Lydia Ko will join World number one Jin Young Ko and number two Inbee Park in the field as international golf returns to the Asia Pacific region for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when the HSBC Women’s World Championship tees off in Singapore on Thursday.
The 7th ranked player in the world jetted into Singapore on Monday and is set to shrug off missing the cut in Los Angeles last weekend and re-find the form that took her to victory two weeks ago in Hawaii.
Ko will join 68 other players, representing 18 different nations will vie for one of the most coveted golf titles in Asia for the 13th edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club.
With a field that blends experience with breaking talent, the 2021 edition certainly lives up to the tournament’s reputation of ‘Asia’s Major’. Players arriving in the city-state include all three Olympic medallists and 22 different major winners, while the field boasts a cumulative total of 35 major titles and 171 LPGA Tour victories.
Defending champion Sung-Hyun Park returns to the scene of her 2019 triumph, as does Angela Stanford who claimed the trophy in 2012. Both will be looking to repeat the form that forever links their names with the Championship.
Making her Singapore debut is ANA Inspiration winner, Patty Tavatanakit. The 21-year old from Bangkok won the first major championship of the year in her rookie year on tour receives a sponsor invitation. She is joined by fellow Thais, Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, Jasmine Suwannapura and Pornanong Phatlum.
Grant Slack, EVP & Managing Director, Golf Events, IMG, said the return of top tier international golf to the region takes on an even greater significance than usual.
“We’re delighted to welcome the HSBC Women’s World Championship back to Singapore,” Slack said.
“Not only is this one of the stand-out golf events in Asia, it also marks an important return for elite golf to the region. As always, the Championship has an incredibly strong field and I have no doubt that the players will put on another spectacular show for us.
“Once again, I’d like to express our gratitude to all our partners for the support they have continued to show and a particular thanks to our title sponsor HSBC and also to Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore Tourism Board and our partners at the LPGA Tour. We’re set for a fantastic week of competition and we look forward to crowning the 2021 champion on Sunday.”
With limited spectator access due to Covid safety restrictions, fans can catch all the action as it unfolds in Singapore and around the world.
With a live telecast produced by Asian Tour Media, the tournament will be televised across 160 countries and reach millions of people around the world.
Coverage in New Zealand will appear in prime afternoon viewing time with Sky Sport 6 broadcasting the event on all four days from 2.30pm to 6.30pm NZT.
