LPGA returns to Malaysia in October after Taiwan event axed
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Malaysia's Kelly Tan said she was thrilled that golf fans in her home country will have the chance to see the world's best women golfers compete.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
MIAMI – The LPGA will return to Malaysia in October for the first time since 2017, the women’s golf tour announced on Tuesday, after dropping an event scheduled in Chinese Taipei last week.
A 78-player field will compete for a US$3 million (S$4 million) purse – one of the largest non-Major prize pools on the 2023 calendar – at the inaugural Maybank Championship on Oct 26-29 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
“The LPGA is excited to bring women’s professional golf back to Malaysia for the first time in six years, thanks to Maybank’s incredible support,” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said of the 72-hole, no-cut event.
“The LPGA and Maybank’s shared values around elevating and empowering women make this an important partnership for us in this region of the world.
“Maybank is further demonstrating its commitment to women and our athletes by providing the largest prize fund of our Asian events and a world-class environment.”
The move came five days after the LPGA announced the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, scheduled for the same dates as the Malaysia event, was being cancelled for a fourth consecutive year over “operational factors” clouding the tournament.
The Kuala Lumpur layout had previously hosted the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia event from 2010 to 2017.
China’s Feng Shanshan was a two-time winner of the event. Other winners included South Koreans Park In-bee, Choi Na-yeon and Kang Ji-min and Americans Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr and Jessica Korda.
It had also hosted numerous other professional international tournaments, including the CIMB Classic, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour from 2013 to 2018.
The Maybank Malaysia Open, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the DP World Tour, was also held there from 2010 to 2015.
“As a golfer who is proud to represent Malaysia around the world, I’m more than excited to have the LPGA Tour at Kuala Lumpur once again this October,” said two-time Olympian Kelly Tan.
“I believe having a company like Maybank involved with the LPGA is a huge opportunity to help promote and continue developing the game of golf in Malaysia.
“I’m thrilled that golf fans in my home country will have the opportunity to watch the world’s best women professional golfers compete up close.” AFP, REUTERS
