English star Paul Casey will be aiming for a unique hat-trick of wins in China when he plays in the BMW Asian Open 2006 at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club from Thursday 20 April to Sunday 23 April, 2006.

Last year, Casey won the TCL Classic in March by beating Paul McGinley at the second play-off hole in Hainan. Eight months later, he collected another win on Chinese soil by winning the China Open in Jiangsu, again in a play-off this time, edging out Englishman Oliver Wilson to collect his fifth European Tour title.

With China being such a happy hunting ground for him, it’s no wonder that Casey is looking forward to the BMW Asian Open 2006.

"This will be my sixth visit to China in the past three years and my third visit in the last six months,” said Casey, currently ranked world number 56. “I always look forward to playing in BMW events as we, the players, are extremely well looked after. I’m very happy with my game at present. I have been working hard since the start of the year and can sense that things are not too far away from clicking nicely into place. China has been very kind to me this past year so I will be looking to keep that run going."

Casey believes that this year’s BMW Asian Open will see a tight contest. “It is our third time in Shanghai, so there will be a number of players feeling confident about their chances on a familiar course,” said Casey, who is also a member of England’s 2004 World Cup winning and the Europe’s record-breaking 2004 Ryder Cup squad.

23.03.2006

BMW China Junior Golf team members Hu Mu and Ye Jian-Feng have been selected by the China Golf Association to take part in next month’s 2006 BMW Asian Open at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club from Thursday 20 April to Sunday 23 April, 2006.

Hu Mu, 16, finished the 2005 season as world number eight on the Golfweek world rankings and is widely tipped as China’s Tiger Woods. At age 11, he won the 15 to 18 year old age group at the 2001 China Junior Golf Open and then moved from his native Shenzhen to Florida for schooling at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton.

Currently based in Orlando Florida, Hu Mu has continued to make headlines in Asia. In 2004, he made the cut in two Asian Tour events – including a tie for 11th at the Sanya Open. Last year, he was the only amateur player in the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai and shot an impressive final round four-under 68 to finish 61st out of a field of 72 professionals.

Fourteen-year-old Ye, also hails from Shenzhen and is the reigning China Junior Open champion in the 13-14 years old age-group. Last year, he won two junior tournaments in Canada, claiming the CJGA Fall Series at Surrey and Ping Western Canadian Junior Championships.

Both players are from the BMW China Junior Golf team which attended a winter-training camp in the United States.

"The BMW Group understands the importance of youth development in modern golf and that’s why it partnered with the China Golf Association in sponsoring the BMW China Junior Golf Team,” said Jochen Goller, General Manager, Marketing for BMW Group Region China. “The BMW China Junior Golf Team consists of the most talented young players in China and through a systematic training programme, BMW hopes they will develop into top professional players in the future. It is important for young players to gain tournament experience and we are delighted that Hu Mu and Ye Jian-Feng are getting this opportunity to learn from the experience of playing against the world’s best players at the BMW Asian Open."

BMW also announced today that BMW China Junior Golf team members – in addition to Hu Mu and Ye Jian-Feng - will also get a unique opportunity to be part of the BMW Asian Open 2006. Six juniors will be selected to each partner one international Star Player in a special Shoot-Out competition on April 18 at Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club, as part of the Opening Ceremony of the BMW Asian Open 2006. More details of the Shoot-Out competition and the players’ line-up will be revealed at a later date.

Among the international stars confirmed are 8-time Europe number one Colin Montgomerie, current European Tour Order of Merit leader David Howell, English star Luke Donald, BMW Asian Open 2004 winner Miguel Angel Jiménez, six-times Major winner Nick Faldo, Danish ace Thomas Björn and China’s top ranked professional golfer Zhang Lian-wei.

24.03.2006

German Alex Cejka is looking forward to the BMW Asian Open 2006 in Shanghai (Thursday 20 April to Sunday 23 April). The tournament at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club will also be a great opportunity for two members of the BMW China Junior Golf team.

"I really enjoyed playing last year’s BMW Asian Open,” said Cejka. "I am really looking forward to returning this year and renewing my long friendships with the people at BMW. I am playing quite well at present but not getting the results I would normally expect. I hope that in China I can turn my season around.”

The BMW Asian Open 2006 is tri-sanctioned by the China Golf Association, PGA European Tour and the Asian Tour and it offers a minimum of US$1.5 million in prize money. Among the star players confirmed are 8-time Europe number one Colin Montgomerie, current European Tour Order of Merit leader David Howell, current world number 10 Luke Donald, BMW Asian Open 2004 winner Miguel Angel Jiménez, six-time Major winner Nick Faldo, Danish ace Thomas Björn and China’s top ranked professional golfer Lian-wei Zhang.

Cejka added: "The depth of talent in today’s golf and on the Asian and European Tours is great. There are so many great golfers attending this year’s BMW Asian Open and it’s a lovely course to play on. Still, I hope to claim my fifth European Tour title in Shanghai come April."

Besides the appearance of European and Asian Tour stars, two members of the BMW China Junior Golf team will get an opportunity to test their potential against some world-class players in this year’s BMW Asian Open.

BMW announced its partnership with the Chinese Golf Association to sponsor the BMW China Junior Golf Team last July. The team consists of 21 promising Chinese youths aged between 11 to 17 years old and trained in the United States in February.

27.03.2006