The 31st edition of the Volvo China Open will welcome local and international stars to Enhance Anting Golf Club, with one of the strongest fields yet confirmed for next week’s national championship.
The US$2.75 million tournament, which takes place from April 23-26 in the Jiading District, will be headlined by defending champion Ashun Wu, who will attempt to make history in becoming the first player to win the championship three times.
His first win at the China Tour and DP World Tour co-sanctioned event came in 2015.
“Ten years ago, winning the Volvo China Open gave me the opportunity to move to the DP World Tour,” said the five-time winner on the DP World Tour.
“Then, the year before last, I lost my DP World Tour card. Last year, I won the Volvo China Open again and earned my way back. Without a doubt I am the player who has benefited the most from this tournament.”
For Wu to make a successful title defence, he will have to best a field that includes New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier and South African Thriston Lawrence, who sit 90th and 101st, respectively, in the Official World Golf Ranking.
The 156-player field includes a host of tournament winners from the past two seasons on the DP World Tour, the top 40 players from the China Tour, and 12 players who earned their spot through the 36-hole Volvo China Open Qualifying tournament held earlier this month.
After winning last year’s championship at Enhance Anting by one stroke in carding six birdies over the final 11 holes, Wu said he was ready to defend this title, despite enduring a nagging “tennis elbow” that has plagued him the past two years.
“This win meant far more than just another championship,” said the 40-year-old. “The win gave me a two-year (playing) exemption and allows me to focus on treatment and recovery.”
Injury aside, undoubtedly a formidable challenge for Wu is the deep and talented field chasing the US$467,500 winner’s purse. Among the notables are Spaniard Nacho Elvira, winner of the Dubai Invitational, German Freddy Schott, the Bahrain Championship winner, and Jordan Gumberg, the American who won last month’s Hainan Classic.
With five-time DP World Tour winner Lawrence making his Volvo China Open debut, others not to be overlooked include Andy Sullivan, the veteran English professional who is fifth in the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World, and Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, the 2025 Indian Open winner. Former Volvo China Open champions Alexander Levy (France) and Adrian Otaegui (United Arab Emirates) are also in the field.
The Chinese contingent is equally impressive as it includes DP World Tour members Wenyi Ding and Yanhan Zhou, Asian Tour regular Sampson Zheng and China Tour champions Xinjun Zhang, Zihao Jin, Charles Wang and Tong Yang. Top junior standouts Jin Han, Haoyi Wang and Mengyang Li are also confirmed.
For Hillier, the Kiwi returns to Shanghai in the midst of a career-best season that started with two top ten finishes in Australia in December. After finishing runner-up at the Dubai Invitational, he went one better in March in winning the New Zealand Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
He is appearing in the Volvo China Open for a third straight year after finishing equal 36th last year at the Robert Trent Jones II-designed Enhance Anting course.
“I love coming to China and this event. The Chinese fans are always very supportive,” said Hillier, who represented his country with Ryan Fox at the 2024 Olympic Games.
“Enhance Anting is a challenging course, but I think it suits my game as you have to drive it well out there. Off the tee is important, and being disciplined with my strategy and patient all week as there are some tricky holes out there.”
Hillier, who sits tenth on the Race to Dubai, is looking to build on his consistent form and add to his trophy cabinet come Sunday afternoon in Shanghai.
“It's been a great few months on and off the course. I know I play my best when I'm relaxed and trying to enjoy my golf as much as possible. I feel really confident with the driver and that's freed up my approach game and putting,” he said.
“Every week we try to win, but I won’t get too far ahead (of myself). I will just focus on executing good shots and the result will take care of itself.”
With the Volvo China Open being the penultimate event of the DP World Tour’s four-tournament Asian Swing, the top three players after the Turkish Airlines Open the week following will earn a place in the field for the US PGA Championship.
For more information and tickets, please visit volvoingolf.com.
