Defending Champion and World No. 5 Shanshan Feng Confirms her Participation

(TRAVPR.COM) CHINA - January 18th, 2013 - Haikou, 18 January 2013 – Mission Hills announced that the second edition of the World Ladies Championship (WLC) will return to Mission Hills Haikou on Hainan Island in China from 7 to 10 March 2013 and will be played on the highly acclaimed Sandbelt Trails course.

With defending Champion and World No. 5 (Rolex Official World Rankings, 14 Jan ‘13) Shanshan Feng confirmed to defend her title, the Ladies European Tour (LET) and China LPGA Tour sanctioned event will boast a field of 108 players from both tours as well as players from the LPGA tours of the U.S., Korea and Japan.

Other leading international players to confirm their participation in the US$ 600,000 prize money event, which will award Women’s World Golf Rankings points, include World No.4 Inbee Park from Korea, South African Lee-Anne Pace, Anne-Lise Caudal from France and Ha-Neul Kim, also from South Korea.

The four day tournament will once again feature a unique 3-in-1 format consisting of an Individual Professional Competition played over 72-holes of individual stroke-play; a 72 hole Professional Team Competition in which the scores of the top two players from 18 countries represented will be combined to determine the winning team, with China as host nation fielding two teams; and a 72-hole stroke-play Individual Amateur Competition.

Defending champion and Major winner Shanshan Feng commented, “I’m really excited to come back to Mission Hills and defend my title. I’ve got great memories from last year’s event which marked my first tournament win in China as a professional and set me up well for the rest of the year so I’ll be doing my very best to make it two from two.”

Tenniel Chu, the Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group added, “Last year’s inaugural tournament was a great success and gives us a good platform to build from. We’ve introduced a number of changes to this year’s tournament and we look forward to welcoming the ladies to Mission Hills and to another great week of golf.”

Ivan Peter Khodabakhsh, Chief Executive Officer of the Ladies European Tour, added, “We’re delighted that the tour will be returning to Mission Hills again in March. The venue is first class as are the facilities and course. We look forward to working with Mission Hills to build on the success of last year’s event and establish this tournament as one of the key events on the LET calendar for years to come.”

Visitors considering a trip to tropical Hainan Island will not only be able to witness the first class golfing spectacle on offer but also have the opportunity to play the resorts nine other courses or indulge in some rest and relaxation in what is officially accredited the “World’s Largest Spa Resort” by Guinness World Records.

For more information, please visit wlc.missionhillschina.com.

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About Mission Hills Group

Mission Hills Group (www.missionhillschina.com), owner and operator of Mission Hills in the heart of the Pearl River Delta and the tropical island of Haikou, is the pioneer in China’s fledgling hospitality, sports and leisure industry.

Mission Hills, recognized as the leading golf brand in the world and synonymous with high-end, luxurious residences of rare and exquisite design, has created three world class leisure and wellness resort destinations. It has hosted more than 100 international tournaments. Mission Hills has also been accredited the “World’s Largest Golf Club” by the Guinness World Records.

Mission Hills’ properties sprawl over 40 sq.km. They include 22 championship courses designed by renowned players and architects from five continents, five-star resorts, award-winning spas and volcanic mineral springs, an international convention center, golf academies and Asia’s largest tennis facility. Mission Hills is also the official training headquarters of China’s Tennis and Golf Associations. In 2013, Mission Hills will open a metropolitan leisure complex-Mission Hills Centreville combining vacation, residence, shopping, fine dining, exhibition and business.

Mission Hills  Haikou

Mission Hills Haikou lies in the volcanic region of exotic Hainan Island, China. Nestled amid lush, green gardens, it features 10 acclaimed tournament courses by Schmidt-Curley Design, each one incorporating the native lava rock formations. Other resort offerings include 518 elegantly designed guest rooms and suites, 29 elegant spa villas, a three-story clubhouse, China’s first Hank Haney Golf Academy, state-of-the-art meeting facilities, 12 world-class restaurants, a fully-equipped sports and recreation center, Hainan’s only aquatic theme park, therapeutic volcanic mineral springs showcasing centuries-old bathing philosophies from five continents, a grandiose bamboo and volcanic rock constructed spa oasis, shopping arcade and many other facilities. Mission Hills Haikou has also been accredited the “World’s Largest Spa Resort” by the Guinness World Records.

Construction has begun on a low-carbon-footprint town center. It will be a hub for business, leisure, wellness, entertainment and cultural exchanges. Highlights include Mission Hills  Lan Kwai Fong  Haikou, a joint project with Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) Group. It boasts 240,000sqm of shopping, entertainment, cultural and dining attractions. Several hotels will also be featured, among them Marriott International's Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance brands.

Mission Hills Haikou’s Blackstone Course hosted the World Celebrity Pro Am in 2010 and 2012, a ground-breaking celebrity pro-am golf tournament for Asia, and the 56th World Cup of Golf in November 2011. A magnificent addition to Hainan’s tropical island paradise, Mission Hills Hainan is poised to become the island’s premier sanctuary, attracting visitors from around the globe.

Getting There: Mission Hills Hainan is 15 minutes from Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK). Flights from major cities throughout Asia -- including Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore -- to Haikou are available.

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