Published on October 22, 2015

Singapore: Asian Golf Industry Federation member Schmidt-Curley Design has retained its title as Asia-Pacific’s Best Golf Course Architect in 2015.
It’s the fifth year in succession that Schmidt-Curley Design has captured the top prize in the Asian Golf Awards’ Best Architect category and the ninth straight year that the company has claimed a top-three finish.
Co-founded by Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley in 1997, Schmidt-Curley is recognised as one of the world’s most innovative golf course design firms and has sculpted more than 150 layouts in 25 countries with 80 courses across the Asia-Pacific region.
“We greatly appreciate the honor and recognition,” said American Curley, who featured in the top-20 in Golf Inc.’s 2015 listing of the Most Powerful People in Golf in Asia.
For nearly two decades, Schmidt-Curley Design has been intimately involved with the Asian golf industry.
The firm’s extensive work at China’s Mission Hills also received praise during the Awards ceremony in Singapore.
Ten-course Mission Hills Haikou – entirely master-planned and designed by Schmidt-Curley – maintained its position as the Best Golf Resort in Asia-Pacific.
Its Blackstone Course, host of the 2011 World Cup of Golf and the World Celebrity Pro-Am, retained its Best Course in China title and was also named runner-up in the Best Championship Course in Asia-Pacific segment.
Curley believes it has become ‘one of the premier tournament courses in the world’ and that many more events will be staged there.
Curley said: “The Blackstone Course at Mission Hills Haikou has established itself as one of the ‘must play’ venues in Asia. Its striking contrast of golf within a black lava field terrain is equally scenic and demanding and with risk/reward opportunity at the final holes, this course should prove to be one of the premier tournament courses in the world.”
Furthermore, Mission Hills’ Rose-Poulter Course was named Best New Course in Asia Pacific. European Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose and Ian Poulter worked on the design in conjunction with Curley.
Curley said: “These awards are testament to the quality of our outstanding and highly talented team and the professional service we provide.”