China

Golfing authorities play the long game with new junior program

(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-05-29 09:32

HSBC and the China Golf Association (CGA) last week unveiled a ground-breaking new blueprint for the future success of junior golf in China.

Following the announcement of its multi million dollar three-year partnership to develop junior golf in China at the end of last year, HSBC and the CGA have announced their plans to realise the potential of golf's fast growing market and produce a home-grown winner of the HSBC Champions within 10 years.

Called the HSBC China Junior Golf Program, it will include: the HSBC National Junior Golf Championship; the HSBC National Junior Open; a series of HSBC Junior Golf Camps; an HSBC Junior Ranking System and website; training courses for coaches; and a schools program.

"The HSBC China Junior Golf Programme will have a significant impact on junior golf in China and help the sport convert the increasing levels of interest and participation into tangible success on the course," said Zhang Xiaoning, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of China Golf Association, who is also Chairman of the program's committee.

"This program is in keeping with HSBC's commitment to developing golf globally at all levels and compliments our sponsorship of the HSBC Champions at the very top of the sport," said Giles Morgan, Head of Sports Sponsorship & Marketing, HSBC Holdings plc.

"This is a blueprint of what HSBC is trying to achieve around the world, supporting sport at both the professional as well as the grassroots level, and we believe it will lead to a home-grown HSBC Champions winner within the next 5 to 10 years."

The HSBC National Junior Golf Championship will be held annually for both male and female junior golfers across China, with winners earning the right to train with or compete against the world's top golfers at the HSBC Champions. This year the first rounds of the championship will take place in the four host cities of Beijing, Kunming, Shenzhen and Hangzhou, with the final to be held in Shanghai.

Open to all international juniors, the HSBC National Junior Open will be held at the start of each year - teeing off in January 2008 - and encourage interaction between young golfers from home and abroad.

The HSBC Junior Golf Camps plan to run each year during summer and winter vacations in cities cross China for the country's most promising junior golfers.

The first ever HSBC Junior Ranking System developed in China will use a ranking system similar to professional golfers and take into account all junior golf tournaments approved by the CGA.