21 June 2010: The Faldo Series Asia will break new ground in the People’s Republic of China when the inaugural Faldo Series Tianjin Championship tees off at Binhai Lake Golf Club in the city of Tianjin on August 3-4.
The 36-hole Tianjin Championship takes the tally of Faldo Series Asia tournaments in mainland China to six this season. Furthermore, it is one of eight events on the 2010/2011 schedule which is open to overseas players, meaning golfers from all across Asia will have the opportunity to compete for one of five automatic qualifying spots on offer for a place in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.
Located 140 kilometres south east of Beijing in north east China, Tianjin, with a population of over 12 million, recently welcomed Binhai Lake Golf Club to its growing portfolio of golf courses. The links-style course, set on the shores of Binhai Lake, was opened in August last year by Homemain Holdings, which also owns the Nick Faldo-designed Beijing Honghua International Golf Club in the nation’s capital city.
The first ever Tianjin Championship will give talented young golfers, boys and girls aged 12 to 21, the chance to benefit from top level competition under strict tournament conditions as well as receive expert advice from guest speakers. The field will be divided into five age categories, three for boys (Under-21, Under-18 and Under-16) and two for girls (Under-21 and Under-16), and the winner of each category will qualify for the fifth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in March, an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event hosted by six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo on the Faldo Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China.
As with all Faldo Series Asia tournaments, younger children from the local community will also gain access to golf at the Tianjin Championship through a programme of grass-roots activities and the chance to watch the competitors in action.
Underwritten by Faldo himself, the Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A as well as official golf wear partner Alpine Creations. It is also endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).
Further to the success of the Faldo Series Europe, launched in 1996, the Faldo Series Asia was established in 2006 to help develop the region’s next generation of champions. Over 30 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in more than 25 countries across the UK, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia and former winners include Tour champions Rory McIlroy, Nick Dougherty, Marc Warren, Melissa Reid, Florentyna Parker and Yani Tseng.
The 2010/2011 Faldo Series Asia schedule features a record 17 tournaments in 12 different countries including China, The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Thailand.
The 2009/2010 Faldo Series Asia boys’ title was won by Japan’s Masamichi Ito, 14, and the girls’ title by Thidapa Suwannapura, 17, of Thailand. Both will be invited to play in a professional tournament on the Asian Tour and Ladies European Tour respectively and both have earned exemptions into the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final, to be played over the Faldo Course at the Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland on September 21-23.