Faldo Series Asia Grand Final

Luo Xue-Wen was crowned the first Faldo Series champion from China in the seventh Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club in mid-March, an event that saw Hong Kong players record impressive results.

"Our first Chinese champion is a historic moment and important for golf," declared Sir Nick Faldo, who was on-site for the entire week. "We celebrated Guan Tian-lang’s trip to Augusta earlier and then saw Xue-Wen beat a record field. In the world’s effort to grow golf, I’m proud of the week we spent with golfers from 17 different countries and really enjoyed the spirit these kids brought to Mission Hills."

"I am very proud to be the first winner from my country," said 16-year-old Luo from Haikou in Hainan. "This week has been a very special experience and I have really enjoyed learning from Sir Nick Faldo."

Luo fired a three-under-par round of 69 to finish on seven-under-par, one ahead of Girls’ Champion Cheng Ssu-Chi, 15, from Chinese Taipei. Both players have now qualifed for the 2013 Europe Grand Final along with Boys’ Under-21 winner Fahmi Reza of Indonesia, Scotland’s Ewan Scott (Boys’ Under-18) and Marvi Monsalve (Girls’ Under-21) from the Philippines.

The largest-ever field for a Faldo Series Asia Grand Final was with Faldo at Mission Hills with 83 golfers from 17 countries competing for the 2013 title.

Players aged 12 to 22 competed over three rounds on the Faldo Course at the massive Shenzen facility for the World Amateur Golf Ranking event. Off the course they spent time with the six-time major champion, his personal coach Keith Wood and experts from Edel Golf and TrackMan.

Luo also beat 16 Faldo Series competitors to the Mission Hills Trophy, presented to the highest-placed Chinese golfer and won last year by Guangzhou’s Guan Tian-lang, who will take his place in this month's elite Masters field after triumphing at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at the end of 2012. Despite not participating in this year's Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, Guan was on hand to receive a Special Achievement Award from Faldo.