Three of the favorites for the $1.5 million Volvo China Open title met the media at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen on Wednesday.

Former US Amateur champion Andy Ogletree is the current Order of Merit (OOM) leader on The International Series and gave his thoughts on his current form, the challenging golf course and his chances of extending his OOM lead with a high-place finish here this weekend.

"I have been playing really good golf this past year and I have a lot of confidence coming into this tournament," said Ogletree, 25. "It's my first time here in China and I am looking forward to seeing the front nine - I saw the back nine yesterday and loved the golf course and felt the conditions were really good.

"It looks like there are a few holes out here where they can move the tees around. For instance, 18 could be a drivable par 4 or it could be a pretty long par 4, so it's good to figure out what club to hit off the tees and also get used to the green speed.

"The greens are a little bit slower in Asia to what I'm used to in America, so it is a bit of an adjustment for me, but I've always enjoyed this kind of grass out here in Asia and I feel it's a bit easier to read for me, so I feel like I've always enjoyed this kind of golf and dissecting the course week to week, and the same will happen here in China."

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell was also impressed with the condition of the golf course and ready for the test that awaits him and redemption for a possible missed opportunity from his previous participation in the Volvo China Open, where he placed second.

"I had a look around the golf course yesterday and it looks spectacular, it's in great condition and I think the last time I played the Volvo China Open it was in Beijing," said 44-year-old former Ryder Cup player McDowell. "It is great to be back - the golf course looks amazing.

"I've always enjoyed coming to this part of the world. The hotel and the golf course are exceptional and of course playing the next three events (Volvo China Open, Hong Kong Open & Indonesian Masters), I'm here to compete and to win tournaments, and I would like to finish the unfinished business from the last Volvo China Open.

"It seems to be a key driving course. The targets are narrow-ish in places and if you miss them you are in big trouble. The greens seem quite undulating so picking your spots where to land the ball coming into the targets is also going to be key."

Hong Kong's Taichi Kho was the third player in the interview and said he was looking forward to starting play on Thursday and was also keen to add to his maiden Asian Tour victory, which came earlier this year in the World City Championship in Hong Kong.

"I only live an hour away but it's actually my first time here," said Kho, 22, the first Hong Kong-born player to win on the Asian Tour. "Like the other guys, I managed to get out there yesterday and see it, it's a great golf course, the type of grass is really good and I think the greens are the same as my home course so it is good to have that familiarity. Overall it has been a fun week so far and I hope to have a good week.

"I feel really good about my game. It has been a fun year so far just to learn and to grow every week. When I won at the Asian Games (in Hangzhou) it was really good to see that local support with a lot of Chinese fans out there, so hopefully I get a little more of that this week and it will be good to feed off that."

With an Asian Tour victory and an Asian Games gold medal to his credit, Kho was asked which one was more special.

"Both wins were really special," he said. "In Hong Kong, I was able to do it in front of all my friends and family at my home course, and that has a really special place in my heart. But the Asian Games is probably the best golf I have ever played in my life. A win is a win and I treat both of them equally.

"It's a huge privilege to have those titles but I'm pretty sure as the years come on there will be good Hong Kong players and good Chinese mainland players. I know I am not going to be the only one in the near future but it's good to be where I am at just now."

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