Favorites eager to play well in golf China Open

SHENZHEN: Former US amateur champion Andy Ogletree and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell are hoping to impress at the 1.5 million US dollars Volvo China Open golf tournament at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen.

Ogletree is the current Order of Merit (OOM) leader on the International Series and said he hopes to extend his OOM lead with a high place finish here this week, reports Xinhua.

"I have been playing really good golf this past year and I have a lot of confidence coming into this tournament," said the 25-year-old Ogletree. "It's my first time here in China and I am looking forward to seeing the front nine - I saw the back nine yesterday and loved the golf course and felt the conditions were really good."

"It looks like there are a few holes out here where they can move the tees around. For instance, 18 could be a driveable par 4 or it could be a pretty long par 4, so it's good to figure out what club to hit off the tees and also get used to the green speed.

"The greens are a little bit slower in Asia to what I'm used to in America, so it is a bit of an adjustment for me, but I've always enjoyed this kind of grass out here in Asia and I feel it's a bit easier to read for me, so I feel like I've always enjoyed this kind of golf and dissecting the course week to week, and the same will happen here in China."

McDowell was also impressed with the condition of the golf course and ready for the test that awaits him.

"I had a look around the golf course yesterday and it looks spectacular, it's in great condition and I think last time I played the Volvo China Open it was in Beijing," said the 44-year-old former Ryder Cup player. "It is great to be back - the golf course looks amazing."

"I've always enjoyed coming to this part of the world. The hotel and the golf course are exceptional and of course playing the next three events (Volvo China Open, Hong Kong Open & Indonesian Masters), I'm here to compete and to win tournaments, and I would like to finish the unfinished business from the last Volvo China Open.

"It seems to be a key driving course. The targets are narrow-ish in places and if you miss them you are in big trouble. The greens seem quite undulating so picking your spots where to land the ball coming into the targets are also going to be key," McDowell added.

Kho Taichi of Hong Kong, China also looked forward to starting the game at the course.

"I only live an hour away but it's actually my first time here. Like the other guys, I managed to get out there yesterday and see it, it's a great golf course," said Kho, the winner at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

"I feel really good about my game. It has been a fun year so far just to learn and to grow every week. When I won at the Asian Games, it was really good to almost see that local support with a lot of Chinese fans out there, so hopefully I get a little more of that this week and it will be good to feed off that."