Zhang Xiaoning, general director of the Multi-ball Games Administrative Center, believes golf is a sport Chinese people are able to play well, and the country will make a breakthrough in the near future.

"Golf is a sport that does not demand so much physically. And Chinese people have proved in badminton and table tennis that they have the ability, and even advantage, to control 'small-balls'," said Zhang after the 2006 Volvo China Open in Beijing on Sunday.

Using tennis as an example, he is confident China will produce a number of champions in major golf events in a decade.

"Ten years ago, when I was in charge of tennis, I said tennis would be a big and popular sport in China after ten years and we will have the ability to challenge the world's best.

"Nobody believed what I expected at that time. But see what is happening now - We have Olympic champions and Grand Slam champions.

"As long as we take the right measures from now on and the players work hard, it will not be long before there are a number of big stars."

China now has to rely on veteran Zhang Lianwei, the nation's only winner of a European Tour event, and a very few youngsters like Liang Wenchong and Li Chao to achieve fine results, usually only to see them miss the cut or finish at much lower places than those from Thailand, Korea and India.

At last week's Volvo China Open, local favorites Zhang and Liang failed to make the cut and the sole hope Li Chao was placed a disappointing 54th.

Jeev Milkha Singn from India won the title while there were four golfers from Thailand ahead of Li, including a top ten finish.

The official also admits right now China's golf is developing in an unbalance way.

"We have a number of major events with high prize money. But we lack lower levels for more local golfers.

"We pay too much attention to men's golf while women golfers are short of competitions and financial support," Zhang said.

But Zhang said it will not take long before China catches up countries like India and Thailand.

"We are making extra efforts on the expansion of China Pro Tour and Amateur Tour.

"In every sport, the grassroots is the key factor for further development. I have the confidence it will not take a long time for us to leapfrog them."

Apart from the first large-scale national training camp opened in Shenzhen in order to select the best golfers for the national squad, the national junior team has been set up and will be sent to America for training periodically.

Professional training for the coaches and players have started based on cooperation with the Asian Tour and European Tour.

"We have reached the agreement with the European Tour to establish a strategic relationship. And talks about cooperation with the US Tour are also underway," Zhang said.

(China Daily April 19, 2006)