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By David Ferguson
China.org.cn staff reporter

Scotland and China will have the honour of playing as the final pairing in the first round of the Omega Mission Hills 2008 World Cup, which starts at the Olazabal Course in Mission Hills Donguan Centre on Thursday.

China's pairing of Zhang Lianwei (L) and Liang Wenchong will carry high hopes for a local victory. Scotland's defence of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China begins on Thursday with Colin Montgomerie and Alastair Forsyth looking to become the first team to retain the title in eight years. [China.org.cn]

Golf is eyeing up a spot in future Olympics, so it was unsurprising that the 2008 tournament should take advantage of earlier events this year to bill itself as "The Olympics of Golf". It will take place over the striking Olazabal course at the spectacular Dongguan Mission Hills Centre. Donguan offers a choice of twelve different courses at the site, crossing and intersecting with each other as they climb the hills and cross the valleys of the wooded mountains.

A scale model of the Donguan Mission Hills Golf Centre provides an impression of its size and spectacular setting.  [China.org.cn]

The Olazabal course is considered to be one of the most challenging of the Mission Hills layouts, and it is also one of the most scenic. From the first hole onwards the players have the opportunity to open their shoulders and launch their drives down some inviting drops, but there are some stiff climbs as well, and some long walks from green to the following tee to add to the exertions while the ball is in play.

Water is used sparingly but imaginatively, in particular on the 580 yard par-5 15th, which bends round in such a severe dog-leg that it almost has the professionals thinking about taking on the green from the tee. For some of the amateurs in Wednesday's pro-am, in contrast, it proved to be a long and watery haul.

Water is used sparingly but to good effect. Ross Fisher goes for the green in two on the 580 yard long par-5 15th. [China.org.cn]

The Opening Ceremony took place on the 18th Hole by the green, where Scotland as the holders led the representatives of the 28 participating countries forward to declare the launch of this year's tournament, which came into existence in 1953. Scotland won last year with Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren edging American pair Boo Weekely and Heath Slocum in a three-hole playoff. Montgomerie is back this year but with a new partner in Alastair Forsyth.

Monty was hungry at the team's press conference - hungry for success. "I hope this one doesn't go to a playoff," he quipped. "My record in playoffs isn't great. It's up to Alastair to make sure that doesn't happen again this year." But he was upbeat about his own form and the team's chances of retaining the trophy. Of last week's Hong Kong Open he said: "I had a very good chance of winning. There was a putt that should have gone in on the ninth but lipped out. That would have put me two behind the leaders with ten to play, and that's a huge improvement over the way things have been going."

He also pointed to the strength of his past record in team events, happy to acknowledge that in recent years his performances there have been better than in individual competition.

Scotland's senior representative is interviewed on the 12th tee by Dougie Donnelly, one of the country's best-known media personalities.[China.org.cn]

The unusual format too will have its say in matters. Overall the competition will be decided by strokeplay, but Thursday and Saturday will be fourballs, where best ball counts, while Friday and Sunday will be foursomes, where each pair plays only one ball.