Singapore’s Amanda Tan and Aloysa Atienza will be seeking to end their 2023 season with performances befitting of their status as one of the best golfers from the country when the second edition of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup returns to the Pondok Indah Golf Couse in Jakarta from December 21-23.
Teeing up at their last event of the year, the pair will be flying the country’s flag at the Ladies Asian Tour Series-sanctioned tournament, which boosts a lucrative total prize fund of US$750,000 and a strong field that features powerhouses in women’s golf with teams from South Korea, Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei.
Former world number one, Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand is expected to headline the event along with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who has six wins on the LPGA Tour and six on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf (JLPGA) Tour.
Atienza, who was recently named the Female Golfer of the Year at the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) Annual Gala and Awards dinner, believes her second appearance at the tournament will be an improved one despite enduring a lacklustre season.
“Having played against top players like Yealimi Noh in the same event last year, I felt like I learnt a lot from her and I hope that this year I’ll be able to improve on my performance from then,” said Atienza, who finished in tied-36th place at the inaugural event.
“2023 is definitely not the best of years for me, performance-wise. It has been a year of grinding. Regardless, I think that this year has been very important in my journey thus far as I’m learning to dig deep during my struggles and to focus on trusting the process.
“Nevertheless, I’ve been blessed with countless opportunities to represent Singapore in major events this year. All of which I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learnt heaps,” added the 25-year-old.
Having described 2023 as a year of struggles, Tan, who is the first Singaporean to earn a card for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Epson Tour - the second tier of the women’s professional circuit in the United States, is also hoping to turn the corner with a good performance in Jakarta.
“No doubt 2023 has been tough for me. Having to barely make cuts on the Epson tour and struggling with my game hasn’t made it easy. Despite all the lows I am honoured to have the opportunity to represent Singapore in the Asian games and definitely learn a lot in my first year on the Epson Tour.
“I would like to just go out there and play my best. Enjoy the whole experience and learn as much out of it as I can,” said Tan.
The Simone Asia Pacific Cup, hosted by the Asian Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), serves as a gathering ground for 29 teams from 13 APAC golf associations, featuring formidable contenders like South Korea, Japan, and Thailand in Indonesia.
The tournament adopts a 54-hole stroke play format, with a lucrative purse of US$550,000 allocated for the individual contest.
Additionally, there's an enticing US$200,000 up for grabs in the team competition, intensifying the stakes and adding an extra layer of excitement to this prestigious event.
The Koreans secured team victory in the inaugural edition last year through So-yeon Lee and Bomee Lee, while Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines took home the individual title.
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