Shanghai, China: The bustling metropolis of Shanghai will move into the golfing spotlight when it stages the third leg of the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia season.
To be held at Suzhou Taihu International Golf Club from June 30-July 2, a minimum of four places will be up for grabs in the Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at Mission Hills Golf Club in China next March.
The seventh edition of the Faldo Series Shanghai Championship is expected to feature a sprinkling of the country’s leading young amateurs.
Six-time Major championship winner Faldo said: “Discovering and nurturing talented young players is among the aims of the Faldo Series.
“We are proud of the part that the Faldo Series has played in supporting the development of some of China’s most exciting young players, such as Guan Tianlang and Bai Zheng-kai.”
Guan earned global headlines when he qualified for the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta National while Bai was the highest-placed finisher from mainland China in the eighth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.
Bai qualified for the Mission Hills event by virtue of winning the Boys’ Under-16 category at Taihu International last year.
This will be the third year in succession that the Faldo Series Shanghai Championship has been held at Taihu International, located 80 kilometres west of Shanghai in Jiangsu Province.
Faldo said: “Once more we would like to thank Taihu International Golf Club for sharing our long-term vision to help bring opportunity to more young golfers in eastern China.”
A programme of events will also take place off the course during the Faldo Series Shanghai Championship, with competitors set to receive expert advice from guest speakers, and younger children from the local community invited to attend a junior coaching camp.
As well as becoming the venue for the Faldo Series Shanghai Championship, Taihu International is well known as home to a Ladies European Tour event.
Supported by The R&A, ISPS and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia campaign will stretch over 11 months and be made up of a minimum of 20 championships.
Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006.
Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, touching more than 7,000 golfers each year. Past winners include Major champions Rory McIlroy and Tseng Ya-ni.