CLPGA Tour all about playing opportunities

ZHUHAI, China, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Three days after the finish of the inaugural Brunei Ladies Open, the China LPGA Tour quickly swings back into action on Thursday with the first round of the Hengqin Phoenix Tree Building Orient Golf Challenge.

With a minimum of 15 tournaments scheduled for 2018, Jennifer Lee, the CLPGA Tour managing director, said her staff was working diligently to grow the circuit each year with new events to help the Tour members, both Chinese and international, raise their games.

She cited the Hengqin Phoenix Tree Building Orient Golf Challenge as an example of providing more playing opportunities for CLPGA Tour members. The RMB500,000 tournament is now in its third year and features a field of 120 players.

"This year marks 10 years since the establishment of the China Tour. We have around 300 international players, world ranking points, and we are the fifth women's tour in the world," said Lee.

"The Hengqin Phoenix Tree Building Orient Golf Challenge is a witness to the growth of the China Tour."

Yu Fu, Guowei Group Pearl River Delta regional president, said the group had been involved in staging this tournament from the start and it was their pleasure to help grow golf in China.

"Guowei Group has joined hands with the competition for three years. We are looking forward to seeing that the organizing of the event will train more outstanding golfers for China. The new generation of Chinese golf players will certainly shine in the world golf community."

Among those looking to shine this week is Shi Yuting. The Beijing native lost her playing card in Japan last year and fared no better in Brunei last weekend where she failed to make the cut. Zhuhai, however, comes with a lot of good memories for the 20-year-old as it was here where Shi won her first pro tournament. Her younger sister, Shi Yuli, is also in the field this week.

"Zhuhai is a lucky place for me because I got my first pro win here in 2016. I will do my best and wish I can win again this week," said Shi. "Thanks to the reform made by the China Golf Association – reducing the age of participation to 16 years old – this is the first time that my sister and I have played together as pros. I hope that my sister cherishes all of the opportunities to play with top pro players."

Also looking to learn from the top pros is Tahnia Ravnjak. The Aussie pro won last month's CLPGA Tour qualifying tournament in wire-to-wire fashion but wilted in the heat of Brunei last weekend missing the cut by a fair margin.

"I had a great experience in Brunei last week and learnt a lot about myself, my game, and what I have to work on to reach the next step. There are lots of great players in CLPGA and you really have to play well to earn your position in the field," said the New South Wales native.

"My plan for the 2018 season is to play as many tournaments as I can. I want to be competitive, in contention, and bring my game to the next level to compete amongst the best." Enditem