The celebrity golf pro-am tournament will run from today through Oct. 31, and involves 20 professional golfers along with 20 celebrities and 120 amateurs. It's part of a government-led initiative to make the Hainan island a leading international tourism destination in the coming years, and judging from the brilliant constellation of international superstars now navigating the fairways of newly launched Mission Hills Resort Hainan, interest in this once mysterious region of China is huge. International exposure from the Mission Hills Star Trophy will be correspondingly massive.
Golf's most astute two-time-Open-Championship-winner-slash-businessman, Greg Norman is a HostAmbassador for the event along with China's multiple gold medal-winning gymnast Li Ningand Japan’s ultra-popular television star, Akashiya Sanma.
The format sounds ultra-compelling: Amateur teams of three play with a celebrity or professional golfer on the first two days of the event in a team scramble format. The weekend play will then be in four-ball stroke play format between 20 teams consisting of a celebrity and a professional, with a 36-hole individual professional event running concurrently on the Blackstone Course.
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The Mission Hills Star Trophy is huge, and illustrates the rapid emergence of China as an international stage for major sporting and lifestyle events. ~ We'll keep you updated on the action in Haikou as the weekend progresses.
October 27, 2010 - Photos by Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images AsiaPac
October 27, 2010 - Photos by Athit Perawongmetha/Getty Images AsiaPac
I first went to Hainan on business in 2007. I remember being very impressed with the quality of the resorts (which can be sketchy in China). At the time the golf was all very new. Now that they've had a few more years and opened more courses, it's really starting to develop into a golfing destination. Hainan is rapidly going to become a viable alternative destination to Hawaii for many vacationers across Asia. I was just at Kapalua a couple of weeks ago, and quite honestly I might head over to Hainan before going back to Hawaii for a second trip.
ReplyDeleteI remember when you wrote about golf in China earlier this year, Mission Hills Hainan was still known by a code name and there seemed to be a lot of secrecy about it. The fact that they're already holding such a high profile event there leaves little doubt about China's commitment to golf.
ReplyDeleteI think we better wake up over on this side of the pond. We've been resting on our laurels while China takes over everything. Golf, particularly the ability to make money from golf is just one way the Chinese are starting to dominate everything.
ReplyDeleteIs the tournament broadcast in the US at all? I couldn't find any information on that.
ReplyDeleteI've heard the courses are built on volcanic ash which would otherwise be barren but in all of the photos I've seen they're now emerald green. The bunkers look like they'd present quite a challenge too. Basically it looks like a spectacular place to play. I havent been able to find anythng about TV coverage either. :(
ReplyDeleteI live on Hainan Island and attended the tournament as a guest. It is a beautiful course. Everyone looked like they were having a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many wonderful courses on hainan you could spend a week playing here and golf a different course each day. More are being built. Mission Hills will have 10 courses before it's finished