Hainan, China,29 October 2010–With only one day until the inaugural Mission Hills Star Trophy tees off,the tournament’s superstar cast are promising one of the events of the yearwhen the tournament gets underway tomorrow at Mission Hills Haikou in Hainan,China.

Thefirst event of its kind ever played in Asia, footballing legend Ruud Gullit wasamong the celebrities to speak with the media today (Friday), with winningRyder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie for Europe in 2010, and Lorena Ochoajoining him.

Thefield for the ground-breaking Mission Hills Star Trophy brings together superstar celebrities with some of the world’sbiggest golfing names. Hollywood icons such asCatherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey and Christian Slater,along with Asian stars such as Aaron Kwok, Simon Yam and Eric Tsang will gracethe fairways with golfing heavyweights GregNorman, Annika Sorenstam, Sir Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Rosie Jones and BelenMozo.

Inaddition to the pro-celebrity team event, the professionals will compete for Asia’s richestindividual golfing prize of US$1.28 million.

Montgomeriecomes to Hainan just weeks after leading Europe to an incredible victory in theRyder Cup in Wales. However,this week’s team event is a different proposition. “The camaraderie andteamwork of team events are what make them special and partnering with Zhao BaoGang this week, hopefully we can recapture some of the magic we had at CelticManor. However, the chance to be part of a fun week with all these great starswill be a little more relaxing than that last day at the Ryder Cup!”

AddedGullit: “First of all, thank you for the invitation for me to come here – it’sa privilege to be in China to playgolf. I’ve been in China fordifferent occasions but being here in Mission Hills is bonus for me. I thinkI’ve played OK so far, (but) I’m trying to fight the jetlag and it’s not easy.But I think I’m improving and the course ismagnificent.”

Amongstthe other announcements today at Mission Hills·Haikou,former women’s world number Annika Sorenstam launched the ANNIKA Invitationalat Mission Hills. To be organised by Mission Hills Chinain collaboration with the ANNIKA Foundation, the event will be a 54-holetournament open to junior female golfers of all nationalities aged 12 to 18years old, with a handicap of 24 and below.

TheMission Hills Star Trophy field includes celebrities, professionals andselected amateurs, with the amateurs playing with the celebrities and professionalgolfers during the last two days in a Pro-Am format. Former Chinese gymnast andOlympic champion Li Xiao Shuang and Japanese pro Ryuji Imada teamed with theiramateur partners to win the team competition.

Fromtomorrow (Saturday), the play will be in four-ball stroke play format between 18teams consisting of a celebrity and a professional, with a 36-hole individualprofessional event running concurrently on the Blackstone Course. The pro eventoffers a US$1.28 million first place cheque, the richest individual prize inAsian golf.

TheMission Hills Star Trophy will be beamed to over 150 counties acrossthe world. The TV output will be managed by esteemed broadcaster Terry Jastrow,the veteran sports producer of 68 golf majors and six Olympic Games over hisglittering career. Jastrow has won seven Emmy awards and been nominated for 17 times.

TheMission Hills Star Trophy is one of the first major events supporting agovernment-led initiative to make Hainan aleading international tourism destination in the coming years and reaffirmsMission Hills Haikou as the world’s most memorable golfresort.