2008 Midea China Classic closed at Royal Orchid on 19th October

The last round of competition of the 2008 Midea China Classic ended at the Royal Orchid Golf Club in Shunde October 19. The 17-year-old Korean junior Noh Seung-yul won with a total result of 267 strokes, 17 under par, and received a championship prize of 79,250 US dollars. The Chinese golf star Liang Wenchong ranked joint 16th with 69 strokes in the last round and 274 in total, ahead of the other Mainland players.
The young champion of the Asian Tour
The Korean junior Noh Seung-yul, competing for the Midea China Classic with his father being his caddie, has been playing stably this week, and entered the final round as the first ranker in the preliminaries. On the 19th, Noh Seung-yul played well and won the first champion in his professional career by one stroke. After taking the cup, the 17-year-old junior broke into a smile. He became the second youngest champion in the history of the Asian Tour, second only to Chinarat Phadungsil from Thailand, who won the championship of the 2005 Double-A International Open when he was 17 years and 5 days old.
Players and officials praised the organizing effort
At the press conference after the match, the Australian runner-up Terry Pilkadaris seemed excited at the beginning, Today, I and Noh Seung-yul fought with each other intensively and seized so many birdies. I believe that the audience saw a truly wonderful match. About China can bring him more luck , the Australian said, the Royal Orchid Club is much better than many other places, and I think it is better for my performance.
Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, came to kick off the Midea China Classic despite his busyness. In the press interview, he said, This Midea China Classic excels whether in course conditions or in organization, and favors the good performance of the players.
Volunteers became a spectacle on the field
To give the staff an opportunity to participate in the Group s major events and show Midea s corporate culture and spirit to players around the world, Midea Group recruited some volunteers from different divisions to do reception, scoring and field jobs for this event. They did a lot for the success of this event and became a spectacle on the field. Zhang Yuhuan, a volunteer from the International Financial Management Dept., Living Appliances Group, who has been maintaining order at Tee 13 in the past 4 days, told the reporter, I enjoyed it as part of it.
Press Interview of Chairman He Xiangjian
The 2008 Midea China Classic has become much more influential and drawn the attention of nearly 70 Chinese and foreign media. On October 17, He Xiangjian, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Midea Group, attended a special interview of ATP (Asian Tour Production) at the Royal Orchid Club. The program was broadcast globally at ESPN.
ATP: Are you satisfied with the results of Midea in sponsoring the golf sport from 2005 to 2008?
He Xiangjian (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Midea Group): I think it is very effective for Midea to improve its brand by sports marketing. Our sponsorship is a strategic, far-sighted and well-based program, other than a short-term one. In the long run, Midea s sponsorship of golf games and support of the golf sport is a concrete step to improve Midea s brand influence and position practically; strategically, sports marketing is a marketing strategy by which Midea drives the development of national sports and combines sports with brand improvement effectively, and has proven effective to date.
ATP: By sponsoring the national diving and swimming teams and the Midea China Classic, sports marketing has produced a good brand effect for Midea. What s your opinion?
He Xiangjian: Midea has got excellent results by sponsoring the national diving and swimming teams and the Midea China Classic. Over the past decades of rapid development, our brand has been improving in position. Last year, Midea s brand value exceeded RMB37 billion yuan and ranked 7th in China. Therefore, our actions have paid off.
ATP: Now, all Asian players are aware of this event sponsored by Midea, and expect to participate. The prize has risen to 500,000 US dollars this year from the last year s 400,000 US dollars. Does this mean the influence of this event has improved greatly?
He Xiangjian: Yes. We have been increasing the influence and prize of this event these years mainly to attract more top golf players. For example, there are more top players this year than last year. Midea s sponsorship of the China Classic not only promotes our brand but also helps us realize our overall development strategy. Our business development relies on the development of our industry, the region in which we do business and Shunde as well. By sponsoring this international event, Midea has created a strong golf atmosphere in Shunde, and improved the position and influence of the region, which is in turn good to the development of Midea.