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**truebluefan** · 03-09-2008, 09:23 PM

Discuss event in here.

**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 09:16 AM

India's latest golf sensation, S.S.P Chowrasia, believes he is ready to take another shot at glory and cement his place among the game's elite at this week's Volvo China Open.

The talented Indian has scalped some of the biggest names in golf this season and believes a sprained neck will not hurt his chances at the US$2.2mil event which gets underway tomorrow.

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**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 09:17 AM

China's Liang Wenchong left Augusta National bettered but not beaten as he promised to make a quick return to the prestigious Masters Tournament.

The Asian Tour No 1 missed the halfway cut at the year's opening major with rounds of 76 and 78, as he failed to cope with the high demands of the fabled Augusta National course.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 09:19 AM

his week's Volvo China Open in Beijing will be the 16th European Tour event staged in the world's most populated country.

The first was in the spring of 2004 in Shanghai where the BMW Asian Open was won by Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

This week's course, the Beijing CBD International, will be the eighth different Chinese venue to be used on the European Tour during the intervening four years.

Located a few minutes drive from the centre of the city's business district and China's World Trade Tower, the course - designed by Brit Stenson - offers blue grass fairways and bent grass greens.

And for the fifth time, the Volvo China Open is co-sanctioned by both European and Asian Tours.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-18-2008, 10:11 AM

Gaurav Ghei zoomed up the leader-board to tied 29th after carding a three-under 69 as three Indians made the cut while four others fell by the wayside after the halfway stage of the USD 2.2 million Volvo China Open here Friday.

Ghei, who was tied 98th overnight after turning in a horrendous opening round of 76, has a two-day total of one-over 145 after slotting five birdies against a couple of bogeys at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

Gaganjeet Bhullar, tied ninth overnight, was still the highest placed Indian at tied 23rd despite stuttering to a three-over 75 to total even-par 144.

The third Indian to make the cut was Indian Masters champion SSP Chowrasia, who was tied for the 50th spot after returning a one-over 73 in the second round to total three-over 147.

Four Indians missed the cut, including Shiv Kapur, who carded a second successive seven-over 79 to end up 14 over for two rounds.

The others who will miss the weekend action are Rahil Gangjee (73), Amandeep Johl (81) and Digvijay Singh (80).

At the top, Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera maintained his one-stroke lead by carding a 69 that took his total to eight-under 136.

England's Richard Finch and Irishman Damien McGrane shared the second spot after returning identical three-under 69 in their second round.

Another Englishman Oliver Wilson turned in the day's best card of 66 to take the fourth spot with a total of six-under 138.

**truebluefan** · 04-18-2008, 10:12 AM

Graeme McDowell hopes to emulate the career of British Open champion Padraig Harrington as he seeks a fourth European Tour title at this week's Volvo China Open.

McDowell arrived in Beijing after claiming his first European Tour title since 2004 at the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea last month, coming off the back of a consistent run of four top-20 finishes in his previous five tournaments.

Harrington, meanwhile, turned professional in 1995 and improved steadily before two career highlights in 2007 -- he was named European Golfer of the Year after victory at Carnoustie last July.

McDowell, who finished second to Markus Brier at last year's Volvo China Open, admits world No. 11 Harrington's work ethic is something he hopes to replicate as he hunts a second successive victory in Asia.

"That is what I'm progressing towards, a run of form and consistency," said the 28-year-old from Northern Ireland. "You only have to look at the likes of Padraig and see how many times he finished second before he really broke through into the upper echelons of the world rankings.

"He has won a lot of great events around the world now and he got there through hard work and disappointment and he is now one of the best players in the world.

"I guess I look at my career and, while it is not quite as long as Padraig's so far, it has kind of had the ups and downs that his career has maybe had," he added. "He is certainly someone I have looked towards with his work ethic and the way he goes about things and he is certainly a guy I look towards to try and emulate a little bit."

McDowell's victory in South Korea makes him one of the favorites to lift the trophy at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club this week.

His task will not be easy with the likes of defending champion Brier and local favorite Liang Wen-chong likely to be challenging come Sunday. But McDowell insists he is feeling confident as he looks to put himself in the frame for a place on the European Ryder Cup team.

"My game is feeling pretty good," he added. "I'm coming off the back of a couple of weeks off and I've shaken the rust off the last couple of days.

"I'm getting ready for a pretty big run over the next three or four months," he explained. "I like the look of this week and I like the way the golf course is set up and it will certainly separate the men from the boys."

**truebluefan** · 04-18-2008, 10:13 AM

Unheralded Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France set the early pace at the Volvo China Open when he fired a 5-under-par 67 to take the first-round lead Thursday.

China's Li Chao gave the home crowd something to cheer about as he finished strongly and has the leading Chinese player, taking a share of second place with six others.

Asian Tour regulars, Simon Griffiths of England, Jason Knutzon of the United States, Joost Luiten of the Netherlands, and Ireland's Damien McGrane, as well as England's Zane Scotland and Richard Finch were all tied for second with Li on 68.

Despite playing in his rookie year on the European Tour, the 23-year-old Frenchman got off to a shaky start with an opening bogey but got himself back into the game with a birdie on the second followed by two more on the sixth and ninth holes before making the turn at 33.

"I am just enjoying my rookie year now. I am making better decisions and it is getting easier," Lorenzo-Vera said. "I just have to be more confident in what I am doing and I'm sure I'll do well."

Li, meanwhile, got off to a slow start on the front nine when he posted a bogey on the 199-yard, par-3 third hole and got his only birdie of the first nine on the ninth. But the 27-year old Chinese battled to a strong finish with four birdies after the turn to keep the Chinese flag flying.

"I did not get off to a good start, especially with my bogey on the third hole. But I managed to regain my composure and I think I did pretty well after that," Li said. "My putting was really good today and I think that really helped me a lot."

Knutzon, who endured a frustrating start to the season after missing the cut in five of six events on the Asian Tour, looks set to turn his fortunes around after recording a bogey-free round at the $2.2 million event, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and China Golf Association.

Defending champion Markus Brier carded a 71 to finish tied for 18th while home favorite Liang Wenchong, who attracted large galleries at the Beijing CBD International Golf Course, posted a 73 to take a share of 42nd place.

"It's really nice to see the home fans following me throughout the day. I'll try my best to put in a stronger performance tomorrow so as to make all of them, including myself happy," Liang said.

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 10:44 AM

A sub-par card eluded all three Indians in the fray with Gaganjeet Bhullar's one-over 73 being the pick of the lot that had the youngster tied 29th after the penultimate round of the USD 2.2 million Volvo China Open here on Saturday.

Bhullar could have been found himself higher in the ladder but for a wretched six-hole stretch that cost him five shots. Birdies on the second, 10th, 11th and 18th were the saving grace for the Indian whose three-day total reads one-over 217.

After a scintillating second round of 69, veteran Gaurav Ghei (220) went three-over 75 today to slide down the leaderboard at tied 44th. His erratic round had three bogeys and a double bogey, as against just a couple of birdies.

Worse was the case with Indian Masters winner SSP Chowrasia (223) who returned his worst card of the week so far, a poor 76, to slip to tied 60th.

He has an ominous start, dropping two shots on his opening hole at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club. On his way back, he double-bogeyed the 14th as well, for the second consecutive day. In between, he bogeyed the fourth and eighth, which meant birdies on the third and 15th were of hardly any consolation.

Ireland's Damien McGrane set himself up for his maiden career win with a third round of 68 that gave him the pole position at 11-under 208.

Overnight leader Michael Lorenzo-vera (208) of France returned a level-par round to slip to the second spot, a place he shares with Englishman Oliver Wilson (70).

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 10:44 AM

Gaurav Ghei zoomed up the leader-board to tied 29th after carding a three-under 69 as three Indians made the cut while four others fell by the wayside after the halfway stage of the USD 2.2 million Volvo China Open here Friday.

Ghei, who was tied 98th overnight after turning in a horrendous opening round of 76, has a two-day total of one-over 145 after slotting five birdies against a couple of bogeys at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

Gaganjeet Bhullar, tied ninth overnight, was still the highest placed Indian at tied 23rd despite stuttering to a three-over 75 to total even-par 144.

The third Indian to make the cut was Indian Masters champion SSP Chowrasia, who was tied for the 50th spot after returning a one-over 73 in the second round to total three-over 147.

Four Indians missed the cut, including Shiv Kapur, who carded a second successive seven-over 79 to end up 14 over for two rounds.

The others who will miss the weekend action are Rahil Gangjee (73), Amandeep Johl (81) and Digvijay Singh (80).

At the top, Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera maintained his one-stroke lead by carding a 69 that took his total to eight-under 136.

England's Richard Finch and Irishman Damien McGrane shared the second spot after returning identical three-under 69 in their second round.

Another Englishman Oliver Wilson turned in the day's best card of 66 to take the fourth spot with a total of six-under 138.

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 10:46 AM

Richard Finch took the clubhouse lead in the Volvo China Open after a second round 69 took the Englishman to seven under par at Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

Finch, who claimed his maiden title with victory in the Michael Hill New Zealand Open at the start of the season after surviving a nail-biting end to his 2007 campaign when he only secured his card in his final event, benefitted from benign morning conditions to set the halfway target ahead of the defending champion Markus Brier.

The 30 year old, who got married last month, picked up five birdies after a dropped shot on the first to pull clear of the field and, having also bogeyed the 14th, finished with a three under par 69 to lie on seven under 137.

Brier is mounting a strong defence of his title after he too shot a 69 for a halfway total of 140, four under par, just three behind Finch, while China’s Number One Liang Wen-chong bogeyed the last to finish at three under par alongside Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen.

Finch, however, is the man to catch after another solid performance, the highlight being a holed 45 foot birdie putt on the seventh.

“I’m delighted,” said Finch. “Yesterday’s round was a very important one with the wind in the afternoon and to shoot in the 60’s again is pleasing and has put me in a good position going into the weekend.

“First thing this morning it was benign and lovely out there. The greens had just been cut and we were second group out so it was perfect. The wind did pick up as we played the back nine but nothing compared to yesterday.

“There’s still a long way to go. It is halftime if you like. A lot of things can happen, such as with the weather which could be a big factor. In mornings it is not as windy but it picks up in the afternoon so I think there could be a lot of catching up from the early starters and anything is possible. We will have to see what the weather deals us.”

Brier has shown a clear liking for the Volvo China Open and is well placed to mount a challenge over the weekend.

“I am a step further than my last defence and made the cut at least and I am really up there at the moment,” said the Austrian. “It is looking good and no-one is running away with it so far. I am up there and that is where I said I wanted to be, so a good round tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be up there in contention on Sunday.”