Yao fires free throws on the fairway

Basketball came to the golf course at Mission Hills in China on Monday as Yao Ming showcased the skills that made him a NBA star.

Yao took some free throws at a basket set up next to the 18th green on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Dongguan during a media conference for next month's spectacular Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am.

The former Houston Rockets superstar confirmed he would once again be teeing it up in the globally televized tournament after concentrating on his golf game after the previous edition.

"This will be my second time to play in the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am and my goal for this year is to improve my golf skills to reach a new level," said Yao. "I have less than two months to practice but I will work hard and try my best."

And Yao has no doubts about which famous celebrity he wants to play with when the star-studded event gets underway. "Morgan Freeman!" he replied instantly, when the question was put to him. "I know Morgan Freeman plays golf very well and he is my idol. It would be fantastic to be paired with him."

Asked to compare golf with basketball, Yao said the mental side of the sport made it perfect for young people to take up.

"Golf needs more patience, so it is a good way to train juniors to have peace of mind. We all know that young people have a lot of pressure nowadays, so we need to let them know a good mindset is much more important since life is a long journey."

The third edition of the World Celebrity Pro-Am will be held from Oct 24-26 at the fully-integrated Mission Hills Haikou Resort on the tropical island of Hainan.

The tournament will see 24 professional golfers and 24 celebrities come together for a bonanza of action and entertainment - including an exhibition of the new combination sport that Mission Hills recently introduced to China, football golf.

Oscar winners Freeman and Nicole Kidman are lined up to appear, together with Hollywood heartthrob Chris Evans. Dazzling actress Jessica Alba is confirmed to take part, as is music maestro Kenny G.

Sporting icons heading to the World Celebrity Pro-Am include two Olympic legends, Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko and Chinese gymnast Li Ning, and Portuguese former international soccer player Lu��s Figo.

Top golfers confirmed for the tournament include 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose, the flamboyant Ian Poulter, multiple major winners Gary Player and Greg Norman, former Open Championship winner Darren Clarke and Europe's 2014 Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley.

In total, participants in this year's star-spangled event have collected more than 160 acting awards, more than 100 music awards, 35 Olympic and World Championship medals and a staggering 335 professional golf victories, including 15 majors.

(China Daily 09/03/2014 page23)