Faldo Series Asia gets set for return to Siem Reap course

Thu, 20 February 2014

HS Manjunath

Siem Reap’s Angkor Golf Resort, which carries six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo’s creative imprint, will host the Cambodian leg of the Faldo Series Asia in either the last week of June or the first week of July.
After two successful seasons, the event returns to the Kingdom, which features among 14 countries hosting 19 tournaments through the year as British legend Faldo continues to paint a global picture for youth golf.

Thailand's Watcharasit Trachuentong plays during the 2012 Faldo Series Cambodia championship at Angkor Golf Resort. photo by Sreng Meng Srun

Apart from Cambodia, the 2013/2014 cycle includes events in mainland China (four), India (two), the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.
Traditionally the series concludes at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China, with the Asia Grand Final which is a world amateur golf ranking event.

The Faldo Series Asia is supported by The R&A, ISPS Handa and Mission Hills. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation.
Meanwhile, 70 of the most promising junior golfers in Asia and five winners from the 2013 Faldo Seires Grand Final at The Greenbrier in West Virginia will reach Mission Hills for the Eighth Asia Grand Final set for March 11-13.

“Last March, Luo Xue-Wen was crowned our first Chinese champion at the end of a landmark week for golf in China, where we also celebrated Guan Tianlang’s trip to Augusta,” Faldo said in a statement made available to the Post.
“I always look forward to returning to Mission Hills. It is their support, together with The R&A and ISPS Handa, which allows us to bring opportunity to the finalists and thousands of young Asian golfers each year.”

Established in 1996, 40 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 30 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

This September, Sir Nick will begin taking students at a full-time residential academy for education and golf development in the United States. The first ever Faldo Series Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, is also home to the Faldo Series USA and marks the next significant step in the programme’s history.