Shi Yuli
The China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA) will stage the inaugural Singapore Ladies Masters, presented by Trust Golf and organised by LLD Sports, at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club from July 6 to 8. Chinese professionals Shi Yuli, Ji Yuai and amateur Ni Zixin are looking forward to an exciting week of competition at Laguna National Golf Resort Club
Across a 54-hole stroke-play format featuring a final-day top 60 cut, 132 players will battle for a US$100,000 (S$135,000) prize purse at Laguna National’s Masters course.
The tournament, featuring both professionals and amateurs, will be headlined by the top players on the CLPGA Order of Merit – Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, current merit leader and China’s Shi Yuli, ranked third on the merit list.
Shi, who is also ranked 616th in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, will be competing in Singapore for the second time after a tied-44th finish at the Singapore Women’s Open in December 2022.
The 21-year-old said: “The weather here is excellent, the golf course is beautiful, and it offers a strong challenge. The fairways are narrow, and the greens are small, but the overall condition of the course is excellent.
“This week, I will try my best to hit the fairways and improve my success rate in saving shots around the greens. I will focus on my approach shots and putting.
“I will do my best to play my own game and naturally strive for better positions (on the CLPGA Order of Merit).”
This year, Shi aims to follow in the footsteps of her elder sister, Shi Yuting, to compete on Japan’s LPGA Tour by going through qualifying school.
Compatriot Ji Yuai, who is 6th on the CLPGA Order of Merit, believes the CLPGA Tour is a great pathway for China’s female golfers.
“CLPGA is very dear to us. For many Chinese golfers, it has witnessed our different stages from youth, amateur to professional,” the 18-year-old said.
“CLPGA is my first main tour, and becoming a member of CLPGA has been my goal since I started learning golf.”
Ji, who is a CLPGA rookie, is bidding to win her first Tour title and targets a top three finish.
About navigating Laguna National’s Masters course, Ji said: “This course does not really suit me as my strength lies in driving distance, but this course requires accuracy due to the narrow fairways.
“I expect to use my three-wood off the tee on some occasions to manage that and I’ll do my best to perform well.”
Having witnessed fellow countrywoman Yin Ruoning claim her first Major title at June’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Ji added: “Yin Ruoning’s championship win proves the strength of Chinese golf and shows the power of the younger generation to more people.”
Leading China’s amateur contingent at the tournament is 15-year-old Ni Zixin, who made waves for becoming the youngest CLPGA champion at 14, when she captured the Golf Liquor Challenge in August 2022 .
“I think the fairway is really narrow and not so wide, so it will be tough. I played an 18-hole practice round on Monday and the green speed is actually pretty fast,” Ni said.
“Besides hitting fairways, controlling my speed around the greens will be pretty important for me. I will spend more time practising around the green on my chipping and putting.”
Ni will be hoping to use her experience in Singapore from March’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, where she finished tied-13th among an 85-strong field, to shine at this tournament.
“The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific was very tough for me physically because we had to push our own golf carts. It was also a four-day tournament. I think it helps me (for the Ladies Masters) because the weather is the same,” she said.
Before turning professional, Ni intends to take the college golf path and eventually hopes to compete on the LPGA Tour, just like her idol Nelly Korda.
She added: “I’m not in the best physical condition right now because I just arrived earlier this week from the United States on a long-haul flight with many layovers.
“Overall, I think this course will be a very tough challenge. I’ve never played it before and I’ll have to adjust to the course conditions. I’ll try my best.”
The Singapore Ladies Masters is the fifth leg of the 2023 CLPGA season after stops in Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.
