nett 76. On account of his lower handicap, Xu was declared the winner. Xu Guo Hua was the Nett second runner-up.

Other outstanding performances included Jia Lai who took the nearest-the-pin honor when he put his tee shot to within two feet of the flag on the West Course 8th hole, while Jin Yu Gin won the longest drive with a 260-yard blast on North Course seventh hole.

A tournament organizer explained that representatives of nearly 70 enterprises were in attendance for the event. He explained the association aimed to eliminate golf illiteracy, and believed the tournament would be a great impetus for the continual development of golf in China.