Tour for future stars tees off in Beijing

China's effort to develop golf in the wake of the sport's inclusion as an Olympic event from 2016 received a timely boost yesterday when the first China Amateur Golf Futures Tour (GFT) event teed off at the Beijing California County Golf Club.

More than 100 promising players, including 21 women, swung into action in the first round of the three-day tournament.

The GFT is expected to become a major part of the China Golf Association's (CGA) efforts to improve the game at the grassroots level and this season will feature events in Beijing and Shenzhen.