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BEIJING : Movie stars Hugh Grant and Matthew McConaughey will headline a bevy of celebrities taking part in a new tournament in China that will offer the richest individual prize in Asian golf.
The Hollywood A-listers will play in the pro-am at the Mission Hills Star Trophy on Hainan Island in October, ahead of the tournament proper that will feature 20 men and women golfers with a 1.28-million-US-dollar winner-takes-all prize.
Two-time Major winner Greg Norman, China's multiple Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Li Ning and Japan's top comedian and talk show host Akashiya Sanma will serve as ambassadors for the pro-am event, organisers said.
Norman and China's golfing trailblazer, Zhang Liangwei, will play for the top prize, along with 2010 Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin.
The professional field will also include two of the game's biggest female superstars, Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak.
Norman said both fun and serious golf would be part of the Star Trophy experience.
"The time is right for Asia to create an event that combines golf and entertainment. The world sees the importance of the China market to their future and look forward to coming to the Mission Hills Star Trophy," he said.
"The 'winner takes all' of a 1.28-million-dollar first-place cheque will ensure that the event is both exciting and features high-calibre golf."
The tournament will be played from October 28-31 at the new Mission Hills Resort on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, with organisers billing it as "Asia's premier lifestyle event."
"Since the founding of Mission Hills in 1992, we have led the way in the development of China's luxury golf and lifestyle culture," said Tenniel Chu, executive director of Mission Hills China.
"The creation of the truly unique Mission Hills Star Trophy at our new Hainan development is the logical extension of that commitment and expertise."
The field will include 20 celebrities, 20 professionals and 120 amateurs.
Amateur teams of three will play with a celebrity or professional golfer on the first two days of the event in a team scramble format.
The weekend play will then be in four-ball stroke play format between 20 teams consisting of a celebrity and a professional, with a 36-hole individual professional event.
- AFP/vm
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