Chinese Women Coming On Fast

When Hong Mei Yang won a Futures Tour event in El Paso two weeks ago, it barely made a ripple on the American sports scene, but it just may have been a glimpse into the future of women’s golf.

Hong’s victory was the first by a Chinese professional in the United States, and even though there are only about 40 female professional players in China, it doesn’t figure to be the last.

Seven of those 40 pros are living and training at the Oak Valley Golf Academy in Beaumont, and three have qualified for the Futures Tour. The players, chosen based on ability and potential, have pro- gressed more quickly than expected.

The victory by Hong came in her first Futures Tour event.

“It’s only a matter of time before Chinese women become a strong force,” said Jerry Wong, an instructor at the academy. “The impact is going to be greater than the Koreans.”

There are 21 Korean players on the LPGA Tour, and they combined for seven victories last year.

Hong, 28, Chun Wang, 26, and Li Chun Zhang, 29, were the Chinese pioneers, coming to America two years ago in an attempt to find golfing success. None has played golf for more than eight years, yet all easily qualified for the Futures tour -- the triple A of women’s golf.

“We thought there have to be good players in China,” Wong said. “The country is 1.2 billion people. The problem is they didn’t know how to start.”

Golf is still a sport for the rich in China, but it is growing. Even so, it’s rare for women to take up the sport.

“We are very lucky,” said Chun, the only one of the three Chinese Futures Tour players who speaks English. “If you have not too much money, you have no chance to play. In China, they are very surprised that we are professional golfers.”

Their success is well known in that country. Most of the major media outlets in China report on their progress, and Hong’s victory was widely publicized.

“If they continue to win tournaments, they will be as big as Yao Ming,” Wong said, referring to the Houston Rocket center.

Wong expects that Hong will qualify for the LPGA Tour next year and that if she has success, there will be an influx of Chinese girls on golf courses throughout China.

“Chinese people like sports heroes,” he said. “There will be many more who follow if that happens.”

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Golfers occasionally cringe when the term “silly season” is used for unofficial off-season events, but the latest addition to the made-for-TV slate might be deserving of the moniker.

That’s because Gary McCord and David Feherty are involved.

McCord and Feherty will be team captains for the Tommy Bahama Challenge, an event that will pit a four-man team of U.S. players 30 and under against an international team in the same age group.

“We’re going to put a different bend on the concept of captains because we basically are both idiots,” McCord said. “David and I will be over in the corner having a beer. That’s how I look at my captaincy.”

Chad Campbell was the first player named to the U.S. squad; Englishman Paul Casey was the first international player selected. The remaining players will be chosen after the NEC Invitational in August.

The event will take place Nov. 9 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., and will be televised New Year’s Day on CBS.

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Glitches in the new Los Angeles tee-time reservation system have dumbfounded many of the 33,000 reservation card-holders during the last five weeks.

City golf manager John Mallon said there were 17 significant problems that arose after the city hired a new company to run the system April 7.

Among them: double-booking of tee times, inability to cancel a tee time, and the system not recognizing the difference between a 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. request.

Under the previous system, golfers could simultaneously search for the best times at all seven of the city courses. The current system allows searching only one course at a time.

“The list of glitches developed quite quickly,” Mallon said. “But what you’re experiencing now is not what you’ll be experiencing in the next two to three weeks.”

Nine of the 17 problems have already been fixed, Mallon said.

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It has been nearly 17 years in planning, but Angeles National golf course finally will open May 27.

The Tujunga course has had to sort through environmental and political opposition for nearly two decades.

The first Nicklaus Design Co.’s course in Los Angeles County is about 7,100 yards from the back tees with a par of 72, and water comes into play on five holes.

Green fees are $78 Monday through Friday and $98 weekends and holidays. Tee times will be accepted seven days in advance at (818) 951-8771.

Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, designed by PGA Tour professional Tom Lehman and Casey O’Callaghan, will open July 1. Green fees there are $55 Monday through Thursday, $75 Friday, $85 weekends and holidays. Details: (949) 364-1881 or www.arroyotrabuco.com.

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Tickets are available for the LPGA Tour’s Samsung World Championship Oct. 12-17 at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert. Prices range from $10-$20 per day. Details: (888) 345-5741.... Former USC All-American Sam Randolph has joined more than 30 past U.S. Amateur champions who will participate in the Arnold Palmer Turning Point Invitational Aug. 29-30 at the Country Club of Detroit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Palmer’s winning the U.S. Amateur. Details: www.turningpointinvitational.org .... Rolf Benirschke, Tonie Campbell, Leslie O’Neal, Willie Buchanon, Andre Reed, Pete Shaw and Vencie Glenn are scheduled to appear in the Miles Ahead Celebrity Golf Classic June 3 at Del Mar National Golf Club. Details: (760) 632-7770.... The Orange County Golf Championships are Saturday and Sunday at Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine. Details: (949) 551-1811.... The Pasadena City Championships take place May 20-23 at Brookside Golf Club.