Urban Golf
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HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM
Four of Hong Kong’s brightest talents as you’ve never seen them before… PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLES WATSON STYLING BY KATE MCLAUGHLIN
HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM
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Age: 16
Shinichi Mizuno
Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Open Champion 2009 Hong Kong Ladies Close Champion
Age: 15
2009 HSBC China Junior Open Champion
Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Close Champion
A relative latecomer to the game (Nagoya-born Shinichi only began playing golf three and a half years ago), big-haired Mizuno has enjoyed a stellar season, the highlight of which came at Discovery Bay, his home club, where he defeated Steven Lam on the second playoff hole to lift the Hong Kong Junior Close title. A great driver of the ball, Shinichi has worked hard on his short game with National Coach Brad Schadewitz of late and if he can maintain his staggering rate of progression, big things are expected.
Stephanie Ho 2009 has been a breakthrough year for Stephanie – both on and off the course. Straight off the tee, with a solid iron game and sublime putting touch, the sweet-swinging 16-year-old has raised her game over the past 12 months to win three of the region’s most valued titles. She’s got grit too – a personal best 67 in the final round of the Ladies Close Championship to win the title was arguably the comeback round of the year. But Stephanie has found success away from the fairways too. At the time of press, she’s appearing in TVB Jade’s popular singing talent programme, The Voice, where she has reached the latter stages of the competition. Whether it’s golf or the entertainment business, Stephanie would certainly seem to have options.
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Age: 16 Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Open Champion 2009 Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close Champion 2008 R&A Junior Open, Second Place
Steven Lam Hailed the Hong Kong wunderkind four years ago after shooting an incredible 64 at an event in China, Steven won a slew of junior titles around the region before finally getting the monkey off his back at senior level with a composed victory at the Hong Kong Close Championship at Fanling earlier this year. A regular fixture in the Hong Kong national team since 2006, Lam made his debut at the UBS Hong Kong Open in 2008 after making it through the rigours of qualifying. An excellent iron player and consistent putter, Lam’s assured of a spot at this year’s event thanks to his Close triumph. Another recent highlight was his second place finish at the R&A’s Junior Open at Hesketh in England last summer. One of the most exciting local prospects of his generation, the youngster has all the attributes to go very far indeed. Time will tell.
Age: 15 Achievements: 2009 and 2008 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Close Champion 2008 Malaysian Junior Open Champion 2008 Callaway World Junior Championship, Fourth Place
Tiffany Chan Blessed with a temperament ideally suited for the game (she’s charm personified off the course and an ice queen on it), Tiffany has risen through the ranks to become Hong Kong’s most consistent female golfer of recent times. Unerringly accurate from tee to green, the Diocesan Girls School student came of age in 2008 with superb showings overseas, which included a win at the 2008 Malaysian Junior Open and a fourth place finish at the ultraprestigious World Junior Championship. Defending her title in style at this year’s Hong Kong Junior Close, Tiffany has both the game and the mental attitude to succeed beyond the junior level.
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