The Fanling Classic kicks off today (Aug. 27) at The Hong Kong Golf Club's Old Course in Fanling, marking the first time the China Tour has staged an event in Hong Kong. Admission is free. The tournament features 126 professionals from 16 countries and regions, including local star Hak Shun Yat.
Organizers met the press yesterday (Aug 26) to lay out tournament details and hear from players ahead of the opening round.
Officials: A milestone for Greater Bay Area golf
Li Jinliang, Director of Men's Professional Tour at the China Golf Association (CGA), said the Fanling Classic reflects the China Tour's philosophy of "reaching out and bringing the world in." The event deepens exchanges between Chinese golf and the global game, giving top domestic players a chance to test themselves against international talent on home soil and underscoring the CGA's ambition to build a tournament brand with global reach.
Kenneth Lam, president of the Golf Association of Hong Kong, China (GAHKC), called the event a milestone in CGA–GAHKC cooperation and a key step in the China Tour's expansion into the Greater Bay Area and its internationalization. The tournament, he said, offers a world-class stage for ranking points and tour honors, with several Hong Kong players in the field, including Hak Shun Yat, third on the China Tour Order of Merit—giving local golf a major lift.
Bryant Lu, president of The Hong Kong Golf Club, said it was an honor to host the China Tour's Hong Kong debut. Fanling's internationally recognized courses, he noted, blend Eastern and Western traditions, and the event will deepen golf cooperation and people-to-people ties across the Greater Bay Area and nationwide.
Players: Fanling a short but creative course
Jin Bo, in Hong Kong for the first time, said he had felt welcomed since arriving and had already tried local food. "Whether it's golf or travel, I definitely want to come back," he said. He added that Greater Bay Area integration and the China Tour's international growth would help players from around the world raise and strengthen their skills through competition.
Hak Shun Yat said the Hong Kong Asian Games team was training hard, having scouted the course and received support in conditioning and preparation. "We go into the Asian Games with full confidence, aiming to do our best and bring gold back to Hong Kong," he said. After about a month without competition, Hak added, the Fanling Classic is ideal preparation to find his form ahead of the Games.
Sarit Suwannarut, the 2026 Bangkok Classic champion, laid out a straightforward game plan: "Good tee shot, iron onto the green, try to two-putt. If you one-putt and make a birdie or eagle, even better." He called Fanling a short but creative course—water comes into play on several holes, but the layout rewards shot-making. "It's going to be fun," he said.
Suwannarut also had warm words for the city. "I always love Hong Kong — the food, the city, the people. I hope the China Tour continues to expand, maybe with a couple of events in Thailand and elsewhere."
(Reporter: Lynn Zhou; Camera: Brayce Chen; Video Editing: Brayce Chen)
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