China’s No. 1 Liang Wen-chong continues to upstage his more fancied rivals on day four of the Shui On Land China Golf Challenge.
Liang drained a lengthy birdie putt on the 11th hole at the Red Flag Valley course in Dalian to remain ahead in the unique event being played on seven courses throughout China in seven days.
The stars of the Shui On Land China Golf Challenge at the Red Flag Course. (Photo - Thanks to China Golf Challenge.)
Liang moved to two-under-par and one shot clear of World No. 2 Lee Westwood and fellow Englishman Ian Poulter.
However reigning U.S. Open Rory McIlroy slipped further back and now trails Wen-chong by nine shots heading to the fifth day in Chongqing and the Sun Kingdom Golf Club.
Liang, 33, said the three holes over the Red Flag Valley’s hilly Dragon and Unicorn layouts presented the week’s toughest on-course challenge so far.
“I was up and down on these three holes as this was the most challenging day,” he said.
“We haven’t seen these holes before so we had to work hard. It’s a very good golf course, so challenging, and has a very good resort. It’s all very high quality.”
Rory McIlroy in more trouble on day four of the China Golf Challenge. (Photo - thanks to China Golf Challenge)
McIlroy’s dramatic tour of China continued when he recorded a double-bogey six at the 10th hole, flying out of a bunker over the green and into a steep bank.
Climbing up through the rough, he chipped onto the green but smiled ruefully as his ball trickled over the far side and into the same sand trap, from where he got up and down for what Poulter cheekily described as “an impressive six”.
“I actually played pretty good today,” McIlroy said.
“I just had one bad shot out of the bunker on the 10th which killed me. I made a double bogey there, which is a bit of an improvement because I’ve been making triple-bogeys earlier in the week! I haven’t been eight-over after 10 holes for quite a few years, so it was nice to birdie the last.”
McIlroy continues to endear himself to fans with his engaging personality and the popular 22-year-old admitted he was committed to helping the game grow in the world’s most populous nation.
“The guys want to make it a little bit competitive, but there’s much more to the tournament than that.
“The Shui On Land China Golf Challenge is about spreading the game in China and letting people see what golf has to offer over here. That’s the most important thing. I couldn’t care if I was eight-over or eight-under.
“Obviously it would be nice to win, but for us it’s more about the whole experience and making sure we enjoy it and making sure it’s enjoyable for the people who watch us.”
And the reigning U.S. Open champion believes golf’s inclusion in the 2016 Olympics has helped increase the sport’s acceptance and recognition across China, which was the top medal winner at Beijing 2008.
“For golf to be included in the Olympics was a huge boost for the game over here. People recognise it more as a sport when it’s part of the Chinese Olympic programme,” McIlroy said.
“If it isn’t a sport in the Olympic programme, it’s not as accessible, so being in the Olympics makes so many more people in the place like China want to play the game.”
* Special thanks to John Higginson, China Golf Challenge.
