China awaits a cast of Major Champions and Ryder Cup winning Captains, as well as a host of international stars, for the inaugural ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China.
The first European Senior Tour event to take place in China will feature some of the game’s greatest names including: two time Major Champion, Sandy Lyle; Major Champion and Ryder Cup Winning Captain Ian Woosnam; Major Champion, Wayne Grady; Ryder Cup Winning Captain, Sam Torrance; and the 2010 Order of Merit Winner, Boonchu Ruangkit.
The 72 player field covers over 20 nationalities, who have won no fewer than 125 European Tour titles between them, competing for the 350,000 USD prize fund on the famous Jack Nicklaus design World Cup Course at Mission Hills Shenzhen from March 11-13, 2011.
“I am thrilled that the Senior Tour is heading to China”, said Sandy Lyle, winner of The 1985 Open Championship and 1988 Masters Tournament. “Golf in China has developed rapidly in recent years, in large part due to the prominence of Mission Hills and the work of the Chu family; it’s fantastic that the Senior game is now going to be part of this. I am really looking forward to competing in what will be an historic occasion for the Tour.”
Ian Woosnam, the 2006 European Ryder Cup Captain and winner of the Green Jacket at the 1991 Masters, said: “I am extremely excited about the prospect of playing in China, especially on the World Cup Course at Mission Hills Shenzhen which has so much history. It will be a great occasion for the Tour and for golf fans in China. On behalf of the players our sincere thanks goes to Dr. Handa and ISPS, Mission Hills, WSM and the China Golf Association for making this happen.”
The Championship is co-sanctioned by the China Golf Association (CGA) and will feature a number of China’s own Senior Profesionals who are currently competing in qualification for the tournament.
The Championship is titled sponsored by ISPS (International Sports Promotion Society), chaired by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, which is committed to developing the sport and bringing the game to new audiences. The presenting sponsor is Mission Hills China, which continues to play a central role at the forefront of golf development in the region, by bringing the first Senior Tour event to country.
The tournament promoter is WSM Sponsorship, which is the leading promoter of the European Senior Tour, involved with five tournaments across three continents.
