Related stories

Take a Cultural Tour of "Backstreet" Beijing Revel in Pinggu’s Peach Blossoms Tongchunyuan Restaurant: Fine Dining Jiangsu Style Beijing Olympics Calls On More Attention Beijing Foreigner's Sports Carnival 2008

Golf

he 2007 Pine Valley Beijing Open will be hosted at the Pine Valley Golf Resort & Country Club April 26–29, 2007. The competition is sanctioned by the Asian Tour & China Golf Association (CGA) and represents the first annual elite-level golf tournament to be held in Beijing.

  The competition will take place over the course of four days, with the total purse of 4 million yuan (US$500,000), and will feature more than 156 players from 30 countries, including some of China’s most prominent golfers.

 “The growing popularity of golf in China has been evident in recent years, and on behalf of the China Golf Association, we are delighted to announce the launch of the Pine Valley Beijing Open,” said Zhang Xiaoning, the China Golf Association’s vice-president and secretary-general.  "With the strengthening of ties with the Asian Tour, we believe that this tournament has the potential to become one of Beijing's influential events. We hope with our joint efforts, this game will maintain stable growth in the years to come.”

Chinese stars Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong will lead the local challenge in the full-field Asian Tour tournament. Zhang Lianwei was the 2003 Singapore Masters champion while Liang Wenchong triumphed recently in same tournament and is presently ranked second on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit.

Golf fans will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the “Golden Bear,” Jack Nicklaus, general designer of Pine Valley’s golf courses, will be present to take part in the opening ceremony of Pine Valley’s Phase II golf course. The “Golden Bear” will also stay to tee off the 2007 Pine Valley Beijing Open and take part in the tournament festivities. Nicklaus is one of the world’s most accomplished golfers in major championship golf, having won 73 PGA tournaments and 18 professional majors°™twice as many as almost all other professional golfers.

he Professional Golfers' Association’s swung into action on March 15, 2007, with the opening of its first golf academy in Asia: Bayhood No. 9, Beijing, China.

The Bayhood No. 9 Golf Club, Bayhood No. 9 and the PGA Golf Academy are located along the Beihu Canal north of Central Beijing. The Beihu area has a rich history dating back 600 years to the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties but Bayhood is set to create a golfing dynasty for the future, built around a Nelson Haworth-designed 18-hole, 7,260-yard championship course.

Bayhood No. 9 will use the expertise of the PGA and its highly trained professionals to deliver tailor-made coaching programmes for golfers of all skill levels. PGA Golf Management operations manager Neil Coulson said he believes the Academy can put Bayhood No. 9 and the PGA at the forefront of golf in China.

“The PGA Golf Academy at Bayhood No. 9 is an exciting development that builds on the quality aspirations of the owners and the PGA’s reputation for first-class branded and managed facilities. Importantly, it will also play a vital role in growing the game in China through the academy. It is a privilege for the PGA to be associated with Bayhood No. 9.” he said.