Siam Country Club Waterside putting green
The R&A and Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) announced the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship 2022 edition will be played on the Waterside Course at the Siam Country Club in Thailand from 3-6 November.
The WAAP aims to inspire future generations of women golfers and provides the champion with a launchpad into international golf through exemptions into multiple women’s major championships and other elite amateur championships.
The winner will be invited to compete in three major championships; the AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship and, for the first time, the Chevron Championship, to be played in Texas in 2023.
In addition, they will also be invited to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Hana Financial Group Championship.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive at The R&A, said, “The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship is at the pinnacle of the women’s amateur game in the region and we are thrilled to be taking it to such an outstanding venue.
“We established this championship to give the top women’s players the chance to excel and progress toward the professional game. We have undoubtedly succeeded when you look at the success of Yuka Saso, Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul among others.
“We are looking forward to a fantastic championship as we visit Thailand and the Siam Country Club for the first time.”
APGC Chairman Taimur Hassan Amin said that the WAAP, first played in 2018, had already become a feature on the international amateur calendar and showcases the best golfers and courses in the region.
“Our region continues to be at the forefront of giving amateur golfers extraordinary global opportunities,” he said.
“Thailand is continuing to produce so many talented golfers, including the inaugural WAAP champion Atthaya Thitikul, so it is fitting that the country will host the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship for the first time.”
The Waterside Course was opened in 2014, can play up to 7400 yards, and is designed around the unique waterways and gentle topography of what is now a 63-hole complex belonging to the Siam Motor Company, approximately 130km south of Bangkok.
Siam Motors Company President, Dr. Phornthep Phornprapha, said he was extremely grateful that The R&A and Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) recognises his company’s golf vision to not only support young talented golfers but also encourage all young people to take up golf.
“We take pride in presenting courses and experiences that are unique, challenging and memorable for our members and guests, it is not often that you can experience courses where all the greats have played before. Therefore, we are delighted to also give that opportunity to the best young female golfers in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Following the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, The R&A and the APGC can also confirm the championship is moving back to their preferred March slot in the calendar in 2023.
The WAAP was developed by The R&A and APGC to unearth emerging talent and provide a route for Asia’s elite female amateurs to the international stage.
The R&A is supported by championship event partners that share its commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific. The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship is proudly supported by Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Rolex, Samsung and Trust Golf.
More information on the WAAP can be found at the championship website, https://www.randa.org/en/championships/womensamateurasiapacific
