CLPGA’s Crystal Huang to add glamour and athleticism to the Singapore Ladies Masters.
The inaugural Singapore Ladies Masters presented by Trust Golf will make its debut on the China Ladies Professional Golf Association (CLPGA) when it tees off at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club, Masters course from July 6-8.
Organised by LLD Sports, the Singapore Ladies Masters is also CLPGA’s first event outside mainland China and will see 132 players battle for a US$100,000 prize purse in a 54-hole strokeplay competition.
Since its founding in 2008, the CLPGA has rapidly built a reputation for producing top players that has enjoyed success beyond its borders with previous CLPGA Order of Merit winners Feng ShanShan, Lin Xiyu and Zhang WeiWei, all having played on the worldwide LPGA tour.
“We are proud to present the first CLPGA event in Singapore and very excited to introduce the very talented ladies in the tour who will be coming to Laguna National Golf Resort Club this July,” said Lyn Yeo, founder of LLD Sports.
“The CLPGA is an exceptional tour and is known to be a very hospitable tour that will definitely offer something different for golf fans and spectators who come to watch them play,” she continued.
Presenting sponsor Trust Golf, part of Thailand’s tech giant TCT Corporation, believes in developing golfing talent across the world through the support of key events such as the Women’s Scottish Open, Trust Golf Mixed Series and now the Singapore Ladies Masters.
“We have supported the Asian Tour, the Ladies European Tour and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and now Trust Golf is proud to be this year’s presenting sponsor of the CLPGA’s Singapore Ladies Masters, helping to inspire the next generation of champions in Singapore and the region,” said Trust Golf founder, Dr Prin Singhanart.
The republic’s top women’s professional and amateur golfers, Amanda Tan and Shannon Tan, are among the early entries who have confirmed their participation.
CLPGA Order of Merit Leader Sui Xiang has committed to competing at the Singapore Ladies Masters.
Also arriving are top stars like current CLPGA Order of Merit Leader, Sui Xiang, and fellow CLPGA pro Crystal Huang from Hong Kong. The 23-year-old Xiang turned professional in 2017 and won her maiden event at the season-ending Zhuhai Challenge last December. Huang represented Hong Kong at the China National Championship in Chongqing, also in December last year.
“I can’t wait to play in the Singapore Ladies Masters in July and look forward to playing in such a beautiful golf course, see you all at Laguna National,” said Huang.
Amanda Tan lifting the winner’s trophy at the FCA Women’s Championship in Florida last year
Hopes will be high for Singapore with Amanda, being 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. The 24-year-old is looking forward to playing opportunities back home.
“I am glad the event worked out well with my playing schedule on the Epson Tour, so I can be back competing in familiar ground. It is always a pleasure being able to compete at home so I am very excited for the week ahead,” she said.
Shannon, a 19-year-old Texas Tech University undergraduate, also finished joint fourth in the recent NCAA Division 1 regionals and shared her excitement about coming back and competing at Laguna National, her home club.
“I am looking forward to the Singapore Ladies Masters especially because it is the first CLPGA event to be hosted at my home club, Laguna National, and I hope to do well against top competitors in China and the region,” she said.
Shannon Tan is Singapore’s top-ranked amateur and is no stranger competing against a professional field
Currently ranked 73rd on the WAGR, Shannon Tan is Singapore’s top-ranked amateur and is no stranger competing against a professional field.
To enhance local participation, apart from Shannon, spots are also given to local top amateurs Anne Fernandez and Jaymie Ng.
A qualifying event will then be held at Laguna National’s Masters Course, site of the tournament, to select one more amateur spot and another two Open spots. Amanda will play on a sponsor’s invite.
Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling, who has been playing on the domestic circuits in Korea, China and Europe since turning professional in 2017, will also play on a sponsors’ invite. Other players will be announced by mid-June.
The event’s Main Sponsor is Criti Rora, a lab-grown diamond brand that specialises in cultivating diamonds using globally leading technology. Company founder and vice chair of the Zhejiang Golf Association Ni Biao said, “This is the first time I’m supporting the Singapore Ladies Masters and I hope that the CLPGA and women’s golf can be promoted through this internationally recognised platform so that we can create a bigger impact, boost its visibility around the world and attract more elite players to participate in the future.”
As host to their third different global golf tour event in 2023 alone, Laguna National Golf Resort Club is well-prepared to welcome the athletes from the CLPGA come July.
“We are always looking forward to having top professional golfers from around the world come and compete in our two championship courses, the Masters and the Classic. With the Singapore Ladies Masters, we would have hosted our third professional golf event this year, following the DP World Tour’s Singapore Classic and LET’s Aramco Team Series. I am sure the Singapore Ladies Masters will be a great success,” said Kevin Kwee, executive director at the premier golf resort club.
The Singapore Ladies Masters presented by Trust Golf is the fourth leg of the 2023 CLPGA season after stops in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong.
