• Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley, Paul Casey and event spokesman Zhang Liang Wei head all star cast for inaugural event
• US$5 million event to tee off with Pro Am on Jack Nicklaus designed course
• "The course is in great condition but with the wind blowing it will make scoring difficult" says world number two Westwood.
• SRE Chairman confirms long term plans for the future of the event and the New Town
• "A world class event for world class players " said China legend Zhang.
Shanghai, October 25 2011.
The official welcome press conference for the inaugural Lake Maralen Masters golf event opened with a mix of tradition and formality as some of the world's top golfers attended a photo shoot at a tea ceremony for local and international media. The press conference held at the International Exhibition Centre in Lake Malaren.
The US$5 million event at the Jack Nicklaus designed Lake Malaren golf resort will be held for the first time as part of a long term plan by the organisers. Commenting on the course, situated in a six and a half square kilometre development world number two Lee Westwood said "I played nine holes today and was very impressed with the course and the layout. The greens are great but firm and if the wind blows like today, it will make scoring difficult"
Chairman of SRE Group Mr. Shi Jian, the driving force behind the event in one of Shanghai's most prestigious developments when asked about the future of the event respond emphatically "This is part of a long term plan and we would like to have the event for at least 5 years. We want to bring continue to bring top class golf to the area for many years to come."
The elite field of 30 players features the very best of the world of golf. In addition to Schwartzel, Bradley, Westwood and Casey, current US Open Champion Rory McIlroy, triple major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland, two time major champions Retief Goosen and John Daly will be competing with a host of top European tour and US PGA tour players for the US$2 million winner cheque.
Zhang Liang Wei who was the first of China's current crop of players to win on the European Tour and is the event spokesman/ambassador said simply, "This week we have everything, a great field of players, a great course and organisation and a great city, it is a perfect setting, a world class course for a world class field." He went on to say " To have some of the best players in the world here will be a perfect example of what is happening in Shanghai, I look forward to this week and the golf that will be played here very much."
Official guests who attended the ceremonies today included Director of Multi-ball Games Administration Centre of General Administration of Sports, Zhang Xiaoning, Director of Forth Department of Multi-ball Games Administration Centre of General Administration of Sports, Yang Jie, Shanghai Sports Bureau, Li Yuyi, Baoshan District Sports Bureau, Liu Ming, Luo Dian Town Chief executive, Xu Lianfa, Chairman of SRE Group, Shi Jian, General Ganager of CCTV-IMG Sports Management Company, Tony Zheng.
The Lake Malaren Shanghai Masters is co-organised by Multi-Ball Games Administration Centre of General Administration of Sport, China Golf Association and Sport Council, Shanghai Sports Administration, Baoshan District Government, SRE group, China New Town Development Co Ltd and CCTV-IMG. Play commences at 9:00 am Wednesday 26th October with a Pro Am and will give the players a chance to test the course after arriving from events in Europe, the US and Asia.
SRE Group
SRE Group Ltd. is a well-known integrated property developer in Shanghai. Established in 1993, it was listed separately on the Main Board of SEHK in 1999, stock code: 1207. The real estate brand of "Oasis Garden", "Richgate", "Skyway" and "Albany" enjoys good reputation both domestically and abroad. In 2003, SRE was named one of the Top 50 Property Developers of Shanghai by SRETA. In 2005, SRE was again named as one of the Top 10 Real Estate Enterprises of the Real Estate of Shanghai with an experience of 18 Years by SRETA.
CCTV-IMG Sports Management Company
CCTV-IMG Sports Management Company is a joint venture established by CCTV and International Management Group (IMG), aiming to bring China‟s traditional sports events and culture to the international market. CCTV-IMG specializes in international sports management and marketing, and is developing into an influential international elite sports events marketing and management company. As such, CCTV-IMG will help to internationalize China‟s sports industry.
China New Town Development
China New Town is a large scale private new town developer in China with sound track history. The Company was listed on The Singapore Exchange in 2007, and subsequently on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2010, stock code: 1278. The Company focuses on planning and developing large-scale new town projects in the suburbs of some of PRC‟s largest cities, with each current project covering site area of at least 36 sq. km. Currently, the Company is engaged in three new town projects: Shanghai North European Luodian New Town Project, Wuxi Hongshan New Town Project and Shenyang Lixiang New Town Project.
Lake Malaren
Further information, media enquiries and photo downloads of the event can be obtained from:
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