The newly crowned Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner, Jin Cheng of China, will look to carry his superb recent form to the Venetian Macao Open, which takes place at the Macau Golf & Country Club from 15-18 October.
The Beijing native is full of confidence after some flawless golf at the Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club last week despite unfavourable conditions, which included a new course record eight-under 62 on day one of the competition. Having led overnight after the first three rounds, the treaderous conditions brought on by Typhoon Mujigae as it swept across the region meant play was not possible on the final day, and Jin was declared champion.
After a well-deserved albeit short rest, the 17-year-old will travel to Macao to play at one of Asian Tour’s most prestigious tournaments and compete against the likes of four-time Major Champion Ernie Els, defending champion Anirban Lahiri and 2013 champion Scott Hend as well as China golf legends Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong. Jin is relishing the opportunity to prove himself on such a big stage:
“The happiness of winning the Asia-Pacific amateur championship in Hong Kong is very meaningful to me and my family. At the same time I also understand that I need to refocus and be ready for the Venetian Macao Open. A big thank you to the sponsor’s invitation, I really treasure this chance to play with the best professional players in the world. It is a great opportunity for me to learn from those great champions. I believe that their experience is able to inspire me to be a better golf player and I'm really looking forward to meet them and improve myself.”
The US$1 million tournament is once again organised by the Macao Sport Development Board of Macao SAR Government along with the Golf Association of Macau. Sanctioned by the latter and the Asian Tour, The Venetian® Macao is supporting the iconic event as title sponsor for the fourth consecutive year.
In addition to Zhang and Liang, Guan Tian-lang and Li Chao will join Jin to grace the fairways of the Macau Golf & Country Club to challenge for the coveted title. The last Chinese winner of the Macau Open was the great Zhang Lian-wei who won in 2001 and 2002, and to this day, the only golfer to have won the event twice.
The prestigious tournament, in its 17th edition, will see its total prize fund increase for a third consecutive year, taking it to the all-important US$1 million mark. Since its inauguration in 1998, many other world-class golfers have graced the fairways of Macau Golf & Country Club, including Lee Westwood (winner in 1999), Colin Montgomerie (winner in 2003), Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam and Mark O’Meara
For more details on the Venetian Macao Open, please visit: www.thevenetianmacaoopen.com.
