Hong Kong back on the world golf calendar

The re-opening of Hong Kong to international travellers will be celebrated with the staging of the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.

To be held over the tournament composite course at the Hong Kong Golf Club’s (HKGC) world-acclaimed Fanling venue from March 23-26, the event will act as the seventh leg of the 2023 Asian Tour and carry a prize pot of $US1 million.

It will be the first international golf tournament in the Special Administrative Region of China for 38 months.

It was in the second week of January 2020 that Australian Wade Ormsby triumphed in the Hong Kong Open. Within two months the spread of Covid-19 prompted the imposition of travel bans and the cessation of sporting gatherings.

However, with the widespread recent lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, Hong Kong is once more ready to showcase itself as Asia’s world city and a hub for major sporting events.

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour commissioner and chief executive, said: “We’re all excited to be able to return to Hong Kong and the iconic Hong Kong Golf Club, one of the world’s most historic golfing establishments and a perennial favourite among Asian Tour members.”

Hong Kong Golf Club captain Andy Kwok said: “Staging international events is very much part of the club’s fabric and history, so to welcome back world-class golfers and spectators to the fairways of Fanling after three long years is something we are all very excited about.

“Through the inaugural World City Championship, the club is putting Hong Kong firmly back on the international golfing map, whilst at the same time providing a platform for talented young Hong Kong players to showcase their skills in front of a global audience.

“We definitely believe that Hong Kong golfers have what it takes to compete at the highest level and their confidence and development will only grow from experiences such as this. The club has long been the training ground to nurture local golfing talent and we cannot wait to get the event underway.”

Founded in 1889, the HKGC inaugurated the Hong Kong Open in 1959 and has hosted every edition since. In addition, the club staged the inaugural Johnnie Walker Classic in 1990, won by then world No 1 Sir Nick Faldo, the Alfred Dunhill Masters, the Alfred Dunhill Cup Asia-Pacific qualifying and the Hong Kong Ladies Open.

The World Amateur Team Championships for the Eisenhower Trophy (men) and Espirito Santo Trophy (women) took place at the HKGC in 1984 while the Queen Sirikit Cup Asia-Pacific Ladies’ Invitational Team Championship has been held at the club on three occasions (1990, 2001 and 2015).

The World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club will take place the week before the Hong Kong rugby sevens – making it a great time for sports