Volvo China Open Explained

Volvo China Open
Location:Shenzhen, China
Establishment:1995
Course:Hidden Grace Golf Club
Par:72
Tour:European Tour
Asian Tour
China Tour
Asia Golf Circuit
OneAsia Tour
Format:Stroke play
Month Played:October
Aggregate:264 Nicolas Colsaerts (2011)
To-Par:−24 as above
Current Champion: Adrián Otaegui
Map:China
Map Label:Hidden Grace GC
Map Relief:yes
Map Size:200
Coordinates:22.33°N 114.06°W

The Volvo China Open is a men's golf tournament that has been held annually in China since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and was co-sanctioned by the European Tour from 2004 until 2019. It has also featured as part of the Asian Tour, the OneAsia Tour, the China Tour and the Asia Golf Circuit.

History

The first event was played in 1995 as the China Open and featured on the Asia Golf Circuit. Raúl Fretes was the inaugural champion. The following year the event moved to the Asian Tour's schedule and continued to through 2008. The event joined the European Tour in 2004. Stephen Dodd won the first edition on the European Tour.[1]

Changes occurred in 2009 with the announcement of the OneAsia Tour, a new golf tour set up by the China Golf Association in partnership with the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Japan Golf Tour, the Korean PGA and the Korean Golf Association. Having been involved in the early stages, the Asian Tour withdrew from the OneAsia Tour. As a result, four events, the Volvo China Open, Pine Valley Beijing Open, Korea Open and Midea China Classic were removed from the schedule and subsequently became the founding events of the new tour. In addition, the Asian Tour stated that they would not allow their members to play in those events unless already qualified via membership of the European Tour, promising stiff penalties for those that ignored this ruling.[2] [3]

In 2011, Nicolas Colsaerts broke the tournament scoring record, shooting an aggregate of 264 (24 under par). He won by four shots.[4]

Wu Ashun won the 2015 event by one shot over David Howell. He made history as he became the first Chinese player to win a European Tour event on home soil.[5] Li Haotong won the event the following year, shooting a final-round 64 to win by three shots. He also became the second successive winner on home soil.[6]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 events were not sanctioned by the European Tour and proceeded as sole-sanctioned China Tour events.[7] [8] [9] Zhang Jin won the 2021 event by making birdie at the final hole to beat Li Haotong by one shot.[10] The 2022 event was scheduled to take place at the end of April on the European Tour but was postponed as restrictions due to the pandemic persisted in China,[11] and ultimately not played. In 2023, it returned to the Asian Tour schedule as part of the International Series, and in 2024 will return to the European Tour.[12]

Venues

The following venues have been used since the founding of the Volvo China Open in 1995.

Venue Location First Last Times
1995 1997 3
1998 1998 1
1999 2007 7
2005 2005 1
2006 2006 1
2008 2009 2
2010 2010 1
2011 2011 1
2012 2013 2
Hidden Grace Golf Club (formerly Genzon Golf Club)[13] 2014 2023 4
2015 2015 1
2016 2018 3

Winners

YearTour(s)WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upVenue
2024 198 −18 1 stroke Hidden Grace
2023 269 −19 6 strokes Hidden Grace
2022 No tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 CHN, EUR 280 −8 1 stroke Genzon
2020 ASA, CHN, EUR 269 −19 9 strokes Ding Wenyi (a) Genzon
2019 Mikko Korhonen268 −20 Playoff Benjamin HébertGenzon
2018 Alexander Björk270 −18 1 stroke Topwin
2017 Alexander Lévy (2) 271 −17 Playoff Topwin
2016 Li Haotong266 −22 3 strokes Felipe AguilarTopwin
2015 Wu Ashun279 −9 1 stroke David HowellTomson Shanghai Pudong
2014 Alexander Lévy269 −19 4 strokes Tommy FleetwoodGenzon
2013 Brett Rumford272 −16 4 strokes Mikko IlonenBinhai Lake
2012 Branden Grace267 −21 3 strokes Nicolas ColsaertsBinhai Lake
2011 Nicolas Colsaerts264 −24 4 strokes Søren Kjeldsen
Peter Lawrie
Danny Lee
Pablo Martín
Luxehills International
2010 Yang Yong-eun273 −15 2 strokes Rhys Davies
Stephen Dodd
Suzhou Jinji Lake
2009 Scott Strange280 −8 1 stroke Gonzalo Fernández-CastañoBeijing CBD International
2008 Damien McGrane278 −10 9 strokes Simon Griffiths
Mike Lorenzo-Vera
Oliver Wilson
Beijing CBD International
2007 Markus Brier274 −10 5 strokes Scott Hend
Graeme McDowell
Andrew McLardy
Shanghai Silport
2006 Jeev Milkha Singh278 −10 1 stroke Gonzalo Fernández-CastañoBeijing Honghua International
2005 Paul Casey275 −13 Playoff Oliver WilsonShenzhen
2004 Stephen Dodd276 −12 3 strokes Thomas BjørnShanghai Silport
2003 Zhang Lianwei277 −11 2 strokes Thaworn WiratchantShanghai Silport
2002 David Gleeson272 −16 1 stroke Pablo del OlmoShanghai Silport
2001 Charlie Wi272 −16 1 stroke Thongchai JaideeShanghai Silport
2000 Simon Dyson275 −13 1 stroke Jyoti RandhawaShanghai Silport
1999 Kyi Hla Han273 −15 7 strokes Christian PeñaShanghai Silport
1998 Ed Fryatt269 −19 2 strokes Takeshi OhyamaShanghai Sun Island International
1997 Cheng Jun280 −8 5 strokes Adrian PerceyBeijing International
1996 Prayad Marksaeng269 −19 9 strokes Hsieh Yu-shuBeijing International
1995 Raúl Fretes277 −11 3 strokes Lai Ying-juhBeijing International

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dodd Savours First European Tour Victory in Shanghai . European Tour . 19 March 2010 . 21 December 2021.
  2. News: $A3 million China Open golf tees off . . 15 April 2009 . 16 April 2009.
  3. News: Asians stay away from OneAsia Tour . . 16 April 2009 . 16 April 2009.
  4. News: Colsaerts claims maiden title in China . ESPN. 24 April 2011.
  5. Web site: Wu Ashun wins the Volvo China Open to create history . Sky Sports News . 27 April 2015 . 21 December 2021.
  6. News: Li Haotong Takes Victory In Volvo China Open . Sky News . 1 May 2016 . 21 December 2021.
  7. Web site: Volvo China Open . . 7 December 2020.
  8. News: China Open removed, Portugal Masters added to European Tour . Associated Press . 4 September 2021 . 3 September 2021.
  9. Web site: New Dates for 2021 Volvo China Open . Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation . 13 December 2021 . 17 October 2021.
  10. Web site: China Open puts safety first as Zhang reigns supreme . 21 December 2021.
  11. Web site: Updates to 2022 schedule . PGA European Tour . 13 September 2023 . 10 February 2022.
  12. News: Ball . Josh . Volvo China Open returns to Asian Tour as International Series event; Vu added to stellar field for Aramco Team Series . South China Morning Post . 13 September 2023 . 13 September 2023.
  13. Web site: China's Award-Winning Destination . European Tour Destinations . 1 November 2023.