By Liana B. Baker
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shanshan Feng is hoping that by winning a bronze medal, China's first ever in golf, she can make the sport more popular in her home country.
"I think this is the first time a Chinese athlete is competing in this event," the 27-year-old said. Women's golf was last played in the Olympics in 1900 in Paris while men's golf was last played in 1904 in St. Louis.
Feng grew up in Guangzhou, China's third-largest city, and now lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina, in the United States. The 2012 LPGA championship winner took up golf at age 10 in Guangzhou and turned pro in 2007.
Two women and two men from China competed in golf's return to the Olympics this year, with only Feng ending up on the podium.
"Maybe a medal could change everything about golf in China," she said.
The golf industry shares Feng's views about steering the world's most populous country toward the sport.
Golf is struggling to grow globally as youngsters gravitate toward other pastimes such as soccer, with sales of golf apparel and equipment tumbling for several years.
About 2.3 percent of sales come from China, according to market research firm Golf Datatech, compared to 70 percent from the United States, Japan and South Korea.
There are 473 golf courses in China, according to a 2015 report by the R&A, organizers of the British Open, although it is hard to gather data on the sport in China. Construction of new golf courses in the country has been banned since 2004 in most areas, in an attempt to preserve water and land.
Feng relished the TV exposure the Olympics provided.
"Coming into this week, I knew we would be televised all over the world. Normal people, if they don't know about golf never see us. I walk on the street and no one knows who I am. Now they get to see us and see how great the Chinese players are."
Feng said she shed her "poker face" on the course and tried to look less serious so audiences in China could relate.
"I smiled all the time whenever I missed a putt or made a putt. People in China are watching so I have to make sure I looked nice. It's the first time people are seeing me so maybe I need to look a little nicer." (Reporting by Liana B. Baker; Editing by Bill Rigby)
If you cherished this article and you also would like to receive more info with regards to bandar poker nicely visit the web site.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shanshan Feng is hoping that by winning a bronze medal, China's first ever in golf, she can make the sport more popular in her home country.
"I think this is the first time a Chinese athlete is competing in this event," the 27-year-old said. Women's golf was last played in the Olympics in 1900 in Paris while men's golf was last played in 1904 in St. Louis.
Feng grew up in Guangzhou, China's third-largest city, and now lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina, in the United States. The 2012 LPGA championship winner took up golf at age 10 in Guangzhou and turned pro in 2007.
Two women and two men from China competed in golf's return to the Olympics this year, with only Feng ending up on the podium.
"Maybe a medal could change everything about golf in China," she said.
The golf industry shares Feng's views about steering the world's most populous country toward the sport.
Golf is struggling to grow globally as youngsters gravitate toward other pastimes such as soccer, with sales of golf apparel and equipment tumbling for several years.
About 2.3 percent of sales come from China, according to market research firm Golf Datatech, compared to 70 percent from the United States, Japan and South Korea.
There are 473 golf courses in China, according to a 2015 report by the R&A, organizers of the British Open, although it is hard to gather data on the sport in China. Construction of new golf courses in the country has been banned since 2004 in most areas, in an attempt to preserve water and land.
Feng relished the TV exposure the Olympics provided.
"Coming into this week, I knew we would be televised all over the world. Normal people, if they don't know about golf never see us. I walk on the street and no one knows who I am. Now they get to see us and see how great the Chinese players are."
Feng said she shed her "poker face" on the course and tried to look less serious so audiences in China could relate.
"I smiled all the time whenever I missed a putt or made a putt. People in China are watching so I have to make sure I looked nice. It's the first time people are seeing me so maybe I need to look a little nicer." (Reporting by Liana B. Baker; Editing by Bill Rigby)
If you cherished this article and you also would like to receive more info with regards to bandar poker nicely visit the web site.