Defending champion Alexander Bjork and two-time winner Alex Levy joined forces with Chinese former champions Wu Ashun and Li Haotong to officially launch the 25th Volvo China Open at a colourful and dramatic opening ceremony in Shenzhen.
The traditional Chinese Dragon Dance took place at the Genzon Golf Club where play will get underway on Thursday in the RMB 20 million tournament tri-sanctioned by the China Golf Association and the European and Asian Tours.
Before that the four star players – who have won the Volvo China Open five times between them since 2014 – got into the local spirit at a colourful pageant designed to bring good luck and positivity to festivals and major occasions.
Proudly wearing the traditional Volvo China Open golden jacket that identifies them as former champions, the golfers were welcomed to the 25th anniversary celebrations by Volvo China Open Board Chairman Sven de Smet.
The noisy display, complete with beating drums, dancers and dramatic costumes, had the four players at its heart with Levy in particular finding the event a great experience.
“I like dancing but I have never tried anything like this before,” said the smiling Frenchman, winner of the Volvo China Open in both 2014 and 2017. “But it was a lot of fun and I’m really pleased to be back at the Genzon course where I won my first European Tour title. The golf course suits my game and it is good to come back to a place where I have many happy memories.”
For Li and Wu, the 25th celebrations of the Volvo China Open – the longest running professional golf tournament in the world’s most populous nation – is a welcome return to their home country.
“This is a huge event for China golf and it’s great to see so many other young Chinese players coming through and playing in the tournament,” said Li, winner of the event in 2016.
“I’ve had two weeks off so I’m looking forward to playing again, especially here in Shenzhen where I’ll have a lot of friends and supporters come out to support me and hopefully I can play some decent golf for them and lift the trophy again.”
Despite failing to make the cut in Morocco last week, 2015 Volvo China Open champion Wu is happy with his overall game coming into one of his favourite events.
“I didn’t play well last week but it’s always a very good feeling coming back to the tournament where I had my first European Tour win,” he said. “It’s always good to come back and play in China – great food, great friends – so I’m definitely going to enjoy it.”
Defending champion Bjork shrugged off a long-haul flight to the city of Shenzhen and said he was delighted to be back in a country that holds great memories for the Swede.
“It’s a different feeling coming back to a tournament as the champion, especially seeing your face on posters everywhere,” smiled the man who lifted the title 12 months ago in Beijing. “Of course, it’s also different as the venue isn’t the same but I have played here before and I thought the course was really good. I had a decent week in Morocco with a top ten finish when I putted really well. If can also get my long game going over the next few days then I can have a good week
