APGC
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Newsletter
MARCH 2014
On track: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner Lee Chang-woo.
Contents Masters one of life’s golden chances, says Lee
1
Qatari joins the APGC executive
2
Jeong embarks on European tour
3
Deal for Hong Kong golfing public
3
Asia-Pacific teams out to reverse Bonallack losses
4
Norman guides Emirates
5
Latin America Amateur set to debut next year 6 Student’s plan for India
6
India wins junior title
6
asiapacificgolf.org
Masters one of life’s golden opportunities, says Lee Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner Lee Chang-woo has described his chance to compete in the 2014 Masters Tournament as one of the few “golden opportunities” he can expect in his career.
The Korean sealed his place at Augusta – and a spot in Final Qualifying for The Open Championship – when he sailed to a three-shot victory at Nanshan International Golf Club in Shandong Province, China,
last year. Lee says he expects to feel a mixture of nerves and pressure in April but, as he did in his Asia-Pacific win, will try to block out any jitters and concentrate on each shot. “As it is a dream for all
golfers to compete in the Masters, I am distinctly pleased to play in such an event, especially as an amateur player,” Lee said. “I’ve heard that there are only a few golden opportunities in life time and I believe that the Masters tournament is one of them. I am very much looking forward to this opportunity with excitement.” ›
He has been boosted by the performance of previous Asia-Pacific winners who have performed remarkably well and made the cut at the Masters in the past few years but says he anticipates teeing off with a blend of “half excitement and the other half pressure”. “To be honest, since many amateur players actually did make the cut with good performance, I think I will feel excitement and pressure at the same time. I will try to release the pressure and focus on my game calmly waiting for the chance to come,” Lee said. While he will be up against the world’s best and most experienced pros, the young Korean is confident parts of his game will keep him in the hunt during the tournament, especially his short game. “I’ve heard that I have sensuous contact ability with my putting and approach shots. The driver and iron shots will also be needed throughout, but especially in the Masters, I believe my short game will help me out the most.” To help prepare for the year’s first major Lee said he had already had dinner with Kim, Sung-yoon, the first Korean player to compete in the Masters as an amateur in 2000. He now plays on the Japan professional tour. “He gave me a lot of advice and the most impressive was to
try to enjoy the Masters itself rather than trying to compete with others and myself, which would make me a lot more comfortable in playing the game in a unfamiliar condition,” Lee said. “He also told me lots of episodes that happened which was very exciting and helpful.” Lee tied for second with Rory McIlroy at the Korean Open the week before the Asia-Pacific Amateur and said that had helped while his form continued into the following week at Nanshan. “Generally everything worked out very well. The driver shots were pretty stable and the iron shots settled down right next to the hole when needed. The best was in putting. Almost every putt that really counted went in. “Right before the AAC, I finished as runner-up in the Korea Open, which probably gave me the confidence. I didn’t really worry about failure in each shot, I just tried to concentrate in my own game rather than competing with others. “Looking back on it now, not only physically but also mentally, I was in good form back then. “I wasn’t nervous but rather confident. It was an amazing experience.” Since that triumph Lee played in the Korean team which was runner-up to Australia at the Nomura Cup in Chiang-rai, Thailand, and in the Australian Amateur Championship in
Qatari joins the APGC executive Mohammed Faisal Al-Naimi has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, representing the sub-continent and the Middle East.
Mr Al-Naimi (right) has a history of involvement in the administration of golf in the region and has been a Board 2 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ MARCH 2014
member of the Qatar Golf Association since 2003. He has been the association’s executive director since 2008 and was deputy venue manager (golf) for the Asian Games in 2006. An officer in the Qatar Ministry of the Interior for 13 years, he is described as well organised and an enthusiastic team player.
Adelaide, Australia, where he missed the cut by a single shot. “I think that the cut-off was a message that I must keep practising harder to make this year even better than last year,” he said. To do that Lee plans to try to upgrade the parts of his game he says need the most work. “The best part is definitely in the short game. I feel very comfortable from the approach shots to putting but I am not really satisfied with the other parts, so I’m planning to keep practising my driver and iron shots. “I believe that further shots with accuracy will make my game a lot stronger. It is hard to be an all-round player, but with hard work and physical training, I believe that one day I will be able to be one myself.” As it is Lee spends up to six hours at a time on the practice range and two hours in the gym. He is wrestling with the idea of turning pro in 2015 but a lot could depend on how he plays after the Masters. “My first goal after the Masters is winning the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea. I think winning in such an event like the Asian Games and the Olympics is a goal for all athletes. I really want the gold medal,” he said. “I am still agonising about turning pro. If possible, I want to think about it after winning the Asian Games. I hope that I
can play as a professional golfer next year. I will have to discuss with the Korea Golf Association, my coach and my parents about where to start my pro career.” Lee was quick to praise the effect the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was having on aspiring players in the region. “Without doubt, I would like to say that the AAC is a great opportunity and hopeful dream for the players. The Masters is a dream match which only a very few amateur players can actually be invited to. “The AAC makes this dream come true. I’ve watched players achieving the qualification of participation for the Masters through AAC year by year, thinking that, hopefully one day, I might be the one to go to Augusta National. “I think that this kind of hope makes the players keep up with the hard work and playing in the Masters. The AAC gave hope to players in the Asia-Pacific Region that we all have a chance in playing in the best tournament in golf.” Lee trains mainly at Castlex Golf Club, near Seoul under the tutelage of the KGA national team coach Bae, Sung-man. “He teaches me not only technical skills but also mental training. He tries to teach me everything as simple as possible so I can understand it easily, taking time without any radical changes,” Lee said.
Latin America Amateur set to debut next year The winner of next year’s inaugural Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) in Argentina will win a place in The Masters Tournament in 2016.
The LAAC is a new amateur golf event aimed at stimulating growth and interest in the game throughout South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. It was announced recently by the R&A, The Masters Tournament and the United States Golf Association (USGA) The founding partners – with co-operation from the Argentina Golf Association, the 2015 host golf association – will support all aspects in the organisation and execution of the event. As well as a spot in the Masters, the LAAC offers further exciting opportunities – the winner and the runner(s)-up will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open Championship and US Open Championship. Finally, the champion will receive full exemptions into The Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible. Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament said: “We believe this event will be motivating to current and future generations of golfers and, one day, create heroes that will inspire others to give the game a try. “This belief has guided us well through the early successes
New frontier: Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and, with the collective expertise in guiding the game of golf provided by The R&A and the USGA, we are hopeful in achieving equally exciting results.” R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said that the debut competition would be staged from January 15-18, 2015, at Pilar Golf, a course opened in 1992 near Buenos Aires, which has hosted the Argentina Open twice (2006, 2011), among other national championships. “Supporting the game’s continuous growth has been a responsibility taken very seriously throughout the 260-year history of The R&A,” Dawson said. “Having been involved in this region of the world for many years, we understand the potential impact a championship of this stature can have on golfers with
dreams of competing at the highest level. We are once again delighted to embark on such a worthwhile opportunity with both the Masters and the USGA.” Mike Davis, executive director of the USGA, added: “This new championship represents another wonderful opportunity in the partnership that we enjoy with the Masters and The R&A to advance the amateur game around the world. “The USGA is committed to the long-term health and sustainability of the game, and by partnering together we believe we can positively impact this region of the world where golf is already growing.” Invitations for the championship will be sent to the leading players from the 27 IOC-recognised countries and territories from this region that are current members of the
International Golf Federation. Each country/territory will be automatically provided two positions, which will be filled by their highest-ranked players from the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of November 1, 2014. If there is only one or no players from a given country/territory in the WAGR, the national golf association will nominate one or two players accordingly, for approval by the LAAC Executive Committee. The remainder of the field will be filled by taking the next highest ranked players from the WAGR with the maximum number of players allowed from a country/territory being six. The only exception is for the host country, which will be allowed a total of 10 players. For more information about the Latin America Amateur Championship, please visit www.LAACgolf.com
India wins junior title at Royal Calcutta India has won the boys and girls team titles at the Asia-Pacific Junior Golf Championship at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
It was India’s first victory in the
prestigious tournament. In the boys category, the team of Viraj Madappa and Manu Gandas took India ‘A’ to win the team title. In the girls section Aditi and Ridhima
Dilawari collected the team trophy for the India ‘B’ team. In the individual event Aditi Ashok snared the girls title after a play-off with Chinese Taipei’s Min-Jou Chen.
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Asia-Pacific teams out to reverse Bonallack losses The Asia-Pacific team will be out to halt a run of success by the Europeans when the 2014 Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy is played at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bangalore, India from March 26-28.
The Trophy, which has been an important stepping stone for the likes of major winners Justin Rose and Geoff Ogilvy, along with dual Asia-Pacific Amateur winner Hideke Matsuyama, has been the property of Europe for the past three years, although it was cancelled in 2010 due to the Icelandic volcanic ash storm which prevented air travel. Europe crushed the Asia-Pacific side 21.5 points to 10.5 at the last event played in Portugal in 2012. They also won in Spain in 2008 and in New Zealand in 2006. Asia-Pacific has collected two victories, narrowly winning in Japan in 2002 and in Rome in 2004. This year the Europeans will present another strong line-up led by non-playing captain and former EGA president Andrew B. Morgan. Morgan said his players had been selected based on their R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and high-level golfing performances. Special attention was paid to match play results, particularly those attained in the European Golf Association’s (EGA) International Matches and European Team events. England will be represented by
Ashley Chesters who won the International European Amateur Championship in El Prat, Spain, last summer, and Ryan Evans, winner of the 2013 Biarritz Cup, the Berkshire Trophy and St Andrews Links Trophy runner-up. They will be joined by three other Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) Zone representatives. Gavin Moynihan (IRL) played the 2013 Walker Cup and was GB&I captain for the 2012 Jacques Léglise Trophy. He won the 2012 Irish Amateur Championship and was second in 2013. He will be joined by his fellow countryman Dermot McElroy, named player of the tournament at the 2013 Home Internationals and runner-up in the 2013 Scottish Open Stroke Play. McElroy also enjoyed a top 10 finish at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge (European Challenge Tour) and achieved European Tour Final Qualifying Stage. James Ross (SCO) was joint-winner of the individual stroke play at this year’s European Amateur Team Championship en route to Scotland’s runner-up placing. He was named 2013 Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year thanks to his consistency. Ross won the 2012 Sutherland Chalice. Two German players will be part of the team. Dominic Foos played the Jacques Léglise Trophy’s last two editions and remains undefeated in the singles. He played the 2012 Junior Ryder Cup
and won the German Match Play Championship the same year. In 2013, he won the French International Juniors and the German Boys Open. Maximilian Roehrig earned his place courtesy of a trio of second place finishes: the European Nations Cup Individual, German Match Play Trophy and European Team Championship Individual Stroke Play. Finland’s former European Young Masters Champion Albert Eckhardt will be accompanied by fellow Scandinavian Mads Soegaard from Denmark who was the Danish Men’s Match Play Championship’s winner in 2011 and 2012 and is the Danish Stroke Play reigning champion. Dutch star Robbie van West has been included along with Spaniard Mario Galiano, who had two successive wins at the Spanish Junior International Championship in 2012 and 2013, and Renato Paratore, who will be Italy’s European representative. The Asia-Pacific team will be captained by Korean Hyungmo Kang, an experienced team leader who is vice-president of the Korea Golf Association. He will be assisted by American Brad Schadewitz, the current national coach of the Hong Kong Golf Association. The side will include Australians Taylor MacDonald, a member of last year’s winning Asia-Pacific Teams Championship and the joint Individual Champion, and Geoff Drakeford, also a
member of the Asia-Pacific team and a former runnerup in the Australian Amateur Championship. Korea will be represented by Soo-min Lee, fourth in the Asia-Pacific Amateur and winner of the Gunsan CC Open on the Korean PGA Tour, and Nam-hun Kim, joint individual winner in the Asia-Pacific Team and winner of the Hosim Cup and the Iksung Cup amateur tournaments last year. Chinese Taipei have sent Chieh-Po Lee, who was second in the Taiwan Amateur Golf Championship and tied for fifth in the Nomura Cup. Hong Kong’s Shinichi Mizuno, who was eighth in the Nomura Cup, will join Chinese players Zecheng Dou, a China Amateur Champions winner, and Zin Cheng, who was runner-up in that tournament. Japan will be represented by Daichi Sato, an 18-year-old who finished eighth in the Nomura Cup, while New Zealand’s Joshua Munn will also line up. Munn made a name for himself when he won the Muriwai Open on the Charles Tour. He was only the fourth amateur to win on that tour and opened with a course record 63. The Bonallack Cup will comprise three days of play, including five morning fourball matches followed by five afternoon foursome matches on days one and two and 12 single matches on the final day.
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation
Chairman Dr David Cherry
Vice chairman Secretary general Treasurer Mr Philip Hassall Mr Dilip Thomas Mr Taimur Amin
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Honorary secretary Championship Mr Zhang Xiaoning Committee Mr Kyungjae Lee chairman Mr Keisuki Muratsu
Mr Rungsid Luxsitanonda
MrMohammed Faisal Al-Naimi
Thinking green: Jumeirah Golf Estates, a 72-hole development in Dubai where Greg Norman will help design three environmentally-friendly courses.
Norman guides Emirates Golf is on the move in the United Arab Emirates, with Oman the newest member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation and the UAE preparing to host the 2015 Nomura Cup.
Statistics indicate that the Middle East and Europe, along with the Asian region, are set to forge ahead of the United States in golf industry development. Propelling much of the work is the course design company of Australia’s dual British Open winner Greg Norman, whose company, Greg Norman Golf Course Design, has more than 20 projects on the drawing board in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. “Dating back to the late ’80s and early ’90s when our design operations expanded from Australia to South-east Asia, I have always enjoyed the prospect
of developing businesses in emerging markets,” Norman said. “Such a practice has allowed us to accelerate our growth beyond what would normally be attainable in a mature market.” He is currently working on Jumeirah Golf Estates, a 72-hole development in Dubai where Norman will design or co-design three environmentally-friendly courses to be used as a model for other projects. “In this day and age it is the responsibility of the designer and the developer to protect and enhance the environment of a golf course and its surrounding area,” Norman said. “These two eco-signature courses will adhere to strict guidelines that cover all aspects of the design, construction and maintenance.” Norman is also establishing courses in Oman, Jordan and Egypt and has potential projects
in Denmark, Greece, Mauritius, Croatia and Poland. Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, The Wave, Muscat, is a fully master planned community occupying a total area of more than 6km of natural beach. Once completed, The Wave will be home to an 18-hole signature golf course, 4000 residential units, a 300-berth marina, four luxury hotels as well as villas and retail space. Aqaba Lagoon will be home to the first 18-hole golf course and golf academy in Jordan. The development will be located around a series of lagoons that produce prime water frontage. The community will also feature multiple hotels, a unique residential component and a town centre. In Egypt, Norman has partnered with SODIC for an 18hole Signature golf course at the
Allegria development in Cairo. The project, Cairo’s first Signature design, will include a state-ofthe-art clubhouse, golf academy as well as modern residential and commercial facilities within a parkland setting. “Golf and tourism in this region will continue to experience significant growth,” Norman said. “It has established itself as a destination for people on every continent, and the attraction is the result of many factors – weather, location, luxury, unique experiences and technological advances among them. “Our challenge is to design aesthetically pleasing yet playable golf courses with different looks and concepts. We certainly want to set ourselves apart from existing courses, and that is something we prides ourselves on.” march 2014 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
Hong Kong debuts in Bonallack Shinichi Mizuno will become the first ever player to represent Hong Kong in the prestigious Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy following his selection for the Asia Pacific team against Europe in India.
And in another first for Hong Kong, the national coach, Brad Schadewitz has been appointed Vice-Captain. Twenty-year-old Mizuno, a member of the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) national squad said he was looking forward to using his selection as a step forward in his career. “I am thrilled to be selected for the Asia Pacific team and to represent Hong Kong for the first time in the Bonallack Trophy,” he said. “To play alongside and against the best amateur golfers from Europe and Asia Pacific will be a great learning experience. And to have Brad there in the team room – who, along with the HKGA, has done so much for me as a golfer over so many years – will make it extra special.” Schadewitz added: “Shinichi’s selection
for the Bonallack Trophy is just reward for a strong 12 months during which he has climbed up the World Amateur Golf Rankings and finished an impressive tied-eighth in the Nomura Cup in November. “For me, the invitation to be Vice-Captain of the Asia-Pacific team is a real honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I see this as a strong endorsement of the hard work that we and our partners are putting in at the HKGA and our growing credibility in world golf.” Scheduled for March 26-28 at the Karnataka Golf Association course in Bangalore, India, 12 of the best amateur golfers from Europe and 12 from Asia Pacific will compete in a Ryder-Cup style format for the biennially-awarded Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy. The matches are governed by The R&A, the European Golf Association and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and the event namesake, Sir Michael Bonallack, who holds one of the best amateur records in golf, will attend. The HKGA was formed in 1968 with a mission to govern, promote and grow
golf in Hong Kong. Responsibilities include Hong Kong national teams; junior and elite player development; grassroots initiatives; a centralised handicapping service for more than 15,000 subscribers; and the running of international and domestic golfing events in Hong Kong – including more than 30 amateur tournaments each year plus the Hong Kong Open, the city’s oldest professional sporting event. As a National Sports Association, the HKGA works closely with the golf clubs of Hong Kong. They include Hong Kong Golf Club, Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, Discovery Bay Golf Club and Shek O Country Club as well as the public golf courses at Kau Sai Chau and Nine Eagles; Hong Kong’s public driving ranges and governing bodies including the Home Affairs Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Institute.
Deal for Hong Kong golfing public Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited and the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) have announced an exciting, new partnership that will create more access to golf for the public.
The three-year agreement sees Mercedes-Benz become the first ever Exclusive Car Partner of the HKGA and title sponsor of the annual HKGA MercedesBenz Classic, an amateur golf tournament for men and women at Discovery Bay Golf Club in March. Andreas Binder, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited said: “For the past five years, Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong has been promoting the sport of golf through the MercedesTrophy Hong Kong, part of the internationally renowned MercedesTrophy with more than 60,000 participants in over 60 countries in 2013. “The partnership with Hong Kong Golf Association would open up this unique golfing experience to a much wider 6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ march 2014
Driver’s seat: Andreas Binder (right), president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong, presents a key to Tom Phillips (left), CEO of the Hong Kong Golf Association, and William Chung Pui-lim (centre), president of the HKGA.
golfer community across Hong Kong.” Tom Phillips, the HKGA’s chief executive officer said: “The commitment from MercedesBenz will be invaluable in helping the HKGA to continue creating opportunity for golfers in Hong Kong of all ages and abilities. “Furthermore, the support of such a world-class brand as Mercedes-Benz is a glowing
endorsement of the HKGA’s new sponsorship program which will see us partner with a select number of blue-chip brands in Hong Kong to promote amateur golf.” Winners and runners-up from several nominated HKGA amateur golf tournaments, including the HKGA MercedesBenz Classic on March 4-5 23at Discovery Bay, will qualify for the MercedesTrophy Hong Kong
on May 23, also at Discovery Bay Golf Club. Seven winners from this event will represent Hong Kong to compete in the MercedesTrophy Asian Final on Australia’s Gold Coast, where the highest scorer among the Hong Kong team will advance to the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the MercedesTrophy World Final in Stuttgart, Germany. Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited will also be running special offers for HKGA subscribers during the partnership period. This will include a 3 per cent discount on the published retails prices of selected models; a 20pc discount on apparel and accessories from the Mercedes-Benz Collection (except discounted items) at Mercedes-Benz Showrooms or Authorised Mercedes-Benz Service Centres; and, as a prize, every MercedesTrophy Hong Kong qualifier from nominated HKGA tournaments will receive a Mercedes-Benz golf sports bag.