Defending Volvo China Open champion Brett Rumford is hoping that a four-week break in the build-up to the 20thedition of China’s national open will be the secret to becoming the first man to successfully defend the title at the Genzon Golf Club.
The Australian, who had won the Ballantine’s Championship the week before his Volvo China Open success at Binhai Lake Golf Club last year, arrived at Genzon in a relaxed frame of mind as he looks to mount an historical defence of his title.
“I have just had four weeks off and have done some good practice and a lot of great fitness work at home so I am feeling pretty good,” said Rumford.
“It has been a fairly stop-start beginning to my season to be honest but this week is the time to hit the ground running and I feel like I can kick-start the year with a good performance here.
“It would be pretty special to become the first man to defend the Volvo China Open. It is more difficult to defend at a different course to the one I won on last year but I am looking forward to the tournament.
“Volvo’s events are always up there with the best and to be defending the national open championship of any country always give you a little bit of an extra incentive to perform well.
“I have been playing quite well this season but with the usual story of just not making as many putts as I would like but it feels like there is a decent performance coming and it would be pretty cool to do it this week and out up a real good defence of the title.”
