When I look through all the unbelievable amenities at the Mission Hills resorts which in a deal signed with Omega are hosting these very lucrative World Cups for 10 years starting in 2007, it is amazing to think when we started our Fairways golf show, 18 years ago, there was one course in China, designed by Arnold Palmer. The old communist regime frowned upon the use of good farming land for an elite few to play an elitest sport.
China of course in general terms is slow to embrace change in many aspects of daily life, but they are racing ahead in others, just look at new modern cities like Bejing which have hosted the Olympics and have shopping facilities to rival Rodeo Drive !!
Golf is booming, and the European tour jumped right on that bandwagon, now the Far East swing through Malaysia, China (5m euro purse won by Martin Kaymer), Hong Kong ($2.7m US), and Singapore, is a well supported and as I said lucrative part of the Race To Dubai, which by the way has a finale worth $7.5m in Dubai with the $10m bonus split amongst the top 15.
This Omega Mission Hills World Cup has returned to the international golfing calendar in 2011, now as a biennial event, every odd year, with a record prize fund of US$7,500,000 at a brand new venue in the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island in Southern China
Why ? you might ask..The re-positioning of the tournament which has been played at Mission Hills Shenzhen, China, between 2007 and 2009, is now a biennial event following last year’s decision by the International Olympic Committee to re-introduce golf to the Olympic movement from 2016.
By playing the event in alternate years from 2011, the World Cup is aligned with many of the major sports in the Olympic movement, such as the World Athletics Championships, which are contested biennially and are not in any potential conflict with the summer and winter Olympic Games.
This week the teams will be playing for one of the richest events in world golf, with prize money for the 28 team competition increasing from US$5,500,000 in 2009 to a record US$7,500,000 The winning team will earn US$2,400,000 - US$1,200,000 to each player - which is $350,000 more than last year’s winners.
The format for the contest will remain unchanged, with two series of foursomes and two series of fourballs on alternative days, which has the capacity to create huge swings in fortune and adding to the drama and excitement of the event.
This year's venue, the Blackstone course, is a spectacular, 350-acre layout that weaves through a landscape of mature trees, expansive wetlands, ancient town ruins and ever-present lava rock, the 7,777-yard Blackstone features a myriad of risk / reward opportunities throughout the back nine. The course is set in front of the 518-room 5-star resort complex and the 238,000 square-feet clubhouse, making it ideal for hosting the world’s foremost golf tournaments. One par 5 is 621, another 681 !!!..
Mission Hills China (www.missionhillschina.com), owner and operator of Mission Hills Shenzhen and Mission Hills Hainan, is the pioneer in China's fledgling hospitality, sports and leisure industry! Imagine facilities like this built, owned and operated by the Toronto Parks and Recreation Department !!
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles
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