PGA TOUR Series-China’s fourth season will conclude with a flourish in October, as the Series announced its final three tournaments of 2018 will take place in cities along the Pearl River Delta that are set to be linked by a major bridge and tunnel system.
Macau, Zhuhai and Hong Kong will host the Series’ concluding events, tournaments that will help determine the top-five finishers on the Order of Merit, those who will earn status for the 2019 Web.com Tour, the path to the PGA TOUR.
Caesars Golf Macau will kick off the three-week swing when it stages the Macau Championship from September 27-30 in the Tour’s first visit to “Las Vegas of the East.” Macau will join Hong Kong as the two cities outside Mainland China to host a Tour event.
The Orient Golf Club will again be the site of a Tour event when it stages the Zhuhai Championship (October 4-7) before The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club in Hong Kong hosts the Clearwater Bay Open for a third consecutive year (October 11-14) in the season-ending showdown at the seaside course.
The timing of this finish will be perfect as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is likely to open around this time and will offer an exciting opportunity to pay homage to what will become the world’s largest sea-crossing—spanning roughly 55 kilometers (34 miles) to connect the three major cities. The bridge-tunnel system consists of one undersea tunnel and three cable-stayed bridges.
“We’re thrilled to conclude our 2018 season in the vibrant cities of Macau, Zhuhai and Hong Kong,” said Greg Carlson, Executive Director, PGA TOUR Series-China. “It will be our first visit to Caesars Golf Macau, our second visit to the Orient Golf Club in Zhuhai and third event at Clearwater Bay, so we are looking forward to building our relationships with these clubs. I know the players will love the opportunity to come play these great venues.
“Playing in these cities provides players a unique experience and it took a lot of planning to make this a reality,” Carlson continued. “I am very excited to see how the final three events play out. Having this opportunity to finish the season at three world-class venues will be an amazing way for us to cap a great year.”
Caesars Golf Macau is situated on the well-known Cotai Strip—between the islands of Taipa and Coloane—and will be an exciting test for players looking to improve their position on the Order of Merit heading into the final two events.
In 2016, the Orient Golf Club hosted the Tour’s Zhuhai Hengqin Phoenix Tree Open, won by current Order of Merit leader Charlie Saxon, one of his four career wins on this Tour.
Like in 2016, the Orient Golf Club will be the second-to-last event of the season and will again feature a tricky links-style test as it sits on flat land exposed to windy coastal conditions.
The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club hosted the 2016 Clearwater Bay Open—the first Tour event held outside mainland China—and the 2017 Clearwater Bay Open. The 2018 edition will be the club’s first time hosting the season-ending event and will offer a great setting to reward the top-five money-winners.
Located roughly 45 minutes outside Hong Kong’s city center, The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club sits on a peninsula boasting stunning views of the South China Sea. The tournament has proven to be a spectacle after the last two years, with players widely expressing it as one of their favorite stops on Tour.
The PGA TOUR established PGA TOUR Series-China in 2014 as its third international tour, following in the footsteps of PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada. Since its inception, PGA TOUR Series-China players have received Official World Golf Ranking points for top finishes at official tournaments.
