Editor's note: The 2012 WGC-HSBC Golf Champions will be held at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Guangdong from Nov 1 to 4, 2012. China Daily reporter Ma Zhenhuan talks to Grant Slack, senior vice-president of IMG Golf Asia-Pacific, about the future of the sport in China and IMG's involvement in the high-profile event.

Q: As an Olympic sport at the 2016 Rio Games, golf is poised to undergo a period of golden development in Asia - especially China. How will IMG tap this golden opportunity to help nurture the sound and healthy development of golf in China? What's IMG's development plan for golf in China and Asia over the next five years?

A: I believe that the inclusion of golf as part of the 2016 Rio Olympics will continue to raise the sport's profile in China, and as barriers to entry lessen, golf will be well positioned to become more mainstream. IMG will continue to work in popularizing and developing golf, deepening people's understanding of the sport and increasing public interest.

IMG is already involved in many ways, with the R&A (Royal & Ancient Golf Club), CGA (China Golf Association) and HSBC in junior golf development, where we helped put golf clubs in the hands of over 120,000 boys and girls last year alone. We also represent golfers, organize, promote and stage tournaments, and design and manage golf courses in China. I am excited about IMG's role in helping to continue to develop the industry.

One of our priorities is to bring more international tournaments back to China, as we believe hosting world-class tournaments drives interest and allows the local enthusiasts to see the world's best in person. It inspires the next generation to take up the sport and allows the Chinese players the ability to compete at the very highest level.

Q: Please give a brief introduction to the golf division of IMG. What is IMG's role in bringing high-profile golf tournaments and players to China?

A: IMG was founded on the strength of its golf client management 50 years ago, and the company has been the unrivalled leader in the industry ever since. We represent many of the world's leading talent and have managed over 300 clients who between them have won 128 major championships and more than 1500 events across the globe. IMG Golf is a dominant presence across all major professional tours. We own, manage, operate or consult for 41 professional events worldwide, and we are also the world's most prolific producer and distributor of golf programming. Our media arm produces and distributes footage to over 500 million households worldwide per event.

Specifically in golf in China we manage Zhang Lianwei, and over the years we have staged many tournaments, including the Johnnie Walker Classic, the China LPGA and seven successful editions of the WGC-HSBC Champions, the largest and predominant tournament on the Asian golf calendar. This year, from Nov 1 to 4, together with our partners, HSBC, IMG will once again organize and promote the 2012 WGC-HSBC Champions, at the Mission Hills Resort in Dongguan, Guangdong. In 2008, IMG partnered with CCTV, the largest television network in the world, in a landmark 20-year exclusive joint venture to develop and promote sports, including golf, in China.

Q: What's your view on the golf sector development in China over the past five years?

A: Golf was reintroduced into China in 1984, and we have seen growing popularity over the years. This is evidenced by our growing attendance figures at the WGC-HSBC Champions - 2011's attendance of 29,124 represented a 46.8 percent increase on 2008's spectator figures.

The global success of young stars has driven interest in golf among younger, less traditional age groups and also broadened the female fan base. Seeing HSBC - CGA Junior program graduate Andy Zhang play in this year's US Open, aged only 14, and Feng Shanshan winning on the LPGA this year will only continue to inspire more people in China to take up the sport.

Q: This year marks the first time that the WGC-HSBC Championship is held in southern China, why was such a decision made? What are your views on the golf sport development in South China in places such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hainan?

A: Golf has a relatively long tradition in Guangdong. The first golf course in China - Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club - opened in Zhongshan, Guangdong in 1984. The number of golf courses and players here rank among the top in China. Many reputed Chinese players also come from Guangdong, such as Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong.

Q: What's your assessment of the performance of Chinese golf players over the past several years? How do they rate compared to prominent golf stars worldwide?

A: Seeing 14-year-old HSBC-CGA Junior program graduate Andy Zhang play in this year's US Open and Feng Shanshan winning on the LPGA this year was really impressive. I do believe that the next global golfing superstar will come from China, and IMG is well positioned to assist with their development.

Q: Aside from golf, do you have any other hobbies? As a prominent golf sport promoter, how do you balance your work with your leisure life?

A: Besides golf, I like fly-fishing in my free time. I enjoy the serenity fishing gives you - also the challenge and the sense of satisfaction when you land a large catch. As an avid fisherman, I travel to various exotic locations to experience the local flora and fauna and recently returned from a fishing trip to Cambodia. Work-life balance is important and might be a challenge for many, but for me, I find that it helps that I do not treat my working hours as doing work. I am genuinely passionate about golf and am extremely motivated about what I do at IMG.

(China Daily 10/30/2012 page22)