Yang Yong-eun to head open field at China Open golf tournament

Asia's first major winner Yang Yong-eun will head the field at next month's $2.5 million China Open golf tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the OneAsia and European Tours.

South Korean Yang will be joined by Swede Henrik Stenson at the April 15-18 event at the Suzhou Jinji Lake International Golf Club, Jiangsu province, the China Daily reported.                                          

China has been a happy hunting ground for the 38-year-old South Korean, who overhauled Tiger Woods to win last year's US PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

"I have great memories of my breakthrough victory at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai in 2007," said Yang. "To become the first Asian golfer to win a major was a huge achievement.  

"With that success comes responsibility -- an opportunity to help develop Asian golf on the world stage." Stenson has also tasted victory on Chinese soil, winning the World Cup of golf with fellow Swede Robert Karlsson at Mission Hills in 2008.