Volvo China Open 2026 preview, picks & analysis

After a short break, the DP World Tour heads to Shanghai for the Volvo China Open, where home star Ashun Wu will defend the title he won in emotional circumstances 12 months ago.

The Chinese star lifted his fifth DP World Tour trophy just six days short of 10 years since his maiden triumph, which came at this event in 2015. Wu was on the edges of contention after reaching the turn in 34, but five birdies on his back nine saw him power to the top of the leaderboard with a 65, the lowest round of the day to reach 14 under par. Englishman Jordan Smith, who was among five players to share the lead during a chaotic final round at Enhance Anting Golf Club, birdied the last hole to finish one shot adrift of his 39-year-old playing partner.

"It is very special, that was 10 years ago when I won the Volvo China Open in Shanghai," Wu said. "To come back to Shanghai and win again, it is a great story. It was a great round, I played great golf this week. You are always happy to win your own country's Open, so very, very exciting.

"It's an incredible week, there are incredible fans here and lovely golf course. It's my home, Shanghai, even after a couple of rounds I felt relaxed because I was playing at home. Shanghai has given me luck."

Overnight leaders Haotong Li and Eugenio Chacarra, who was bidding to win back-to-back DP World Tour titles after success at the Hero Indian Open, finished in a tie for fourth with China's Dou Zecheng at 11 under. Ding Wenyi shared a tie for eighth as four Chinese players made the top 10 for the first time in the event's 30-year history.

Niklas Norgaard will be looking to kick-start his season He represented Denmark at the European Amateur Team Championship between 2013 and 2015, and the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy. Also won the Willis Masters on the Nordic Golf League as an amateur in 2011. He turned professional in 2016 and topped the NGL Order of Merit in 2019, earning promotion to the HotelPlanner Tour. He was a two-time winner on the Nordic Golf League at the 2019 Race to Himmerland - Presented by FREJA and 2020 Esbjerg Open.

He finished tied eighth at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2021 to move inside the Top 20 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings to earn promotion to the DP World Tour for 2022. Norgaard retained his playing rights over the following two seasons and then earned his maiden DP World Tour title at the 2024 Betfred British Masters. He recorded four top-20 finishes during the Back 9 as he earned dual membership of the PGA Tour for 2025, finishing 11th on the Race to Dubai Rankings. He also represented Continental Europe at the 2025 Team Cup. 

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Thriston Lawrence is another who, inexplicably, has thus far failed to make his mark on the PGA Tour and has returned to the DP World Tour to get his career back on track. A two-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, his first victory was in 2018 at the Big Easy Challenge 15 - Parkview, followed by his second success at the 2019 Vodacom Origins Stellenbosch. 

He became the first winner of the DP World Tour era with his success at the 2021 Joburg Open, which launched the 2022 season. The tournament was reduced to 36-holes due to inclement weather. He then defeated Matt Wallace in a play-off to win his second DP World Tour title of the campaign at the Omega European Masters and would later be named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for 2022.

He recorded five runner-up finishes on the 2024 Race to Dubai as he finished a career-high third on the season-long standings, also earning dual membership of the PGA Tour for the following year but had a miserable run in America. He returned to Europe and went toe-to-toe with Wallace again at the Omega European Masters in 2025, ultimately finishing two strokes clear as he secured his fifth DP World Tour title and second victory at Crans-Montana. He was tied 10th at the Dubai Invitational in January and tied sixth at the Hainan Classic in March.

The Course:

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, Enhance Anting Golf Club is situated to the north of Shanghai in the centre of the country’s automotive industry but Trent Jones Jr has masked the surrounding industrial landscape by constructing mounds round the periphery of the course. There are also a lot of trees to be avoided. It is a par 72 measuring 7,281 yards.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Ashun Wu, in 2016 by Haotong Li, in 2017 by Alexander Levy, in 2018 by Alexander Bjork, in 2019 by Mikko Korhonen, in 2020 by Hulin Zhang, in 2021 by Jin Zhang, in 2023 by Sarit Suwannarut, in 2024 by Adrian Otaegui and last year by Ashun Wu. There was no tournament in 2022.

Form Guide:

Eugenio Chacarra is one of the most exciting talents on the DP World Tour and finished second at the recent Hero Indian Open.

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is $2.5m, with 3,500 Race to Dubai points on offer.

How to Watch:

Thursday, April 23, Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25, Sky Sports Golf, 5.30am; Sunday, April 26, Sky Sports Golf, 5am.

To Win:

Eugenio Chacarra. Hugely gifted

Each Way:

Niklas Norgaard. Terrific driver of the ball

Each Way:

Ashun Wu. Looking to get home fans going again

Five to Follow:

Eugenio Chacarra. Big hitter with magical short game

Niklas Norgaard. Impressive Danish star

Ashun Wu. Crowd favourite

Ewen Ferguson. Consistent performer

Adrian Otaegui. Former winner

Five Outsiders to Watch:

Haoyi Wang. One for the future

Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Fans love him

Alexander Levy. Looking for a way back

Rafa Cabrera Bello. Trying to recapture past glory

Andrew Johnston. Popular wherever he plays