Ladies Asian Tour Kicks Of In Macau January 24-26

Written on January 22, 2007 by Macau

The scenic but challenging Macau Golf and Country Club golf course has been prepared for the opening event of this year’s Ladies Asian Golf Tour on Wednesday. Billed as Macau’s National Open, the three-day event is expected to give this year’s five-city Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT) an auspicious start. Asian Ladies Golf Tour chief commissioner Koichi Kato believes the beautiful layout will provide the participants with an exciting start and help build themselves up for the five legs of the tour.

He said he is expects many high profile players to take part this year.

”Players from leading Ladies Tours like the US LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Japan LPGA Tour and the Korean LPGA will be able to take part during the wintry conditions close to their homes,” he said.

”The warm Asian cities that will hold this year’s tourneys, should provide them with ample, uninterrupted weather, to prepare for tough tournaments later in the year.”

The Ladies Asian Golf Tour will be held January 24 to March 23.

”This tour is ideal for for women golfers who want to be at the forefront of professional golf,” he said.

”In addition, many golfers who came out last year and enjoyed our part of the world were so thrilled with the wonderful atmosphere that they have promised to spread the word to their friends, to invite them to come this year.”

According to Kato, the response to take part in this year’s tour has been very encouraging.

”Our priority is to attract players in the top 50 of the LAGT Order-of-Merit and sanctioning parties like the China Golf Association and the Korean LPGA,” he said.

Sweden’s Wessberg Linda was one of the Ladies European Tour players who competed in the inaugural event last year and her participation paid off well.

She went on to capture the Wales Open title in late November. England’s Kirsty Taylor also made her presence felt on the Ladies European Tour.

LAGT chief executive Aylwin Tai claims this could well be another fantastic year for the organisation.

”The professionalism used in organising and running our tournaments have prompted compliments not only from players and sponsors, but from R & A, which has awarded financial support to assist LAGT’s rules committee,” he said.

Tai added more sponsors have come forward to support the tournaments, citing India’s corporate giant DLF, Asia Miles and Binhai Golf Club, CTM and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, who will be title sponsors in India, China, Macau and Thailand respectively.

”We want the players to play with us and not play for us,” added Aylwin.

LAGT president, Thailand’s Ms Rae-vadee T Suwan says that everything is moving along well for the Tour, as well as for the TAT Thailand Ladies Open which will be held at the beautiful Green Valley Country Club from March 7-9.

It is the third event in the Asian Ladies Golf Tour this year and will be held after US $80,000 events, the Macau Ladies Open (January 24-26) and the Hong Kong Ladies Masters (January 31-February 2). Already tremendous attention is being focused on the US $100,000 TAT Thailand Ladies Open.

In addition, there will also be the $10,000 Pro-Am tourney, which should give the sponsors plus other celebrities to play alongside the lady professionals. This will be held on March 6 and will be followed by the battle for honours in the Thailand Open from March 7-9.

Already, more than 90 golfers from 13 countries have entered the TAT Thailand Ladies Open and the full field of 132 spots should be realised, she said.

Besides the the title sponsors, the TAT, others who have already confirmed their support for the event are: Panasonic- Siew Sales (Thailand) Co.Limited, Boon Rawd Brewery Company Limited, Green Valley Country Club, UBC, the Royal Princess Srinakarin Hotel and Tigress Trading.

Last year’s winner of the coveted HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Trophy was Korea’s Park Hee Yong and she was one of those to notify Thailand that she will defend her title. Fellow Korean Ji Eun Hee will also play. The kingdom’s Russamee Gulyanamitta is training hard to make her presence felt.

After the Thailand Open, the golfers will wing off to India, to take part in the first DLF India Women’s Open to be held March 14-16 and it will also be for $100,000.

The Asian Ladies Tour 2007 will wind up with the $230,000 Asia Miles-Binhai Ladies Open in Shanghai, China. This tri-sanctioned tournament of the Ladies Asian Golf Tour, the China Golf Association and the Korean LPGA will be held March 21-23.

”The winner of the Asia Miles-Binhai Ladies Open will be granted a two-year exemption to play on the Korean LPGA Tour while the winner of the LAGT Order-of-Merit this year will be invited to play in the Korea Women’s Open. This is what I have been told by the Korea Golf Association,” added LAGT president Ms Rae-vadee.

The prize-money for this year’s tour is 30% above the prize-money awarded last year.