Juniors Stay Cool In The Rainstorm To Win Foshan Open Spots!
2019-07-26 11:00:10
Despite very challenging downpour, quality golf in abundance was on display at the Guangdong Junior Golf Open, just completed at Foshan Golf Club. Out of the full field of 88 competitors ranging in age from 6 to 18 years old, 4 won their way through to play with some of the world's best emerging professional golf talent during Foshan Open week in late October.
Mr. Zhong Rongguang, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Guangdong Golf Association, Mr. Liang Zhijun, Deputy Chief of Foshan Culture, Radio, Broadcasting, Tourism and Sports Bureau Competition and Junior Sports, and Ms. Linda Liao, Executive General Manager of Foshan Golf Club presented trophy and the 2019 Foshan open Qualification to the Champion Lin Jiahao
Mr. Cao Hanfeng, Chairman of Gaoxinghui (Guangzhou) Sports Culture Co. Ltd, and Mr. Vic Carder, Golf Director of Foshan Golf Club, Presented 2019 Foshan open Pro-Junior Qualifications to Girls Under 19 Champion, Jia Xi, and Boys and Girls Under 13 Champions, Rong Zecheng and Zhang Mijia
Leading the way is Boys Under 19 Champion, Lin Jiahao, from Guangzhou, who earns a coveted spot in the main Foshan Open tournament alongside players from up to 25 countries worldwide. The Girls Under 19 Champion, Jiaxi, and both the Boys and Girls Under 13 Champions, Rong Zecheng and Zhang Mijia have earned spots in the popular Foshan Open Pro-Junior Tournament.
“It's a joy to see so many good swings and impressive performances this week,” said Linda Liao, Executive General Manager of the tournament supporter, Foshan Golf Club. “This year marks the fifth anniversary for us to support the Guangdong Junior Golf Open. Some former junior players had qualified for past Foshan Opens, and are now competing in the international professional events. It's breathtaking to witness, compared with a couple of years ago, the depth of seriously good junior players in the tournament has risen amazingly. Credit must go to the Guangdong Golf Association and Guangdong Sports Center who have put in so much development effort and which is clearly getting results.”
Indeed since the Guangdong Junior Golf Open and Foshan Open established an alliance in 2015, some of China's top young amateurs have emerged. Liang Enqi from Guangzhou has inspired many youngsters by qualifying for the Foshan Open in 2015 while still only 14 years old. This year he finished as leading amateur in the Volvo China Open on the European Tour. Another to burst onto the scene recently is Kuang Yang from Shenzhen, the U18 Runner-up in 2018. The 14 year-old caused a frenzy among his schoolmates attending the Volvo China Open in May this year by sinking a long and tricky putt of 20 feet on the final green to become the youngest player ever to progress into the final two rounds, outperforming many of the seasoned professionals in the field.
"Golf in Guangdong looks to be in a very healthy state at the moment," said Mr. Zhong Rongguang, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Office of Guangdong Golf Association.“There are some excellent players still in their early teenage years in this area who look on track to join the likes of former great junior players, Li Haotong and Dou Zecheng, in winning on the international stage. And of course, Guangdong native Feng Shanshan's victory this month on the LPGA Tour in the US will again inspire many current juniors and hopefully motivate more youngsters around here to give golf a try. However, this healthy situation can only work with the active support of the business community. Guangdong Junior Golf Open is fortunate in that respect and we're all highly appreciative of the support provided by cooperative partners, sponsors, and children's parents.”
The Foshan Open, one of the biggest events on the European Challenge Tour and offering US$500,000 in prize money, will be held at Foshan Golf Club from Thursday 24th through Sunday 27th October. Admission to watch this exciting international event is free.
