Golf-Play World Cup for honour not cash, says official (Reuters)
November 30, 2009
* Top Americans should play for honour
* Mission Hills “gateway” to Chinese golf market
* Club a “fitting” venue for WGC-HSBC Champions
By Nick Mulvenney
SHENZHEN, China, Nov 30 (Reuters) – Top American golfersneed to think more about the honour of representing theircountry at the World Cup and less about appearance fees,according to Mission Hills Golf Club director Tenniel Chu.
The vast $1.5 billion 12-course club was venue for the 55thWorld Cup last week—the third year of a hosting andco-sponsorship deal that runs until 2018.
The field contained three top 10 players but Ireland’s RoryMcIlroy was one of several players who said they hoped for areturn to the days when the very best golfers, such as ArnoldPalmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, competed.
One of the main obstacles preventing the highest levelfield from competing in recent years has been the quality ofthe United States team, despite the lure of a $5.5 millionprize fund.
This year, world number 31 Nick Watney and 134th-rankedJohn Merrick were the American duo prepared to forego theirThanksgiving holiday. They finished seventh as Italy won thetitle for the first time.
Chu, whose father David built Mission Hills, believes thereturn of golf to the Olympics for 2016 might help, but theAmerican players needed to think about their priorities.
“More and more players are discovering the concept ofplaying for the honour of your country,” he told Reuters in aninterview in the world’s largest clubhouse.
“If the President’s Cup or the Ryder Cup was played inThanksgiving week, the players would still show up.
“With other countries there was never an issue with sendingtheir top players, and none of these players are receivingappearance money.”
“Year after year you invite the same target list and theyhave a million and one reasons (not to come),” he added.
“You want to look at them in the eye and say: ‘Is there notmore to life than money? Will you really live differently ifyou have $100 million or $50 million?’
“But if they think they are doing the right thing forthemselves and their countries—if they do think about theircountries—then, okay, we just go our own separate ways.”
CHINA EPICENTRE
Chu is the public face of the opulent 20 square-kilometregolf complex, which the owners claim is the largest in theworld.
The aim of the family is to make the World Cup of Golf atournament to rank alongside the game’s biggest, and the clubthe “epicentre” of the sport in China.
“This is the new frontier for the world of golf and we atMission Hills have been the gateway to it,” Chu said.
“If you ask anybody which club is doing the most to developthe game in China at all levels, they will immediately answerMission Hills.”
China is certainly attracting plenty of attention fromequipment manufacturers, course architects and the major golftours.
The U.S. PGA sanctioned the first World Golf Championship(WGC) event in Asia at this month’s $7 million HSBC Champions,a tournament has been held in Shanghai for its first four yearsbut is likely to move on after 2010—perhaps to MissionHills.
“My father was the critical person in assisting bringingthe WGC event to China,” Chu said. “If you spent that much timeand effort in lobbying to bring it to China, obviously the onlyfitting place to have it is here.” (Editing by John O’Brien; To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com) ((nick.mulvenney@thomsonreuters.com; +8610 6627 1282; Reutersmessaging: nick.mulvenney.reuters.com@reuters.net. For the newReuters sports blog Left Field:http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/))
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