Over $100,000 in prizes for inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open

SINGAPORE – More than $100,000 worth of prizes will be up for grabs at the inaugural OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Open, the organisers announced on July 26.

Touted as one of the largest pickleball tournaments in South-east Asia, the Oct 23-25 event at The Kallang’s OCBC Arena is expected to draw nearly 1,600 players.

They will be competing in double format across four categories – novice, open, the Bank of Singapore Corporate Challenge and the invite-only Bank of Singapore Invitational Championship. Any gender combination is allowed.

The novice category is for players with less than two years of playing experience and who have not won a medal at any tournament. Winners will take home $900 in cash, along with $6,000 in car rental credits from Subaru, wellness passes and Joola paddles.

The open category is for players of all skill levels, with the champions winning $1,500 cash, $16,000 in car rental credits, wellness passes and Joola paddles.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stages.

Under a rally-scoring system, matches up to the semi-finals will be played to 21 points in a single set, with the third-place play-off and final decided in a 15-point best-of-three sets format.

OCBC is also extending the sport to seniors through a two-year partnership with Care Corner Seniors Services – a social service agency that helps frail and vulnerable seniors who are socially isolated.

Under the initiative, 100 seniors will receive free pickleball training over two years, with 50 taking part each year in a four-month programme comprising 10 sessions at the dual-use courts along the Great Eastern Promenade at the National Stadium.

Among the 2026 cohort is Ho Soo Hock, who jumped at the chance to try the sport with friends after watching others play.

“I’ve seen people playing pickleball, so I was excited to finally try it with my friends. It is a lot of fun learning a new sport together and a great way to stay active while meeting new people,” said the 74-year-old.

“The coaches have been very patient and encouraging, which made it easy for us to pick up the basics and build our confidence.

“I get to learn something new each session, improve on my technique over time and all this moving about leaves me feeling energetic and happy. The gift of the paddle and ball also means I can continue to play with my friends even after completing the programme.”

Up to 10 seniors from the cohort will be selected by their coaches to compete in the novice category of the tournament. The training began on July 7 and will culminate in a sports day organised by Care Corner on Nov 11.

The programme is part of the OCBC SeniorCare Programme, under which the bank has committed more than $2 million since 2025 to benefit over 180,000 seniors aged 60 and above.

Koh Ching Ching, OCBC’s head of group brand and communications, said there has been strong demand for the OCBC-Great Eastern Pickleball Series, where enthusiasts can learn to play pickleball, with adult workshops filling up within days of opening.

She added: “We are grateful for such enthusiasm and hope to see strong demand for the roughly 1,600 tournament slots too.

“The air-conditioned OCBC Arena offers a chance to play in a comfortable environment while vying for attractive prizes.

“We look forward to much excitement, bonding and superb gameplay come October.”

Registration opens at noon on July 27, with an early bird price of $132 per team till Aug 31. A standard fee of $148 will apply from Sept 1 to Oct 5 when registration closes.

OCBC cardholders and Great Eastern policyholders will also enjoy an additional 10 per cent discount off the prevailing registration fee.

Interested players can sign up for the tournament at www.ocbcgreateasternpickleball.com