Hong Kong Open (golf)
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | New Territories, Hong Kong |
| Established | 1959 |
| Course(s) | Hong Kong Golf Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,699 yards (6,126 m) |
| Tour(s) |
European Tour Asian Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $2,000,000 |
| Month played | October |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 258 Ian Poulter (2010)* |
| To par |
−22 José María Olazábal (2002) |
| Current champion | |
 Justin Rose | |
The Hong Kong Open is a golf tournament which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour. It was founded in 1959 and has been part of the European Tour's schedule since 2001. The Hong Kong Golf Association, Hong Kong PGA, and Chinese PGA also receive a limited number of exemptions into the tournament for their members.
Since taking its place on the European Tour the event has always been held at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Sheung Shui, New Territories. The title sponsor was Swiss banking giant, UBS, who signed a four-year sponsorship agreement to cover the 2005–2008 tournaments and sponsored the tournament through 2012.
The tournament is usually played towards the end of the year, in November or December, and as such, up to the 2008 event, it has fallen into the following season for European Tour purposes. For example, the Hong Kong Open played on the 2–5 December 2004 was part of the European Tour's 2005 season. When the European Tour switched to a calendar based season from 2010, the 2009 schedule contained two editions of the Hong Kong Open.
In 2008, Florida-based Hong Kong amateur, Jason Hak, became the youngest player ever to make the cut in a European Tour event, at 14 years and 304 days, eclipsing the record set by Sergio García at the Turespana Open Mediterrania in 1995.[1] At the other end of the age spectrum, Miguel Ángel Jiménez became the oldest golfer ever to win on the European Tour when he won in 2012 at age 48 years, 315 days, and extended his record by defending his title in 2013 at age 49 years, 337 days.[2] Many of the worlds best known golfers have won the tournament, including Bernhard Langer, José María Olazábal, Kel Nagle, Greg Norman, Peter Thomson, Tom Watson, Pádraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, and Ian Woosnam.
In July 2013, the golf tournament was in jeopardy as both the organizers and potential sponsors have raised concerns over the complex becoming enmeshed in a controversial redevelopment plan for Fan Ling. Just four months before the event, both the schedule and the sponsors of the tournament have yet to be confirmed. A major sponsor in 2012 was the Hong Kong government with its Mega Events Fund putting up HK$15 million. Vicky Jones, of European Tour Asia, declined to say whether it has submitted an application to the Mega Events Fund for 2013, while 2012 title sponsor UBS's spokeswoman said last week that she has not yet been notified about this year's sponsorship.[3] The tournament was played in 2013 without a title sponsor.
Winners
As a European Tour co-sanctioned event
* The first year listed is the one in which the tournament was played and the Asian Tour season which it belonged to. The second year listed is the European Tour season that it fell into.
Pre-sanctioning by the European Tour
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References
- ↑ "Hak breaks Sergio Garcia's record, makes Euro Tour cut at 14 years old". ESPN. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
- ↑ "With This Win: Miguel Ángel Jiménez" (Press release). PGA European Tour. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ↑ Chen, Bonnie (22 July 2013). "In a hole". The Standard.
External links
- Official website
- Coverage on the European Tour's official site
- Coverage on the Asian Tour's official site
Coordinates: 22°29′31″N 114°06′54″E / 22.492°N 114.115°E