Morgana Robbertze (far left), Jeehae Lee (centre) and Stacy Lee Bregman (fifth from right) with their pupils from Miss World.
LET players Stacy Lee Bregman, Jeehae Lee and Morgana Robbertze swapped practise for coaching on Wednesday, as they gave a golf clinic for Miss World contestants at Yalong Bay Golf Club.
The girls were visiting the Sanya Ladies Open, due to start on Friday 22 October, ahead of the Miss World 2010 Final, to be broadcast live from Sanya on Saturday 30 October.
The ten girls, representing China, Ecuador, England, Ireland, Sweden, Malawi, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Spain and the USA, were taught the basics of the golf swing as well as putting, by the representatives from the Ladies European Tour.
They seemed to enjoy their first try at golf and Miss Ecuador said: “The golf course is so beautiful and it’s great being out in the fresh air. It’s a calm sport and you can think and relax also.”
For the instructors, it was a rewarding challenge. “They are a lot of fun but I’ve never taught complete beginners before,” said Jeehae Lee, from South Korea. She hinted that Miss Malawi might be the most promising golfer. “She has a lot of power and a lot of speed going through the ball.”
 |
| Robbertze and Bregman with Miss World South Africa. |
Patriotic South African Morgana Robbertze commented: “South Africa was the leader of the pack.”
Fellow South African, Stacy Lee Bregman, added: “It was pretty fun and they’ve got good personalities. When you watch Miss World it’s pretty serious but when you get to know them they have a good sense of humour.”
The tropical island paradise of Sanya in Hainan Province, China, is hosting the inaugural Sanya Ladies Open, to be played from October 22-24.
Set in a spectacular location between verdant hills and golden beaches, Yalong Bay Golf Club has hosted a number of international tournaments including the TCL Classic on the European Tour from 2005-2007, the 2006 Volkswagen China Masters and the Sanya Open, from 2003-2006.
The 18-hole golf course is shaped like a dragon’s claw, with lakes, marshes and coconut palms and has a large, tropical style clubhouse.
FACTS ABOUT SANYA:
Hainan is the smallest province in the People’s Republic of China and the largest of its Special Economic Zones.
Sanya’s nickname of “the Hawaii of China” stems from its latitude being almost level of that of the US island state, thereby sharing a similar tropical climate.
The Guan Yin of the South Sea of Sanya is the fourth tallest statue in the world, with a height of 108m.
Sanya hosted the first leg of the Beijing Olympic Torch relay on the Chinese mainland in 2008, with Miss World 2007 Zhang Zilin one of the chosen torchbearers.
The official flower of Sanya is the Bougainvillea and the official trees are the Royal Poinciana and the Tamarind.
The earliest inhabitants of Hainan island were the Li people, who to this day are known for their unique music and dance, as well as intricate fabric design. 
Local delicacies include Wenchang Chicken, seafood and shellfish, and various tropical fruits, particularly, pineapple, and coconuts.
Just west of Sanya lies Tianya Haijiao, considered the southern-most point in China, its name meaning “Edges of Heaven, Corners of the Sea”.
Nanshan Mountain, near Sanya, was also known as Ao Mountain in ancient times, taking its name from a legendary giant turtle which it resembled in shape.
Sanya is also known as the “City of Deer”, based on a local legend immortalised in a statue in Luhuitou park, overlooking the city.
