Liang and Strange to star at Luxehills Chengdu Open
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Chinese number one Liang Wenchong and Australian Scott Strange have both confirmed they will compete at the US$1 million Luxehills Chengdu Open from April 1-4, the opening event of the second OneAsia season.
Liang became OneAsia's first Chinese champion when he won the Midea China Classic in Guangdong last October and the 31-year-old is keen to add to that title against an international-quality field at the Luxehills International Country Club in Chengdu, capital of the southwest province of Sichuan.
"Major new events like the Luxehills Chengdu Open are important for Chinese golf," Liang said. "I'm happy to play in such major events to support the development of Chinese golf."
Liang, who finished joint-25th at the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawaii in January, has been one of Asia's top-ranked players since winning the European Tour co-sanctioned Singapore Masters in 2007. As well as winning the 2008 Hero Honda Indian Open, he has competed in the last two British Opens, the 2007 PGA Championship and The Masters in 2008.
However, winning tournaments in his homeland still holds massive importance for the Zhongshan-born father of two.
"I really want to win again in China," he said. "Midea was my best result last year and I'd really like to build on that against another quality international field at Luxehills. I'm also excited as it will be my first time playing at Luxehills."
Strange will head to Chengdu as OneAsia's reigning Order of Merit winner after a great year in which he won the Volvo China Open, OneAsia's inaugural event, and finished joint runner-up at the season-ending Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
The Perth-born 32-year-old earned US$505,783 to top the OneAsia Order of Merit ahead of compatriots Adam Scott and Robert Allenby and the likes of Korean Bae Sang-moon. Strange also recorded a total of five top-10 finishes on the European Tour.
"OneAsia is a great concept for the region's best players competing on a tour that develops golf in those partnering countries," Strange said. "As the winner of last year's inaugural Order of Merit, I look forward to opening my 2010 account at the Luxehills Chengdu Open where hopefully last year's form will continue."
C.B. Fong, General Manager of Luxehills International Country Club, said the early confirmation of such world-class players was great news for the tournament and Chengdu. Luxehills is sponsoring the US$1 million Luxehills Chengdu Open on OneAsia after two years of staging smaller events on the former China Tour.
"We decided to title sponsor and host the Luxehills Chengdu Open on OneAsia due to the top-quality players that the circuit attracts and for its global television coverage. It will give us the same platform as the national Opens of China, Australia, Korea and Thailand and provide us with international recognition," Fong said.
"With players like Liang Wenchong and Scott Strange confirming early, the Luxehills Chengdu Open promises to be one of the finest tournaments in China and Asia this year," he added.
Ben Sellenger, Chief Executive of OneAsia, which recently announced a five-year contract with the ESPN STAR Sports television network, said the field was already building on those seen on last year's inaugural five-event circuit.
"We are truly honoured to have both Liang Wenchong and Scott Strange, both 2009 OneAsia champions, kick off the OneAsia season at the Luxehills Chengdu Open," Sellenger said.
"Their presence at the Luxehills Chengdu Open underscores the OneAsia mission to provide Asia-Pacific's best golfers with the very best elite playing opportunities possible, bringing them together on one platform to play against a completely full field of the very best opponents from across the region."
The Luxehills International Country Club previously hosted two events on the former China Tour, with Chinese Taipei's Tsai Chi-huang and China's Chen Jian crowned as the respective champions in 2008 and 2009.
