His expected main challenger in the amateur event, former world snooker champion Stephen Hendry, who plays off seven at Blairgowrie Golf Club in Scotland, was unable to match Garcia’s accuracy off the tee and excellent iron play.
Garcia birdied the last two holes on the final day, a difficult par-4 and par-5 respectively.
“I feel as though I played well,” he said after the round. “I’m not a range type of guy – I just like to get out and play.
"The course here is magnificent. It's difficult but still beautiful. For me to be able to come here, enjoy this hospitality and play golf shows me once again how lucky I am. It's great to see people here in China taking to golf. I had heard that was the case but I have never been to Asia before so it's great to be able to finally see things for myself.
Unlike Garcia, Hendry is a China regular, visiting the country every month for snooker clinics and other commitments. The 43-year-old, a seven-time world snooker champion, has been playing golf since he was 14. Since retiring from professional snooker this year, he intends playing golf more often.
“I didn't play well in this event. If I had played to my handicap I could have won and I should have scored better,” he said. As for the difference between snooker and golf, he remarked: “In snooker, the table never changes. Golf is a different challenge altogether.”
