More than golf in Shenzhen

On October 23, The Professional Golf Association European Tour announced the addition of the inaugural Shenzhen International golf tournament to their 2015 schedule. The tournament will be held from April 16 to 19 at the Genzon Golf Club in Longgang district in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

The European Tour is one of the world's two major golf tours and boasts some of the biggest names in golf. An estimated 100 players from the tour are expected to compete at the event, along with a further 50 players from the China Golf Association (CGA), and another six golfers that receive personal invites.

The tournament has been themed "More Than Golf," emphasizing the overall prosperity the event is hoping to bring to Shenzhen, as well as to the sport of golf in China.

Zhang Xiaoning, the vice-president and secretary general of CGA, spoke with excitement of the upcoming tournament.

"We welcome the addition of the Shenzhen International to the 2015 European Tour's international schedule. The championship will bring an international showcase event to the people of Shenzhen and the surrounding area," said Zhang.

"It will also provide an emerging group of highly-talented young Chinese golfers with the opportunity to compete against the best players in the game. As we look forward to golf's inclusion in the next Olympic Games, this tournament will be another milestone in China's path to becoming a major golf nation," he added.

The Shenzhen International will also provide the European Tour with a platform to showcase their exciting brand of golf to the Chinese market. Ben Cowen, the director of international affairs for the tour, commented on the benefits the upcoming Chinese tournament will bring to the tour.

"We are delighted to add another new tournament in China to an already robust 2015 schedule. In recent years, China has become an increasingly important player in the global golf market," said Cowen.

"Under the deep cooperation of the China Golf Association, we will further promote the layout and development [of the tour] to the Chinese market in the future," said Cowen.

One of the joint hosts of the tournament is the Shenshen-based company, the Genzon Group. Since its formation in 2003, the Genzon Group has been unremittingly devoted to the development of Shenzhen, and has been a driving force in the promoting of the event.

The Genzon Group has invited domestic and foreign enterprises to get involved in the upcoming tournament, aiming to forge golf as Shenzhen's business card.

"Shenzhen is an international city full of charm and creativity," said Deng Xueqin, president of the Genzon Group.

"Our vision for the Shenzhen International is not just a professional golf tournament. The event will also act as a vehicle of progress for all major businesses in the area, so that we can continue to grow and showcase the city of Shenzhen in a new light to the world."