Windy Shao

windysjf@hotmail.com

THE first Mission Hills Amateur Golf Tour will kick off in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, on July 24 in a brand-new playoff format, organizers said Friday.

Han Zhishan, general manager of Mission Hills Golf Club, said the tour includes a four-month regular season starting July, playoff matches in November and finals in December.

Each participating team will play four regular matches on different courses to fulfill their potential, said Han.

Twenty-one teams from South China, including Shenzhen and Dongguan, have registered for the tour this year.

Han said his aim is to bring the tour to the world in three years, inviting players from South Korea, Japan, the United States and European countries to join in the event.

“The coronavirus pandemic can not stop people’s enthusiasm for the sport of golf. I hope the event during this special time can create a platform for team spirit and a healthy life,” said Han.

An invitational for team captains was held at Mission Hills Dongguan on Friday as a warmup for the amateur tour.

Lu Wenshui, one of the captains, said the tour and the new format would be challenging for his players and they would try their best to achieve high scores for a better place in the playoffs.