Seated from left in front of a statue of Sun Wu at Suzhou-Taihu International Golf Club: President of the LAGT, Koichi Kato, Ladies European Tour Executive Director Alexandra Armas (standing), Chief Financial Officer of the China Golf Association Yang Jie, China Mobile Suzhou Vice President Tao Qun and Mr Jason Sun, President of Rentai Sport Industry Development Co.
Golfers from the Ladies European Tour, Ladies Asian Golf Tour and China Golf Association have travelled from all over the world to compete in the third Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open at Suzhou-Taihu International Golf Club.
More than 2000 years ago, this is the place where ancient strategist Sun Wu, author of ‘The Art of War’, trained the army. Chinese generals and ministers gathered in this deeply significant location for Chinese culture and heritage.
Today, the world’s leading professional women golfers are continuing to write history in Taihu, at the same time contributing to the strengthening of women’s golf in China.
This year, China Mobile Group is sponsoring the tournament, as the largest mobile network operator in the city of Suzhou. China Mobile Group operates GoTone golf club, with a system of training, monthly and quarterly contests and inter-provincial competitions for its 5000 members. The Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open is one of the key international events in China and the company wishes to extend its gratitude to customers by providing a joyful social platform for communication amongst its members and golf fans.
At a press conference for the assembled Chinese media ahead of the tournament, the LET’s executive director Alexandra Armas thanked China Mobile for the sponsorship and on behalf of the LET, extended her gratitude to Suzhou Taihu International Golf Club for its support of the Ladies European Tour organisation and players.
Armas also thanked the LAGT and CGA for tri-sanctioning the tournament and for welcoming the LET to China. The tournament will allow the talented golfers to communicate and learn from each other, while at the same time enhancing their opportunities to progress in world golf.
In just four years since its opening in 2006, the 6650-metre par 72 golf course at Suzhou Taihu International Golf Club, designed by Australian Graham Marsh, has matured into a world class facility and the players are thrilled to be returning for the third year. Water is integral to the Suzhou Taihu International Golf course, and the pools are complemented with picturesque reeds and lotus.
The course is located in the Yangtze River Delta, near the key city of Suzhou, a renowned cultural, historical and tourist city. The city is located on the south east of the Jiangsu Province, bordering Shanghai on the east, Zhejiang Province in the south, Taihu Lake in the west and the Yangtze River in the north.
Suzhou covers an area of 8,488km2, of which the city covers 1,650km2. At the end of 2005, total population was 6.07 million, of which 2.25 million were in the city proper.
As a well known “Land of Fish and Rice” as well as “Silk Capital”, Suzhou enjoys fame as “Paradise on Earth.” It has a mild and humid climate with four distinct seasons and plenty of rainfall. For more information about the venue, visit www.taihugolfcom.cn.
Tournament officials with Chinese amateur golfer Li Jia Yun, captain of the Chinese national golf team.
