It’s a “high five” for ASGCA Past President Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley, ASGCA. For the fifth consecutive year, the team at Schmidt-Curley Design has been named Asia-Pacific’s Best Golf Course Architect. 2015 also marks the ninth straight year the firm has claimed a top-three finish.
Founded in 1997, Schmidt-Curley has designed more than 150 layouts in 25 countries with 80 courses across the Asia-Pacific region.
“We greatly appreciate the honor and recognition,” Curley said.
For nearly two decades, Schmidt-Curley Design has been intimately involved with the Asian golf industry.
The firm’s extensive work at China’s Mission Hills also received praise during the Awards ceremony in Singapore.
Ten-course Mission Hills Haikou – entirely master-planned and designed by Schmidt-Curley – maintained its position as the Best Golf Resort in Asia-Pacific.
Its Blackstone Course, host of the 2011 World Cup of Golf and the World Celebrity Pro-Am, retained its Best Course in China title and was also named runner-up in the Best Championship Course in Asia-Pacific segment. Curley believes it has become “One of the premier tournament courses in the world.
“The Blackstone Course at Mission Hills Haikou has established itself as one of the ‘must play’ venues in Asia,” Curley said. “Its striking contrast of golf within a black lava field terrain is equally scenic and demanding and with risk/reward opportunity at the final holes, this course should prove to be one of the premier tournament courses in the world.”
Furthermore, Mission Hills’ Rose-Poulter Course was named Best New Course in Asia Pacific. European Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose and Ian Poulter worked on the design in conjunction with Curley.
Curley said: “These awards are testament to the quality of our outstanding and highly talented team and the professional service we provide.”
No fewer than five high-profile Schmidt-Curley Design courses have hosted a major professional event in 2015:
* The LPGA Tour’s Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course
* LPGA’s JTBC Founders Cup at the Wildfire Golf Club at JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
* World Ladies Championship at the Blackstone Course at China’s Mission Hills Hainan was the scene of Korean Ryu So-yeon’s triumph in the World Ladies Championship
* PGA Tour China Series Buick Open at Sandbelt Trails Course
* Thailand Open at Siam Country Club
Curley said: “We are honoured that so many of our courses continue to be selected as venues for top-level professional tournaments. We are proud also of our record of consistent design achievement, master-planning expertise, and client satisfaction.”