Honma_Hong_Kong_Open

Hong Kong Open (golf)

Hong Kong Open (golf)

Golf tournament

The Hong Kong Open is a golf tournament which is played on the Asian Tour, and formerly on the European Tour. It was founded in 1959 and in 1962 was one of the five tournaments that made up the inaugural Far East Circuit, later known as the Asia Golf Circuit. It remained part of the circuit until 1996, before joining the Asian Tour, then known as the Omega Tour, in 1997. It became co-sanctioned by the European Tour in 2001, as part of the 2002 season.

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The Hong Kong Open was played in spring from its inception until 1994,[1] but since 1995 has usually been played towards the end of the year, in November or December, and as a result has often fallen into the following year's European Tour season.

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 Hong Kong Golf Association, Hong Kong PGA, and Chinese PGA receive a limited number of exemptions into the tournament for their members.

History

In 1958, Hong Kong Golf Club member Kim Hall wrote to Australian professional Eric Cremin to see if those players playing in the Philippine Open in 1959 would consider staying in the region to play in Hong Kong. Hall then approached Peter Plumley, secretary of South China Morning Post, who was also a golfer. Plumley then persuaded his boss to sponsor 1,000 Australian pounds in prize money in the name of South China Morning Post. Then, the first Hong Kong Open was launched in February 1959.[1] According to Hong Kong Golf Club member Willie Woo, Kim Hall was very keen for the tournament and he talked a lot with Australian golfers, including Peter Thomson. Woo helped to get Taiwanese players through his connections.[2]

The first tournament was hosted by Sir Robert Black, the then-Governor of Hong Kong. Around one thousand spectators joined the tournament.[3] Taiwanese golfer Lu Liang-Huan won the inaugural edition of the tournament.[4] The success of the Hong Kong Open prompted first Singapore in 1961, and then Malaysia and Japan in 1962, to introduce their own tournaments and bring about the setting up of the Far East Golf Circuit.[4] The circuit further expanded into a regular ten-tournament tour, called the Asia Golf Circuit, that existed until the end of the twentieth century.

Despite the SCMP's original agreement to maintain 1,000 pounds sponsorship of the Hong Kong Open, it was felt that prize money would need to be increased if the best players were to be attracted. To that end the 1963 event was jointly sponsored by the SCMP and British American Tobacco, with the purse being increased to 4,000 pounds as a result.[4]

Due to poor weather conditions during the 1966 event, the Hong Kong Golf Club lost HK$10,442 as the money put up by the sponsors was insufficient to cover expenses. As a result, the club decided that in future it could not undertake to assist financially in any way, but would continued provide the courses and the general facilities.[4] The 1968 tournament was the first edition to be shown live on television.[4] In 1969, the newly formed the Hong Kong Golf Association took up the task of organising the tournament.[4] In 1971, the Hong Kong Open was on the verge of disappearing due to low spectator numbers and financial problems, but with the assistance of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, who were keen to retain the event on the Asia Golf Circuit, the tournament was saved.[5][6][7]

In 1996, Hong Kong golfer Dominique Boulet finished fourth, the best result by a local golfer.[8] In 2008, Florida-based Hong Kong amateur Shun Yat 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 Turespaña Open Mediterrania in 1995.[9] 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.[10]

In 2013, organizers and potential sponsors raised concerns over the complex becoming enmeshed in a controversial redevelopment plan for Fan Ling.[11] The tournament was played that year without a title sponsor.

In 2020, the Hong Kong Open organizers announced that the tournament would be postponed till 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions.[12]

In March 2023, it was confirmed that the Hong Kong Open would return after a two-year hiatus as an Asian Tour event. The tournament would also gain International Series status.[13]

Winners

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Source:[58][59]

Scorecard

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Notes

  1. AGC/FEC − Asia Golf Circuit/Far East Circuit; ASA − Asian Tour; EUR − European Tour.
  2. Due to 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, the event was postponed and rescheduled and was removed from the European Tour schedule. It proceeded as a sole-sanctioned Asian Tour event.[14]
  3. Hend won with a par on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  4. Jiménez won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  5. Lin won with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff; Molinari was eliminated on the first extra hole after making a par to Lin and McIlroy's birdies.
  6. Frost won on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, after McClellan had holed his second shot from the fairway for an eagle 2 on the final hole of regulation play to force the playoff.
  7. Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.
  8. Shortened to 36 holes due to rain.
  9. Cox won with a par on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff; Gale was eliminated after making bogey on the first hole of the playoff.
  10. Lu won with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  11. Thomson won on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  12. Hsieh won on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff.

References

  1. [1]
    "A different era – founding father of the Hong Kong Golf Open recalls the early days of city's oldest sporting event". South China Morning Post. 3 October 2015.
  2. [2]
    "The last Happy Valley golf survivor: Willie Woo goes down memory lane". South China Morning Post. 21 October 2015.
  3. [3]
    S.C.M Post Open Golf Competition – New Page in Sporting History of H.K., South China Morning Post, page 1 & 20, 2 February 1959
  4. [4]
    Robinson, S (1989), "Festina Lente – A History of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club", p. 85–105
  5. [5]
    "HK quit decision won't hurt Asian golf circuit". The Straits Times. Singapore. 4 September 1971. p. 28. Retrieved 25 February 2020 – via National Library Board.
  6. [6]
    "Staging of 1972 HK golf 'remote'". New Nation. Singapore. 7 September 1971. p. 15. Retrieved 25 February 2020 – via National Library Board.
  7. [7]
    "HKGA decide to hold 1972 tourney". The Straits Times. Singapore. 24 September 1971. p. 30. Retrieved 25 February 2020 – via National Library Board.
  8. [8]
    Boulet thrills Open fans with final round flourish, South China Morning Post, 9 December 1996
  9. [9]
    "Hak breaks Sergio Garcia's record, makes Euro Tour cut at 14 years old". ESPN. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2008.
  10. [10]
    "With This Win: Miguel Ángel Jiménez" (Press release). PGA European Tour. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  11. [11]
    Chen, Bonnie (22 July 2013). "In a hole". The Standard. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  12. [12]
    "Golf: Hong Kong Open postponed until new year because of COVID-19". CNA. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  13. [13]
    "Golf: revived Hong Kong Open in November handed International Series spot on Asian Tour". South China Morning Post. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  14. [14]
    "Hong Kong Open rescheduled for January 2020". ESPN. 6 December 2019.
  15. [15]
    戴臣香港高球賽奪冠, Ta Kung Pao, page B7, 18 December 2000
  16. [16]
    Suttering Sjoland helds off Woosnam in gripping finale, South China Morning Post, 29 November 1999
  17. [17]
    韓好手姜旭淳奪標, Hong Kong Commercial Daily, 30 November 1998
  18. [18]
    Final round duel puts friendship to test, South China Morning Post, 29 November 1998
  19. [19]
    Nobilo steadies ship, then takes Open by storm, South China Morning Post, 8 December 1997
  20. [20]
    Cuello shrugs off all challengers in Open win, South China Morning Post, 9 December 1996
  21. [21]
    Win makes Webb rethink career, South China Morning Post, 20 November 1995
  22. [22]
    Frost solves putting riddle in Open play-off, South China Morning Post, 28 February 1994
  23. [23]
    Watts stays the course for thrilling Open win, South China Morning Post, 15 February 1993
  24. [24]
    "International Results". The Canberra Times. 9 March 1992. p. 22. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  25. [25]
    Langer tames Fanling, South China Morning Post, 11 February 1991
  26. [26]
    American Green wins golf Open, South China Morning Post, 26 February 1990
  27. [27]
    "Claar's gift for his lucky wife". The Straits Times. Singapore. 20 February 1989. p. 29. Retrieved 9 April 2020 – via National Library Board.
  28. [28]
    "Hsieh's title with birdie blitz". New Straits Times. Malaysia. 15 February 1988. p. 14 (27 in paper). Retrieved 21 December 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  29. [29]
    "Woosnam first briton to win HK Open". The Straits Times. Singapore. 2 March 1987. p. 24. Retrieved 28 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  30. [30]
    "Japanese bags ace enroute to victory". The Straits Times. Singapore. 3 March 1986. p. 29. Retrieved 24 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  31. [31]
    "Aebli bags biggest prize". The Straits Times. Singapore. 4 March 1985. p. 29. Retrieved 22 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  32. [32]
    "Brask lands the great white shark". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 February 1984. p. 39. Retrieved 21 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  33. [33]
    "Norman puts it in his bag". The Straits Times. Singapore. 28 February 1983. p. 39. Retrieved 18 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  34. [34]
    "Cox makes it after three-way playoff". The Straits Times. Singapore. 1 March 1982. p. 34. Retrieved 2 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  35. [35]
    "Taiwan's Chen fires splendid 69 to triumph". The Straits Times. Singapore. 2 March 1981. p. 30. Retrieved 16 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  36. [36]
    "Kuo edges out Lu to win HK golf crown". The Straits Times. Singapore. 3 March 1980. p. 27. Retrieved 9 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  37. [37]
    "Norman ends the Taiwanese run". The Straits Times. Singapore. 26 February 1979. p. 26. Retrieved 4 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  38. [38]
    "Hsieh's title again". The Straits Times. Singapore. 26 February 1978. p. 31. Retrieved 16 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  39. [39]
    "HK open to Taiwan's Min-nam". The Straits Times. Singapore. 28 February 1977. p. 26. Retrieved 16 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  40. [40]
    "Taiwan sweeps". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. AP. 12 April 1976. p. 18. Retrieved 3 March 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  41. [41]
    "Yung-yo recovers-just in time". The Straits Times. Singapore. AP. 24 February 1975. p. 21. Retrieved 17 March 2020 – via Google National Library Board.
  42. [42]
    "Lu bags second straigHK$150,000th title". The Straits Times. Singapore. 25 February 1974. p. 23. Retrieved 26 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  43. [43]
    "Phillips clinches title in classic finish". The Straits Times. Singapore. 5 March 1973. p. 27. Retrieved 25 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  44. [44]
    "Godfrey Takes Hong Kong Open Under Pressure". The Canberra Times. 3 April 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  45. [45]
    "Moody fights off Yasuda's burst to win". The Straits Times. Singapore. 5 April 1971. p. 29. Retrieved 22 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  46. [46]
    "Japanese wins golf". The Canberra Times. 30 March 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  47. [47]
    "Vines again". The Straits Times. Singapore. 31 March 1969. p. 22. Retrieved 13 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  48. [48]
    "Vines again". The Straits Times. Singapore. 25 March 1968. p. 18. Retrieved 13 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  49. [49]
    "Thomson the winner for the third time". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 March 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 12 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  50. [50]
    "Phillips wins Hong Kong golf". The Canberra Times. 28 March 1966. p. 24. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  51. [51]
    "Hong Kong Open to Thomson". The Canberra Times. 29 March 1965. p. 16. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  52. [52]
    "Murray loses to Hsieh in play off". The Straits Times. Singapore. Reuter. 23 March 1964. p. 1. Retrieved 7 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  53. [53]
    "Yung Yo is new HK Open champ". The Straits Times. Singapore. Reuter. 11 March 1963. p. 17. Retrieved 3 March 2020 – via National Library Board.
  54. [54]
    "Hong Kong Open To Woodward". The Canberra Times. 5 March 1962. p. 16. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  55. [55]
    Nagle Wins S.C.M. Post Open Golf tournament, South China Morning Post, page 1, 13 February 1961
  56. [56]
    Thomson Coasts to Victory in Open, South China Morning Post, 2 February 1960
  57. [57]
    "Crampton and Nagle Beaten". The Age. 3 February 1959. p. 20.
  58. [58]
    Robinson, Spencer (1989). Festina Lente – A History of the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club. Royal Hong Kong Golf Club. p. 105.
  59. [59]
    "Hong Kong Open: facts & figures, past champions and trivia". South China Morning Post. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2020.

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