Li's China Open Victory A Win For HSBC's Grassroots Support

While the Volvo China Open didn't sport the greatest field in the tour's history, a tip of the cap to HSBC for getting to see the first European Tour winner from its CGA-HSBC China Junior Program, the only sanctioned program for aspiring players in the country currently hostile to the game.

"Grow the game" has become a tired and obnoxious phrase wheeled out way too often in the name of trying to justify greed or pandering, but when the results are tangible like this, I say let 'em pat themselves on the back. Especially after Haotong Li contended at last fall's WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai and looks to be headed toward big things.
 
From Giles Morgan, HSBC's man in golf:

“Haotong Li’s win clearly demonstrates just how far golf in China has come over the last decade and what an exciting future the game has. It’s an incredible story of human ambition and shows exactly why HSBC supports golf and why our junior programs are so important to our sponsorships around the world. A win for any golfer in their home nation is inspiring but for this to happen in China for a 20 year old is really special.”
 
“For HSBC he is proudly one of our own. Haotong was first inspired into the game as a youngster by attending our tournament, HSBC Champions in Sheshan and now he has the potential to inspire a new generation. He graduated through the ranks of the CGA-HSBC Junior Golf Program, a development program we started nine years ago with the ambition of supporting future champions. Today we have realised that ambition. We saw glimpses of his potential at WGC-HSBC Champions last year and now he’s advanced into the winner’s circle and we’re delighted for him. For Li and golf in China this is only the start. The CGA-HSBC Junior Golf Program offers a proven pathway to the very top of the game and I’ve no doubt with this victory many more will be inspired to make that journey.”

As Will Gray notes at GolfChannel.com, with this win Li likely vaults into the top place for one of China's male Olympic golf exemptions.

Nice setup:

A star in the making 🌟 #VolvoChinaOpen

A video posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on May 1, 2016 at 10:30am PDT

Congratulations Haotong Li! The 20 year old won his first European Tour title in style thanks to an 8 under par final round 64 at the #VolvoChinaOpen. 🏆🇨🇳

A photo posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on May 1, 2016 at 1:43am PDT

Full highlights from his win:

European Tour Winning Battle Of The Bridgestone?

The news of Rory McIlroy choosing to play the European Tour's 100th French Open June 30-July 3rd instead of the WGC Bridgestone (where he's a former winner and where the European Tour will not be a co-sanctioner this year), allowed ESPN.com's Bob Harig to point out the ugly scheduling showdown between tours.

And based on McIlroy's decision, Harig says the PGA Tour's decision to hold its ground on the WGC date (or having the event at all this year) has backfired.

This WGC's traditional date is prior to the PGA, which wasn't going to work. So what to do?

Move it to a time on the schedule that clearly rankles a so-called partner in these events, the European Tour? Clearly the two sides discussed the situation, with the European Tour expressing its unwillingness to bend on its schedule. And the PGA Tour did it anyway?

McIlroy won't be the only top player to skip Akron. Henrik Stenson is also not going, meaning he will miss two WGCs this year. And defending champion Shane Lowry has a brutal decision to make as a European Tour member who dearly wants to be part of the Ryder Cup team but can't earn any points at the Bridgestone.

Video: A Rarely Seen Albatross, Scott Hend Edition

Soomin Lee leads the Shenzhen International but Scott Hend recorded a 2 on a par-5. And it was caught by cameras manned by real people!

The shot, and low-key reaction produced by the dearth of spectators and Hend's inability to see the ball go in the cup.

Albatross!! 😱 One of the shots of the year from Scott Hend! 💪

A video posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on Apr 22, 2016 at 7:43pm PDT

Video: France Would Be Really Good At Relay Golf

Here's another form of golf that would be more fun that 72 holes of stroke play in the Olympics. Ok, the cart part is a little strange, but we could work through that.

Judging by the scores, and this comment from Paul Lawrie (thanks reader Brian), this is the most fun the European Tour's finest had this week at Valderamma in the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation:

Update on 2016-04-16 14:40 by Geoff

**On the record breaking play...

Tournament host Sergio Garcia led a three-team, international challenge ahead of the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, as the Guinness World Records™ title for the ‘Fastest hole of golf by a team of four’ was broken in spectacular fashion.

The official attempt, which was held on the iconic par five fourth at the Andalucia venue, involved a trio of four-man teams from host country Spain, plus France and Denmark, vying to complete the hole – which played at 500 yards – in the fastest time possible as a relay.

Garcia led a Spanish squad featuring compatriots Rafa Cabrera Bello, Pablo Larrazábal and Nacho Elvira, while Thorbjørn Olesen captained a Danish team completed by Lucas Bjerregaard, Morten Ørum Madsen and Lasse Jensen. But it was the French team led by Raphaël Jacquelin and featuring Alexander Levy, Grégory Havret and Romain Wattel, which set the fastest time in a blistering 34.87 seconds to smash the target time for this Guinness World Records title – which had been set at 68 seconds.

Jacquelin said: “I mean, 34 seconds, that’s unbelievable! It’s the best feeling ever and very cool to have the Guinness World Records title and hopefully get in that famous book. It was a big drive from Romain and an incredible three iron from Alex and then the putts from Grégory and me were very fast too, so it was a big team effort and the whole thing was a lot of fun. We knew it was fast but not quite that fast!”

Tournament host Garcia, added: “It was very close and we gave it a very good go but France deserved the record – that was amazing. The whole experience was exciting and all of us had a great time competing against each other and the clock!”

Guinness World Records Official Adjudicator Anna Orford said:  “As the official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, I was able to witness the three teams from Spain, France and Denmark giving it their all to bring home the title, however Alex Levy's superb shot which landed perfectly on the green secured the French team their Guinness World Records title for the fastest hole of golf in a very impressive 34.87 seconds. An officially amazing record breaking moment!"

Wentworth! And You Thought Your Club Had Issues

Disfunction is often part of the club world but Audrey Gillan's Guardian piece summing up the Wentworth situation should make most club members feel better about any situation they might be questioning.

Thanks to reader Tom for sending in the piece, which recaps the £135m purchase in 2014 by a Chinese conglomerate chaired by Dr Chanchai Ruayrungruang, one of China’s wealthiest men. He promptly announced a plan to make the club a place for the super rich and now members are battling back, with a website and plans to create problems for the European Tour's flagship event in May, the BMW.

The group is even suggesting this is a national issue for Britain, which seems a bit of a stretch.

The threat to the BMW sounds real, however.

Wentworth Estate Roads Committee has the right to enforce restrictive covenants under the deed, because its prior approval “is required for any future property development, use of sponsored advertising signage, erection of tents and grandstands and organisation of rock concerts”.

This is a subtle threat to the PGA Tournament to be held in 29 May. It goes on less subtly: “The PGA Tournament is a nuisance and causes significant disruption to the day-to-day quality of life of the residents of the Wentworth Estate for many weeks before. The disruption and nuisance is amplified by additional activities such as BMW-sponsored events, including rock concerts, which are not necessary or incidental events to a golf tournament.”

Pelley On Publishing Fines: "We have nothing to hide"

New European Tour Chief Keith Pelley continues to do business differently than his American counterpart, something Rex Hoggard highlights in this GolfChannel.com profile.

Hoggard says Pelley differs from Tim Finchem, "who at times throughout his career has appeared to be more concerned with protecting the PGA Tour brand then the individuals who play under that shield."

But it's the desire to share European Tour fines and penalties that contrasts sharply with Commissioner Finchem's tireless efforts to not let anyone nkow who got bad slow play times or worse, to suggest he would be against penalty shots for those violating the PGA Tour's rules. Hoggard writes:

Pelley has also broken with the PGA Tour when it comes to player fines, which in the U.S. are strictly confidential with the exception of violations of the circuit’s policy regarding performance-enhancing drugs.

“We have nothing to hide,” Pelley said. “It is not only a penalty from a monetary perspective, you won’t want to see, and your peers won’t want to see someone be fined. Nobody likes to be highlighted for slow play and I think this is a deterrent for that.”

Forward Press: The Wasted, Dubai And Coates

I'm not sure what which event will give traditionalists a bigger headache: the annual party that is the Waste Management Open or the Omega Dubai Desert Classic celebrating the 2-year anniversary of...you know...the commercial.

In this week's Forward Press I talked to Tommy Roy about NBC's plan for the TPC Scottsdale and Feherty's debut. Oh, and while elements of the old Phoenix Open give us all reason to cringe, I ask whether it's time for golf to just let it go?

Also, just in case the dreaded Omega ad does not resurface during the Dubai telecast, a handy link sits below in case you missed hearing will.I.am or want to sort out this week's complicated but fun TV golf viewing schedule.

Here it is.

Wentworth Row Heating Up: Members Threatening Legal Action

Storied Wentworth Club, host to the annual BMW Championship on the European Tour and once home to an H.S. Colt-designed course, has seen major changes announced by new Beijing-based owner Chanchai Ruayrungruang (bless you control C and V). But not since October have we heard where the fight might be headed.

After having brought in the Foreign Secretary to no avail, the old guard membership that new owner Reignwood wants to move out to be replaced by 800 or so mostly international members, has received a 15-page letter, reports The Guardian's Nazia Parveen (thanks reader Tom).

The letter claims the planned changes to the club’s membership would breach a legal trust agreement in place for 50 years, contravene consumer and equality laws, and possibly even break Chinese laws on joining golf clubs.

Wow. Invoking the Community Party ban on golf club membership. Digging deep!

Lawyers also argue that the proposed “exclusive membership” could be in breach of Chinese law. Campaigners have claimed that such practices are forbidden in China.

European Tour: Slow Play "Monitoring" Worked

In the aftermath of Jordan Spieth's monitoring for slow play, I'm still trying to understand how the policy works for a full field event without an official for each group.

But leaving that aside, The Guardian's Ewan Murray reports the European Tour's numbers of successful "monitorings" at Abu Dhabi's HSBC.

In round one, 18 groups were monitored. By rounds two, three and four, that figure had been slashed to eight, four and six, respectively. The message, it seemed, hit home. When Daniel Brooks was issued with a warning on Friday after taking excessive time over a tee shot, he embarked on a run that saw him take 20 seconds or fewer – in one occasion just nine – before hitting.

But as Murray points out, the entire affair seemed silly on a course with slick greens and some of the most obnoxious hack-out rough we've seen in some time.

There are other ways in which golf’s ruling bodies could quicken tournament play. Abu Dhabi is an example of a course with ridiculous rough just a short hop from fairways, which is necessary to keep scoring down because, simply, equipment allows the ball to travel far too far. If that scourge was properly looked at, there would be a knock-on effect and courses could be set up differently.