Professional golf resumes in Thailand this month with the Sandbox Swing in Phuket. The Professional Golf Association of Thailand (Thai PGA) and the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT), with the support of Singha Corporation, will stage eight tournaments in the famous island highlighted by two full ATGT events.
The Sandbox Swing also includes Thai PGA tournaments beginning with a one-day event at Blue Canyon on September 13, followed by the two-day Singha-SAT TDT Blue Canyon on September 14-15 and the three-day Singha-SAT Blue Canyon Championship on September 17-19. The ATGT’s prestigious Singha All Thailand Championship then tees off at Blue Canyon on September 23-26 with a total purse of 3 million baht.
Next on the schedule is a one-day Thai PGA event on September 27, two-day Singha-SAT TDT Phuket on September 28-29 and the 2 million baht Singha-SAT Phuket Classic on October 1-3, all at Blue Canyon. The eighth and final event in the Sandbox Swing is the ATGT’s Singha Laguna Phuket Open at Laguna Golf Phuket on October 7-10, offering 3 million baht in prize money.
The ATGT had been suspended since the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship in March due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. With Thailand moving into a recovery phase spearheaded by the reopening of Phuket to vaccinated tourists since July 1 followed by Ko Samui two weeks later, the tour’s resumption is supported by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Blue Canyon Country Club
Phuket deputy governor Phichet Pananong noted that hosting golf events is a great contributor to the island’s economy.
“Golfers and peoples who have done golf-related activities are potential and likely to stay for a long time, spending money. Golf tourism has proven a boon for revenue generation,” said Pichet during a recent press conference presided over by Thailand’s Tourism and Sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.
“We are really happy that both private and government sectors have been working closely to develop and revive the economy in Phuket. It also includes promoting and reviving tourism in the province. I strongly believe that the Sandbox Swing will promote tourism and boost the economy after this new wave of Covid-19 outbreak,” he added.
Also present at the press conference were SAT governor Gongsak Yodmanee, TAT deputy governor of marketing Thanes Phetsuwan, Laguna Phuket senior assistant vice president/group director Paul Wilson, Blue Canyon chairman Praphant Asava-aree, Thai PGA president Methee Sudhasna Na Ayutthaya, ATGT commissioner Jakkrapong Thongyai and tournament director Jittisak Tamprasert.
Laguna Golf Phuket
