2026 Hainan Open tees off in Sanya

The 2026 Hainan Open held a press conference at the Luhuitou Golf Club in Sanya on the morning of Oct 6. As the tournament's first return following the Hainan Free Trade Port's island-wide special customs operations, the event aims to showcase the vitality and charm of the Hainan FTP to the world.

The tournament's main event, the Hainan Open European HotelPlanner Tour, is scheduled for Oct 8 to 11. This tour is a second-tier event on the European Golf Tour, boasting a total prize money of $500,000. It has drawn 126 professional players from 31 countries and regions to Sanya. The winners will qualify for the HotelPlanner Tour Grand Final in Mallorca and the 2027 DP World Tour season.

The tournament's player lineup is impressive, including Sweden's Christofer Blomstrand who tops the HotelPlanner Tour's Road to Mallorca rankings and is a strong contender for a European Tour comeback.

Jin Zihao, fresh from the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, was one of the standout players at the press conference. On Oct 3, he and teammates Ding Wenyi and Zheng Yunhe won China's first-ever men's team gold in golf at the Asian Games.

This year's tournament also features a new celebrity pro-am event. Kicking off on Oct 6, the pro-am includes 80 participants, such as entertainment and sports celebrities, business leaders and young golfers.