Inaugural Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open set to roar in the Lion City
The inaugural Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open is set to make its long-awaited debut at the Tanah Merah Country Club from December 9-11 and will serve as the curtain raiser of the 2023 Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour (KLPGA Tour) season.
The creation of a national women’s open in Singapore also underlines title sponsor Hana Financial Group’s drive to develop women’s golf in the region.
The Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open, promoted by Mediapro Asia, will become the first tournament in four years to be staged outside Korea since Vietnam played host to the Hyosung Championship in December 2018.
Boasting a lucrative prize purse of SGD $1.1 million, the tournament jointly sanctioned by Singapore Golf Association (SGA) and KLPGA, was initially scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Singapore is the third South-East Asian country after Vietnam and Brunei to form part of the KLPGA Tour as it continues to expand its presence in the region.
The Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open field will feature 102 players comprising leading KLPGA Tour players of the 2022 KLPGA Tour season and players from Asia Pacific countries mutually agreed players by SGA and AGLF which are made up of local and regional rising stars not playing on the KLPGA Tour.
Singapore’s leading professional Koh Sock Hwee will spearhead the local charge which is also expected to feature the likes of talented amateurs Shannon Tan, Aloysa Margiela Atienza and Jaymie Ng.
SGA President Tan Chong Huat said: "It's been a long two years wait, we're so glad that the tournament will finally take place in December.
"Working hand in hand with our title sponsor Hana Financial Group, KLPGA and AGLF, we are committed to getting the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open off to a roaring start and setting the tone for the many editions to come. We value and support their vision and commitment to expanding their regional footprint where Singapore will feature prominently.
"Inside the ropes, I hope our women's golfers- whether professional or amateur, will make the most of this excellent opportunity to take on some of the biggest names in the game and get inspired."
Paul Park, General Manager of Global Sports Marketing, Hana Financial Group said: “With the support of SGA, we are confident the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open will form a key cornerstone of our plans to expand our footprint into South-East Asia.
“This creation of this national Open will provide women golfers in Asia with the opportunity to compete against the best and also promote the development of women's golf in the region.”
Tanah Merah Country Club’s President, Ronald Ong is also delighted and honoured to welcome some of the best women golfers in the region and beyond to the Club’s championship Tampines course.
“Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC) has a long tradition of supporting women’s golf and has in the past hosted the Kosaido Asahi Ladies Championship, Lexus Cup, HSBC Women‘s Champions (now renamed the HSBC Women’s World Championships) and Queen Sirikit Cup. TMCC is very pleased to continue this tradition with the inaugural Ladies Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open.
“The Tampines course is designed for championship play and we can look forward to seeing a fine display of golfing skills from the top lady golfers as they play the challenging layout,” said Ong.
The tournament will also be the season-opening event on the burgeoning Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series. In 2022, the DB Group 36th Korea Women’s Open in June, Simone Asia-Pacific Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia in August and the Hana Financial Group Championship, a major event of the KLPGA Tour in September were part of the series.
Operated by Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), the LAT Series is a Korean non-profit organisation that aspires to further promote women's golf in Asia and unite Asian countries through the new circuit launched back in 2020.
Details of the other marque players expected to tee up at Tanah Merah Country Club will be announced soon.
