Omega hints of moving the Mission Hills World Cup of Golf away from China
Sponsors at the last week’s Mission Hills World Cup of Golf, the world renowned watch maker, Omega, is apparently not satisfied with the stature of the event and its officials have now openly declared China as an unfavourable venue for the event. The event
was held every year until it was decided to hold it biennially and was part of the World Golf Championship calendar events, but WGC decided to drop it out of their schedule and the event found its way into China in 2007. It has been held here at one of the
longest golf course in the world, the Mission Hills Golf Course in Hainan, China.
Omega president Stephen Urquhart stated that the board was neither satisfied with the field at the event and also the publicity and public attraction it gathers during the build-up. Urquhart said that he and his team are willing to switch to different venues
in order to make it a truly world class event.
"China is too immature a market to put the World Cup where it should be. It's too early for China to support by itself a tournament on this scale," Urquhart said, "If a World Cup of golf is done properly, sold properly and packaged properly, no one would
ever go and play in another tournament.”
Also on the cards, is a change in format in next year’s event which will make it more attractive for the top-ranked International players to participate in the event.
"The World Cup will change format, and it will begin enjoying world rankings points, and it will still be held biennially and at around this time of year," said Ken Chu, chairman and CEO of Mission Hills.
Brothers Kenneth and Tenniel Chu developers and owners of the resort, also revealed that they have an agreement with the sponsors that the event will be held all through the 2025, signed in 2007.
Despite of the sponsor’s worries and possible shifting of the venue for the event, the 2011 episode turned out to be a great success where the Team America, Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar clinched the title on the final day with a stunning performance. They
carded a low of 67 against and stellar 63 on the third day to outsmart their competitors, the Germans and the Englishmen.
Tournament favourites Team Ireland succumbed to a penalty stroke earlier in the day and were never able to regain their confidence for the rest of the holes. They had been leading the event on two previous days and were moving for their first Irish Victory
in the event since 1997. They finished for a disappointing joint fourth along with Netherlands, Scotland and Australia.
Host Australians, who led the event on the first day, were not able to overpower the top ranking players like Martin Kaymer of Germany, Englishmen Ian Poulter and Justin Rose and the grizzled American Team to bag the title. They pulled in a stunning round
of 61 on the first day to surge to the top but were never able to perform as stealthily as they had on the first day.
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