Schmidt-Curley Design - one of golf's most active and innovative design firms - announces the Pete Dye Course at Tianjin Binhai Lake will host the European Tour's Volvo China Open for the first time, April 19-22.
Situated 50 miles southeast of Beijing, the par-72, 7,577-yard course sits on a windswept peninsula and boasts 10 waterfront holes. A man-made lake that previously occupied the site was drained and excavated to make construction possible.
Course hallmarks include generous playing corridors and small, undulating greens protected by a number of sleeper-faced bunkers, a Dye trademark. It has been named one of China's "Top 10 Most Outstanding Golf Courses" by Golf Vacations Magazine, and "2011 China Top 10 New Golf Course" by GOLF Magazine.
"Pete has been a friend and mentor to us for more than 60 years combined," says Brian Curley, co-founder with Lee Schmidt in 1997. "His approach to all aspects of the course design business made an enormous impression and has been a significant catalyst for our success."
Former Ryder Cup players Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, as well as defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, are among those scheduled to vie for the US$3 million purse.
Tianjin Binhai Lake is the fourth Schmidt-Curley credit to host a premier professional golf tournament in 2012. It joins the Old Course at Siam C.C. (Honda LPGA Thailand 2012), Vintage Course at Mission Hills Hainan (LET's World Ladies Championship) and Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa (LPGA's RR Donnelley's Founders Cup).
In October, the firm's Blackstone Course at Mission Hills Hainan will be site of the World Celebrity Pro-Am, Asia's preeminent international event for golfers, athletes and celebrities. Highly-ranked by GOLF Magazine, Asian Golf Monthly and others, it garnered great acclaim from Tour stars at last fall's World Cup of Golf.
Schmidt-Curley Design - one of golf's most active and innovative design firms - announces the Pete Dye Course at Tianjin Binhai Lake will host the European Tour's Volvo China Open for the first time, April 19-22.
