European Champions Head to Faldo Final in China

England’s Gavin Samuels and Natalia Heckova of Slovakia will be among five winners from the 2011 Faldo Series Europe Grand Final travelling to Mission Hills Golf Club in China to challenge for the Faldo Series Asia title on March 14-16.

“Winning the Grand Final in Europe was by far my biggest achievement in golf,” said Samuels, 21, who claimed the overall title at Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland last September.  “The opportunity to compete in China is one of several doors that have been opened for me since my victory.  I’m grateful to Sir Nick for all he has done for me and for so many other young golfers around the world.”

16-year-old Heckova, winner of the Girls’ Under-16 title at Lough Erne, will become the first Slovakian golfer to compete in the sixth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo over 54 holes on the Faldo Course at Mission Hills next month.

Ireland’s Gavin Moynihan and another Englishman, Cameron Long will also make their debut at Mission Hills in Shenzhen, located close to Hong Kong and the official Home of the Faldo Series Asia since its launch in 2006.

Making her second trip to the World Amateur Golf Ranking event at Mission Hills will be England’s Brogan Townend.  The 17-year-old claimed the overall Girls’ title at Lough Erne to add to the Girls’ Under-16 title she won in 2009.

Following a record season of 17 tournaments in 13 Asian countries, more than 80 boys and girls aged 12 to 21 will qualify for the Asia Grand Final.  The five age-group winners from Mission Hills – three boys and two girls – will be exempt for the sixteenth Europe Grand Final in September 2012 and the overall champions, one boy and one girl, will receive a start in a professional Tour event.

The 2011/2012 Faldo Series Asia schedule features five tournaments in mainland China plus others in The Philippines, Vietnam, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brunei, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.

The Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, official golf wear partner UFL and official suppliers TaylorMade and Tricor.  It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).  The Faldo Series Europe is supported by The R&A, the European Tour and Lough Erne Resort.

Established in 1996, 37 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 27 countries worldwide with more than 5,000 golfers participating each year.  Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

For more information on the Faldo Series visit www.nickfaldo.com