Volvo China Open
Encyclopedia
The Volvo China Open is a men's golf
tournament that has been held annually in China
since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour
since 2003.
Through 2008, the Volvo China Open also featured on the Asian Tour
schedule, but this changed in 2009 with the announcement of the OneAsia Tour
, a new golf tour
setup by the CGA in association with the PGA Tour of Australasia
, the Japan Golf Tour
, the Korean PGA
and the Korean Golf Association. Having been involved in the early stages the Asian Tour withdrew from OneAsia, the result being that four events, the China Open, Pine Valley Beijing Open, Korea Open
and China Classic
, were removed from the schedule having been announced as founding events of the new tour. In addition the Asian Tour stated that they would not allow their members to play in those events unless already qualified via membership of the European Tour, promising stiff penalties for those that ignored this ruling.
The European Tour sanctions several events in Asia, and has made a particular effort to expand its coverage in the Chinese market.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament that has been held annually in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
since 2003.
Through 2008, the Volvo China Open also featured on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
schedule, but this changed in 2009 with the announcement of the OneAsia Tour
OneAsia Tour
OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the...
, a new golf tour
Professional golf tours
Professional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
setup by the CGA in association with the PGA Tour of Australasia
PGA Tour of Australasia
The PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men. Official events on the tour count for World Golf Ranking points. The tour was formed in 1973 as the PGA Tour of Australia and adopted its current name in 1991....
, the Japan Golf Tour
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
, the Korean PGA
Korean Tour
The Korean Tour is a men's professional golf tour run by the Korea Professional Golfers' Association of South Korea. In 2011, it had total prize money of about US$14 million....
and the Korean Golf Association. Having been involved in the early stages the Asian Tour withdrew from OneAsia, the result being that four events, the China Open, Pine Valley Beijing Open, Korea Open
Korea Open
The Kolon Korea Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is a men's professional golf tournament that has been held annually in South Korea since 1958....
and China Classic
Midea China Classic
The Midea China Classic is a professional golf tournament held in China. It was first played in 2007 at the Royal Orchid International Golf Club in Guangzhou. The tournament was originally part of the Asian Tour schedule, but became part of the rival OneAsia Tour for its inaugural season in...
, were removed from the schedule having been announced as founding events of the new tour. In addition the Asian Tour stated that they would not allow their members to play in those events unless already qualified via membership of the European Tour, promising stiff penalties for those that ignored this ruling.
The European Tour sanctions several events in Asia, and has made a particular effort to expand its coverage in the Chinese market.
Winners
| Year | Venue | Winner | Country | Score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Luxehills International CC | Nicolas Colsaerts Nicolas Colsaerts Nicolas Colsaerts is a Belgian professional golfer.Colsaerts was born in Schaerbeek, Belgium. He turned professional in 2000, the day of his 18th birthday and went on to gain his European Tour card... |
264 (−24) | 4 strokes | Søren Kjeldsen Søren Kjeldsen Søren Kjeldsen is a Danish golfer. He turned professional in 1995.Kjeldsen's success on the second tier Challenge Tour in 1997, which included victory in the Volvo Finnish Open, earned him membership of the main European Tour for 1998. He has performed steadily at this level and won his first... , Peter Lawrie Peter Lawrie Peter Lawrie is an Irish professional golfer.Lawrie was born in Dublin and educated at University College Dublin where he took up a golf scholarship. He won the 1996 Irish Amateur Closed Championship and turned professional in 1997... , Danny Lee Danny Lee (golfer) Danny Jin-Myung Lee is a professional golfer from Rotorua, New Zealand. Lee was born in South Korea and emigrated to New Zealand at the age of eight. His name in Hangul is 이진명. He became a naturalized New Zealander on 2 September 2008 at Rotorua, where he attended Rotorua Boys' High... , Pablo Martín Pablo Martin Pablo Martín-Benavides is a Spanish professional golfer.Martín was born in Málaga, and attended Oklahoma State University in the United States. He was awarded the Haskins Award in 2006 and featured in the top ten of the World Amateur Golf Ranking... |
|
| 2010 | Suzhou Jinji Lake GC | Yang Yong-eun Yang Yong-eun Yang Yong-eun , or Y. E. Yang, is a South Korean professional golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour, where he has won twice, including most notably the 2009 PGA Championship where he held off the challenge of Tiger Woods during the final round.... |
273 (−15) | 2 strokes | Rhys Davies Rhys Davies (golfer) Rhys Davies is a Welsh professional golfer.Davies was born in Edinburgh, Scotland but has lived in Wales for the majority of his life. He played collegiate golf in the United States at East Tennessee State University where he won ten times... , Stephen Dodd Stephen Dodd Stephen Dodd is a Welsh professional golfer who after a relatively moderate career, unexpectedly won two events on the European Tour in the 2005 season at the age of 38.Dodd was born in Cardiff... |
|
| 2009 | Beijing CBD International GC | Scott Strange Scott Strange Scott Strange is an Australian professional golfer who competes on the European Tour and the Asian Tour.Prior to turning Professional, Strange frequently represented the Western Australia amateur team in Australian Golf Union events... |
280 (−8) | 1 stroke | Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño is a Spanish professional golfer.Fernández-Castaño was born in Madrid. He turned professional in 2004 and came eighth at that year's European Tour Qualifying School.... |
|
| 2008 | Beijing CBD International GC | Damien McGrane Damien McGrane Damien McGrane is an Irish golfer.McGrane was born in Kells, County Meath, Ireland. He turned professional in 1991.McGrane has had full status on the European Tour since 2003, and has earned over €3.5m in prize-money... |
278 (−10) | 9 strokes | Simon Griffiths, Michael Lorenzo-Vera Michael Lorenzo-Vera Michael Lorenzo-Vera is an French professional golfer.Lorenzo-Vera was born in Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques in South-West France.... , Oliver Wilson Oliver Wilson Oliver John Wilson is an English professional golfer.Wilson was born in Mansfield, England, where his golfing career began at Coxmoor Golf Club.... |
|
| 2007 | Shanghai Silport GC | Markus Brier Markus Brier Markus Brier is one of relatively few Austrian touring professional golfers, and as of 2008 is his country's highest ranked player.... |
274 (−10) | 5 strokes | Scott Hend Scott Hend Scott Robert Hend is an Australian professional golfer, renowned as a long hitter.Hend turned professional in 1997 and joined the PGA Tour of Australasia. He has since played on most of the major golf tours around the world. He has won three times in Australia, and was the inaugural winner of the... , Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour... , Andrew McLardy Andrew McLardy Andrew McLardy is a South African professional golfer.McLardy was born in Triangle, Zimbabwe to Scottish parents. He had a successful amateur career, including representing South Africa twice in the Eisenhower Trophy, before turning professional in 1997... |
|
| 2006 | Beijing Honghua International GC | Jeev Milkha Singh Jeev Milkha Singh Jeev Milkha Singh is the first Indian professional golfer to become a member of the European Tour. He is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the world and first broke into the top 100 in October 2006.-Early life:... |
278 (−10) | 1 stroke | Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño is a Spanish professional golfer.Fernández-Castaño was born in Madrid. He turned professional in 2004 and came eighth at that year's European Tour Qualifying School.... |
|
| 2005 | Shenzhen GC | Paul Casey Paul Casey Paul Alexander Casey is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009 he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Rankings.... |
275 (−13) | Playoff (1st hole) | Oliver Wilson Oliver Wilson Oliver John Wilson is an English professional golfer.Wilson was born in Mansfield, England, where his golfing career began at Coxmoor Golf Club.... |
|
| 2004 | Shanghai Silport GC | Stephen Dodd Stephen Dodd Stephen Dodd is a Welsh professional golfer who after a relatively moderate career, unexpectedly won two events on the European Tour in the 2005 season at the age of 38.Dodd was born in Cardiff... |
276 (−12) | 3 strokes | Thomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team... |
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| 2003 | Shanghai Silport GC | Zhang Lian-wei Zhang Lian-Wei Zhang Lian-wei is a Chinese professional golfer.Zhang was the first golfer from the People's Republic of China to achieve substantial success on the international professional circuit... |
277 (−11) | 2 strokes | Thaworn Wiratchant Thaworn Wiratchant Thaworn Wiratchant is a Thai professional golfer. He is one of only two golfers to have won 10 or more events on the Asian Tour.... |
|
| 2002 | Shanghai Silport GC | David Gleeson David Gleeson (golfer) David Gleeson is a professional golfer from Australia currently playing on the Asian Tour, where he has three victories.-Amateur career:... |
272 (−16) | 1 stroke | Pablo Del Olmo | |
| 2001 | Shanghai Silport GC | Charlie Wi Charlie Wi Charlie Wi is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has also previously played on both the European and Asian Tours.Wi was born in Seoul, and moved to Los Angeles, California, United States at the age of 10... |
272 (−16) | 1 stroke | Thongchai Jaidee Thongchai Jaidee Thongchai Jaidee is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour and the European Tour. He holds the record for most career victories and most career earnings on the Asian Tour.... |
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| 2000 | Shanghai Silport GC | Simon Dyson Simon Dyson Simon Dyson is an English professional golfer who is currently a member of the European Tour, having formerly played on the Asian Tour.-Amateur career:... |
275 (−13) | 1 stroke | Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:... |
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| 1999 | Shanghai Silport GC | Kyi Hla Han Kyi Hla Han Kyi Hla Han is a former professional golfer from Myanmar and the current executive chairman of the Asian Tour.Kyi Hla Han turned professional in 1980. He recorded his first professional win at the 1983 Malaysian PGA Championship. He played on the Asian Tour from its debut season in 1995 until 2004... |
 Myanmar |
273 (−15) | 7 strokes | Christian Pena Christian Pena Christian Pena is an American professional golfer.Pena played on the Nike Tour in 1993 and 1994. His best finishes were a pair of T-6s, at the 1993 NIKE Monterrey Open and the 1994 NIKE Sonoma County Open. He played briefly on the European Tour in 2000. He played on the Japan Golf Tour from 2000... |
| 1998 | Shanghai SunIsland Int’l GC | Ed Fryatt Ed Fryatt Edward Fryatt is an English professional golfer. His father Jim Fryatt was a professional footballer for a number of English clubs.... |
269 (−19) | 2 strokes | Takeshi Ohyama | |
| 1997 | Beijing International GC | Cheng Jun | 280 (−8) | 5 strokes | Adrian Percey | |
| 1996 | Beijing International GC | Prayad Marksaeng Prayad Marksaeng Prayad Marksaeng is a Thai professional golfer.Prayad was a member of Thailand's winning golf team at the 1987 South East Asian Games and turned professional in 1991. He has been a member of the Asian Tour since it began in its modern form in 1995. He was won six events on the tour, becoming one... |
269 (−19) | 9 strokes | Hsieh Yu-shu | |
| 1995 | Beijing International GC | Raúl Fretes Raúl Fretes Raúl Fretes is a Paraguayan professional golfer.Fretes was born in Asunción and turned pro in 1990. He won the South American Tour Order of Merit in 1994 and 1998.... |
277 (−11) | 3 strokes | Lai Ying-juh |