新浪体育讯　April 21, 2009: Omega China Tour star Zhou Jun said the introduction of 10 Australian players at this week’s RMB1.2 million Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open in Nanjing has increased the ‘pressure’ on a field that features 15 nationalities。

　　Zhou, 25, rose to prominence with his wire-to-wire win in last October’s Omega Championship in Beijing and proved he wasn’t a one-week wonder with a joint-runner-up finish in last month’s season-opening Dell Championship in Xiamen。

　　The Dell Championship was the first Omega China Tour event to include invites from the Mercedes-Benz Tour of Southeast Asia, but Zhou believes it’s the additional cooperation with the PGA Tour of Australasia that will take the circuit to a new level。

　　“With more competition on the Omega China Tour, there will be more pressure on the players,” said the Tianjin-based 25-year-old, who turned pro in 2007 and blossomed after spending last summer under the tuition of former national team coach Song Qingli。

　　“The Australian players are very experienced. They all learned golf when they were kids, whereas most Chinese players picked up golf very late. We have a short golfing history, so I can learn a lot from the foreign players, not just in terms of golf but also in terms of language and culture. I hope to make some friends。”

　　Zhou is among the local favourites at this week’s event at the Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club, which boasts the richest purse in the five years of the Omega China Tour and also the most diverse field, with more than 30 players hailing from outside mainland China。

　　“Being a champion and then finishing runner-up on the Omega China Tour has increased my self-confidence and my belief in my game,” he said. “It’s very important for a pro when you get results like this. This week, I’ll just focus on my game, try to play well, aim for the top 20 and take it from there。”

　　Zhou’s stock rose further last week when he made the cut in his first Volvo China Open, joining China’s Asian Tour regulars Liang Wenchong, Alex Wu Ashun and Zhang Lianwei at the weekend. “I was really happy to make the cut in Beijing, as it was my first time playing in a European Tour co-sanctioned event。”

　　American C.J. Gatto, 23, is another young hopeful in this week’s field and will look to build on his joint-fourth finish in Xiamen, where he shot a third-round 66 to play in Sunday’s final flight with eventual champion Wu Weihuang and runner-up Wu Ashun, another local favourite。

　　“Xiamen was a great way to start my pro career. I got a taste of what it feels like to be in the mix come Sunday. The adrenaline, the crowds, the media, playing with two local favorites – all these things are distractions but they’re things you must become accustomed to when you play at the highest level,” said the Ohio native. 

　　“The fact I experienced all this in my first event was huge. On any tour in the world, you can't ask for anything more than playing in the final group on the Sunday afternoon. That’s what it’s all about。”

　　Gatto topped February’s Qualifying School for foreign PGA pros resident in Greater China. This week’s 10-strong Q-School contingent includes players from Korea, New Zealand, Australia, England, the US, Canada and South Africa。

　　“With the Australians, the field at Sofitel looks to be the strongest in the history of the Omega China Tour. I can't wait to compete and see what happens,” Gatto said. “My ambitions are the same as in Xiamen: be focused, stay patient, play hard, and continue to learn and develop my game in the pro ranks。”

　　This year’s introduction of invites for 10 PGA Tour of Australasia and five Mercedes-Benz Tour members adds to the two spots for each of the PGAs of Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Macau. This week’s Mercedes-Benz Tour invites come from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore。

　　The Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open is the third edition of the Nanjing event formerly known as the Sofitel Golf Championship. The new name reflects the increased involvement of Nanjing Zhongshan and its Gary Player-designed layout, which is hosting the event for the third successive year。

　　Last May, Liao Guiming beat Zhang Lianwei in a play-off after the pair and teenage sensation James Su Dong fought out a final-day battle that thrilled large galleries. Wu Kangchun won the 2007 edition in his first event as a pro。