St Andrews University is using the game of golf to establish new links with China.
The university has teamed up with Mission Hills, the country’s top golf brand, to establish scholarships for some of China’s brightest young players.
It follows a charity tournament held last week at the company’s resort in Dongguan, near Hong Kong, the third event of its kind to raise scholarship funds.
Once established, the scheme will aim to help academically gifted young Chinese golfers live and study at St Andrews, combining classes with the chance to improve their skills at the Home of Golf.
Mission Hills will identify potential candidates from the cream of China’s golfing youth, before St Andrews makes the final selection on academic merit.
Funding will be provided for a minimum of one semester and this can be extended to a whole academic year of a full degree course.
The student will also be considered for acceptance into the university’s Saints Golf Programme for the duration of the overseas study term.
Derek Watson, St Andrews quaestor and factor, said: “We may be from the home of golf, but from what I have seen here China will play a huge part in the future of the great game.
“This event will contribute towards our scholarship funds. These will be used to give students from China and Hong Kong the opportunity to come and be part of our family.
“We will welcome them, nurture their talent and educate them, and move forward with them as they write our future.”
As well as building relationships on the course, a programme of activities and exchanges between Mission Hills and St Andrews University has also been established.
Mission Hills will make a financial contribution to the town’s museum, to which St Andrews has responded by donating exhibits for the soon-to-be-opened Dr David Chu Golf Museum the first such public facility in China at Mission Hills at Shenzhen.
Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of the Mission Hills Group, said: “Both Mission Hills and St Andrews University share a commitment to grow golf in China by providing talented young Chinese players access to a world-class university to study and improve their game.
“We feel strongly that a sustainable long-term future for golf in China depends on growing the game at the grass-roots level.
“This programme is a significant investment in that future.”