Inaugural Foshan Open Gearing Up To Do Things Differently
2013-08-28 00:10:34

Foshan Golf Club, 27^th August. Innovative details of the upcoming inaugural Foshan Open were unveiled today. With just seven weeks to go before European Challenge Tour pros from over 20 countries worldwide converge on Foshan for the city’sinauguralUS$350,000 Foshan Open on 17^th to 20^th October, plans are already well advanced to make this a tournament with a difference.

Leading the way will be what the event calls its ‘vertical golf and lifestyle village’. Three floors of venue’s futuristic Canton First centre, located beside the golf course, will be transformed into an exciting array of giant wall-to-wall and overhead video screens, golf games and activities, giant models of the golf course and overall venue, information about the Foshan Open and an extensive outdoor terrace where guests can relax with drinks and snacks or view the various sponsors’ pavilions.

“We are delighted to welcome players from all over the world to Foshan,” said Deng Can-rong of Foshan Government. “We are sure they will be impressed by the innovative style of the event and will have some warm memories of their visit to Foshan.”

Also unveiled by highly renowned course architect, Tony Cashmore, was Foshan Golf Club’s new flagship championship course. Cashmore, with experience of over 70 course designs worldwide, is credited with completely revamping Foshan’s previously uninspiring course into an area of stunning natural beauty incorporating 18 holes of character and challenge fit for the world’s top players.

“It’s great to be back here and see the unveiling of all the work we’ve done,” said Cashmore. “I’m sure the players will love it. It’s also a great privilege to be invited to be involved in the new Foshan Golf Academy project which looks set to have A field of 126 players will take their places at the Foshan Open a big future.

A field of 126 players will take their places at the Foshan Open and will consist of 60 European Challenge Tour and 60 Chinese players and 6 Sponsor’s invitations.

With the leading 14 scores earning world ranking points, the opportunity for Chinese players has never been higher especially as the Olympics recognizes world ranking points as the basis for selection. In fact, expectations of a home player to break through and win also seem at a high.

Every year the performances of Chinese players gets better and better,” said Yang Jie from the China Golf Association. “We certainly expect some good results out of the Foshan Open and, knowing the standards that our players are now achieving, we won’t be surprised if there’s a home winner.

Being one of the final three events of the European Challenge Tour season, the new Foshan Open is attracting virtually all the leading 60 players on the Tour. As officials pointed out, a win at Foshan will earn US$56,000 and can catapult a player very much into contention for one of the career changing 15 places that will graduate to the 2014 European Tour.

It’s a very exciting and tense time of the season,” said Alain de Soultrait, Executive Director of the European Challenge Tour. “There’s no room for complacency. Some of the brightest future stars of world golf will be at Foshan so it’s not a time let your performances go ‘off the boil’.”

Spectators and guests attending the Foshan Open is strictly by invitation. As the club points out, it wants to give its members and its sponsors and their guests the best possible experience. Its aim is to create and environment of exclusivity and personal attention.

More information is provided on the event website www.foshanpopen.com.