Pine Valley Beijing Open：The Grand Event of Asian Golf Reappears

　　With an increased one million dollar prize purse and a co-sanction by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization, sights are set on the Pine Valley Beijing Open

　　(Beijing, February 27) The 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open, a grand event for Asian golf in Beijing will be hosted from May 8 to 11, 2008. The 2007 Pine Valley Beijing Open, which sparkled with appearances from many golf stars, turned out to be a top experience to golf players and fans alike. Driven by the impetus of the past year, Reignwood Group took strong action to ensure the success of this year’s Open: not only has the total prize purse for the event been doubled to one million US dollars, but also for the first time, the 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), and China Golf Association; and will represent the historic first time a JGTO event has been played outside of Japan. Such strides certainly position this golf tournament as a top-notch event – and the first in Asia to be sanctioned by all three golf organizations.

　　This event will rally top players from China, Japan and other Asian countries, as well as other professional golfers from around the world. Totaling 156 players, the tournament participants will vie for the grand prize and title of Pine Valley Beijing Open champion on the course designed by one of golf’s most talented players, the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus.

　　The Pine Valley Beijing Open has been committed to the development of young Chinese golfers and strives to have more Chinese golfers participate on the international stage. The Organizing Committee plans to give some of China’s most promising young stars a chance to interact with Asia’s best through a series of “wild card” qualification tournaments. In turn, as the first non-Japan event to join the JGTO, the 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open will serve as an ideal platform to pit China’s best against the best Japan has to offer.

　　For years, the JGTO, one of six major professional tours, has been a self-contained event in Asia. China’s top players such as Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong choose the JGTO as a springbroad from which to launch their own journey from domestic to overseas competition. To be a part of the JGTO is a goal towards which many young golfers aspire. This year, the Pine Valley Beijing Open offers them a unique opportunity to compete on the world’s stage with some of the golf world’s top players.

　　Dr. Chanchai Ruayrungruang, Chairman of Board of Directors for Reignwood Group, remarked: “Since its birth, the Reignwood Group has hosted many high-level international competitions and actively pressed forward with the development and growth of the Chinese golf movement. The success of the 2007 Pine Valley Beijing Open further solidifies our determination to host traditional golf events on a regular basis. This year we have increased the total prize purse and will cooperate with the Japan Golf Tour Organization for the first time, an act which coincides with the year which is to highlight mutual friendship and exchange between Chinese and Japanese youth. We are firmly convinced that we will be able to make this event a top-ranked contest in Asia and in the world beyond.”

　　Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, stated: “It is only through the support of great sponsors such as Reignwood Group that we are able to expand rapidly and create playing opportunities for the region’s stars. We certainly welcome the wonderful initiative from Reignwood in doubling the total prize fund of the Pine Valley Beijing Open to US million this year and this event will certainly become the pride of golf in Beijing and a prime fixture on the Asian Tour Schedule. The Asian Tour is also delighted to work closely with the China Golf Association and Japan Golf Tour Organisation for the Pine Valley Beijing Open. Through our close collaboration, the best of Asian golf will be showcased in the tournament in May.”

　　Kosaku Shimada, JGTO Chairman, also affirmed: “It is a great pleasure for us to conduct the 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open along with the Asian Tour and China Golf Association. It must be a significant opportunity for our members as well to play in China and compete against the best players in Asia. This tournament is the first JGTO tournament played ourside Japan and we are very proud to do it in China, which is the fastest growing country in golf. On behalf of JGTO and our members, I would like to thank Dr. Chanchai of Pine Valley Golf Club for sponsoring this historical tournament, our partners Asian Tour and China Golf Association. Also we would like to particularly thank Sports Nippon Newspapers and Kotobuki Golf who are supporting us and making significant efforts to make this happen with us in Japan.”

　　As one of the last major international golf events to be held prior to the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Open has added a special qualification tournament, the “Red Bull Cup”, which will give its winners the exceptional opportunity to participate and learn directly from their idols by garnering them a role in the 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open Pro Am competition. The “Red Bull Cup” Qualification Tournament is set to tee-off in Chongqing, China on March 1, which will officially announce the start of the 2008 Pine Valley Beijing Open.