Volvo China Open field full of challenges

As the 30th edition of the Volvo China Open gets ready to tee off Thursday in Shanghai, China No 1 Li Haotong and Wu Ashun are hoping to use their local knowledge of Enhance Anting Golf Club to their advantage in their respective bids to win the national championship for a second time.

With the Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed golf club hosting the championship for the first time, the challenging layout is a new experience for most of the field competing in the $2.55 million tournament, a co-sponsored event between the DP World Tour and China Tour.

Li, the 2016 Volvo China Open winner, thinks Chinese players have a "very real chance" to win on the course, a 7,168-yard, par-71 layout.

"I've been playing golf at this course regularly and know it well, but the greens have become significantly firmer and faster compared to before. It will really come down to the pin positions. The difficulty level is undoubtedly high, much tougher than during practice rounds. The key is to avoid the rough. I believe the second shot will be decisive. It all hinges on how well you execute that shot," said Li who won the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in February for his fourth DP World Tour title.

The 29-year-old Shanghai-based pro predicted that the winning score could "potentially reach 20-under par" this week under calm conditions. "I need to focus on executing every single shot and truly stay present in the moment," he said.