Volvo China Open secures three-year Shenzhen stay

Shenzhen Genzon Golf Club in Guangdong province has been selected as the venue for the Volvo China Open for the next three years.

At a news conference in Shenzhen on Tuesday, it was also announced that the tournament is renewing its title sponsorship with Volvo Cars. Next year's edition, which takes place from April 23-26, will mark the 89th time Volvo has sponsored a European Tour tournament.

Founded in 1995, the Volvo China Open was the first international professional golf event to be staged in the Chinese mainland, and remains one of the highest-profile events in the country.

"The 2020 Volvo China Open will be the final test for Chinese players in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, so it will be a wonderful opportunity for them to strive for the opportunity to represent their motherland in the Olympic golf competition," said Pang Zheng, secretary-general of the China Golf Association.

Genzon has previously hosted the China Open in 2014 and this year, when Finland's Mikko Korhonen was victorious.

"We are extremely excited to join hands with the Volvo China Open for the next three years. Shenzhen is a highly advanced city with open, inclusive and innovative cultural characteristics, and there are now many creative entrepreneurs based in the city," said Deng Xueqin, chairman and president of Genzon Group.

"Our market and cultural background actually promotes the development of golf. We insist on transmitting the true spirit of the game, and by combining with the city of Shenzhen we are able to showcase the essential charm of the sport.

"It is our firm commitment to join hands with the Volvo China Open for the next three years. We have significant and invaluable experience in staging international tournaments."

The total prize fund of the 26th Volvo China Open is 20 million yuan ($2.8 million).

"There will be a strong field next April. We welcome golf enthusiasts to come to Shenzhen and to watch this high-profile international competition, and we also welcome Shenzhen citizens to come to Genzon Golf Club for an entertaining weekend," said Zhao Qin, chairman of the Volvo China Open Board and vice-president of corporate communications at Volvo Car Asia Pacific.

The Volvo China Open has been an important platform for domestic talent, with Cheng Jun (1997), Zhang Lianwei (2003), Wu Ashun (2015) and Li Haotong (2016) all past champions.

Wu and Li have gone on to establish themselves among the world's elite by playing regularly on the European Tour.

"The 25-year history of the Volvo China Open is a testament to the collaboration between Volvo and the China Open," said Yuan Xiaolin, senior vice-president of Volvo Car Group, and president and CEO of Volvo Car Asia Pacific.

"Over the years, a growing number of Chinese players have competed and excelled on this international stage. Meanwhile, the tournament and the sport itself have become more popular and gained a strong fanbase locally.

"As the Volvo China Open grows year after year, the collaboration between Volvo and the China Open has also continued to deepen."

The Swedish auto giant is also supporting a plethora of other golf tournaments next year, including the Volvo China Junior Challenge at Mission Hills in Hainan province (Feb 12-14), the Volvo China Open Amateur Qualifying Final (Feb 17-19), the international qualifying event (March 9-11) at Nansha in Guangzhou, and the domestic qualifying event (March 23-25) at Qinglong Nanshan in Chongqing.