Players at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore will be in for a few surprises when they take on Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course.
The club’s general manager and director of agronomy, Andrew Johnston, noted that changes have been made to three holes on the highly-rated layout.
“A brand-new green has been developed on The Tanjong’s third hole, adding 65 metres to the hole. This should make the overall experience of the hole more unique and challenging to negotiate for the players, as it is now guarded by a large bunker,” shared Johnston, who has been with the club for more than a decade.
“A small new slither has also been added to the fourth green, adding the possibility of a new Sunday pin position along the back right corner of the green, which is guarded by the creek’s winding edge.
“The tee complex of the fifth hole has been modified to eliminate the possibility of taking a shortcut right into the third fairway, therefore elevating the playing strategy of the hole,” added the affable American.
Johnston stressed that the modifications will add to the excitement of the competition and provide great viewing for all. “However, it does not change the fact that the players will still need to be accurate off the tee and with their irons to have any chance of succeeding.”
Hosting what is effectively the first large scale televised golf event in Asia since the Covid-19 pandemic started is another feather in Sentosa Golf Club’s much-decorated cap.
“The past 18 months have been a very unprecedented time for the world, and sport in particular. Although there will be no spectators attending this year’s event, the tournament can still play a significant role in showcasing how far Singapore has come since the start of the pandemic,” noted Johnston.
“The event will have a much bigger impact than just highlighting the country’s ability to run high-profile sporting events in safe conditions. It will show the world that Singapore is back open for business and ready to welcome visitors back in for tourism. This will be the most important aspect of this year’s tournament,” he elaborated.
With the LPGA Tour’s strict Covid-18 safeguards in place, Johnston and his team will be confined to what is termed the ‘outer bubble’ of the event, while players and tournament organisers will move within an ‘inner bubble’.
“The inner bubble will not be allowed to interact with the outer bubble throughout the tournament in order to minimise any potential risk of a Covid-19 outbreak,” Johnston explained, adding that all the players underwent testing prior to leaving the USA and once again upon arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore.
“There will be a limited capacity for 250 guests daily in the hospitality area, but they will all be required to be ART tested daily before entering the property. I and all the staff at the club will be located in the outer bubble, so will not have any contact with the players or tournament organisers throughout the event.
“The event organisers, with support and in close consultation with the Singapore Tourism Board, have created the highest level of safety procedures for the tournament with all bases covered, to make sure that everyone involved, including the players, caddies, officials, television team and our staff, are all looked after properly,” he stressed.
While the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the club’s preparations for the event given the heavy volume of play once golf courses in Singapore reopened, Johnston noted that The Tanjong is primed and ready for the world’s best women golfers.
“Preparation for this year’s event has been very different than in normal years. Since the Circuit Breaker was lifted in June last year, The Tanjong has been operating at 100 percent capacity every day with members and guests looking to get back out on the course.
“The date for the tournament has also been unknown until only very recently, so our agronomy team have had to be nimble and work hard to make sure The Tanjong is in peak condition for the tournament. In normal years, we would run the golf courses at 65 percent occupancy in the build-up to the HSBC Women’s World Championship to give them time to recover, with tournament preparations starting three to four months before the tournament starts.
“However, the whole team has been more than up to the challenge and we are looking forward to watching another great event this year. It is truly a combination of science and art to ensure tournament-level course conditions!”
Johnston is expecting another exciting tournament in keeping with its DNA.
“There have been so many amazing moments created throughout the history of the tournament, especially in recent years, and what I love most is that the action on the course never fails to deliver. Every year is different with new players emerging to create historic moments that will live long in our memories,” he said.
“We have seen the world’s top three ranked players in the world paired together in the final round, that has never happened in men’s or women’s professional golf before. We witnessed Ha Na Jang dance like Beyonce, Inbee Park win multiple titles, Michelle Wee’s dramatic victory and Paula Creamer drain a 75-footer in double sudden-death.”
Johnston names American star Danielle Kang as his favourite for this year’s title. “The truth is the course is ready and the field is so strong anyone and everyone has a chance to win. Danielle Kang has been close a few times and she has been playing well, for some reason I think despite the super strong field it is her turn to hold the trophy on Sunday.”
Whoever wins, Johnston concluded, the tournament will live up to its reputation as being ‘Asia’s Major’.
“The HSBC Women’s World Championship is one of the finest events on the LPGA Tour. It brings together the best female players in the world and we are proud to be the host venue for the tournament.
“Since the tournament was first held at Sentosa in 2013, we have had some amazing champions including seven-time Major winner Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie, Ha Na Jang, and Park Sung-Hyun. I am looking forward to another great tournament on The Tanjong and seeing who will add their name to this prestigious list of champions on Sunday afternoon!”
Established in 1974, Sentosa Golf Club is widely regarded as the number one golf club in Singapore and has chalked up numerous awards and accolades over the years. The club is also one of the prime movers in environmental sustainability for golf, most recently highlighted by its Game On initiative to spur the golf industry to respond to climate change via sustainable operational and agronomic practices.
