Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Link Hong Kong Open Prize Giving Ceremony today (November 24):
Peter (Dr Peter Lam, President, Hong Kong Golf Club), Andy (Mr Andy Kwok, Captain, Hong Kong Golf Club), George (Mr George Hongchoy, Group Chief Executive Officer, Link), Kelvin (Dr Kelvin Inge, President, Golf Association of Hong Kong, China), Cho (Mr Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Chief Executive), Gary (Mr Gary Player, Hong Kong Open Ambassador), Raistlin (Mr Raistlin Lau, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism), fellow golf lovers,
I can see many happy faces here. Obviously everyone has a smashing time on this venerable and picturesque Fanling course.
I am privileged and jubilant to be with you today. I am here to show Government's support for the sport of golf. And I want to thank you (especially those coming from outside Hong Kong) for joining the Link Hong Kong Open, which is a Mega Event funded and supported by our Major Sports Event Committee.
This year's tournament is wonderful as usual. And we have seen many good golf played this week. What makes this year's event especially special is that it is also a test event for staging the golf championships of the 15th National Games of the country. We are looking forward to the event and hope to see you at the championships in a year's time.
Before closing, I must thank the Hong Kong Golf Club and the Golf Association of Hong Kong, China for making the Open such a spectacular success.
Lastly, and very importantly, I congratulate Patrick (Mr Patrick Reed) on winning this title. Unbeknown to you, Patrick, I am among your fans. I followed you here in Fanling in the 2016 Hong Kong Open, when you played in the group with Ian Poulter. Now that you have won the tournament, you have joined the ranks of past winners such as Greg Norman and Tom Watson, and you have surpassed them by setting a new single day course record and equalled the tournament course record. A big, big congratulations indeed!
Thank you all very much.
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