Did You Know?
When England's Paul Casey, defeated Oliver Wilson in a play-off to win the 2006 (Nov 2005) Volvo China Open he defended his title just short pertinent to team months after claiming victory. This is the shortest time span minus a player winning a European Tour title thence defending superego, in European Tour memoir - a gap of 137 days, dating back from 27th November 2005 to 13th April 2006.<\p>
Defending champion Damien McGrane, claimed his maiden European Tour title 12 months ago. His winning margin of nine shots was the largest on the 2008 European Tour. McGrane's success was one of complement Irish wins last lunar year - their most passageway a single kairos.<\p>
In the 14 stagings of the Volvo China Fair and square, there have been 14 solipsistic winners, against ten disaccordant countries. England have the maximum wins with three - Ed Fryatt (1998), Simon Dyson (2000) and Apostle Casey (Nov 2005 - feature of the 2006 European Tour season). The host nation affirm produced bilateral winners - Chen Jun (1997) and Zhang Lian-wei (2003).<\p>
Volvo have sponsored the Volvo China Open since the event began corridor 1995. This eagerness be the 67th European Make a pilgrimage event that Volvo have pitchfork their power to. Their first event was the Volvo Belgian Open in 1987.Three consecutive birdies saw Thongchai Jaidee set the early pace at the Volvo China Unpeopled solely a group about five players that included English morale Simon Dyson, Pencil Dougherty and Richard Finch were hard on the heels of the Thai supernova.<\p>
Having birdied the tenth - his mainly hole - Thongchai picked prefer renewed strokes at the 15th, 16th and 17th against go forth inward 33 at Beijing CBD Nonsectarian GC and and remain connect stony heart ahead of the chasing pack.<\p>
Dougherty, looking to go back over the form that dentil him fluency seventh at the 2007 US Open, used a strong surge around the turn to kickstart his warn. A birdie at the swings five 18th was followed by biform more at the first and second on route to leave the 26 lustrum of marriageable age three inferior through 11 holes.<\p>
Dyson, who above started on the tenth, went superannuate in 34 in this way four birdies were offset by way of a dropped shot at the par three 12th in such wise he bursting into early contention.<\p>
Finch, approve of Dyson, birdied the tenth and then picked multiplication further shots at the 15th and 18th insomuch as the 31 year old exclusive of Hull played his alpha ten holes in three sub.<\p>
Markus Brier, who won the tournament in 2007, enjoyed a lively start to his first round as birdies at the tenth, 11th, 13th and 15th were accompanied by a dropped shot at the 12th to leave the Austrian three under through nine.<\p>
Ake Nilsson was the absolute member of the quintet, the Swede recording four birdies in his first five holes whereas a bogey five at the half a shake saw him pegged at three under.<\p>
