Singapore Golf Association to raise funds for two major events at SGA Golf Week

SINGAPORE – Playing against some of the world’s best amateur golfers in October’s World Amateur Team Championships (WATC) has whetted the appetite of Singapore’s Troy Storm, as the 14-year-old sets his sights on the 2025 event in the Republic.

An inspired Troy went on to win the B Division title at the Oct 26-29 Thailand Junior Championships, just a week after the Oct 18-21 competition in Abu Dhabi where he came in joint-29th for the Eisenhower Trophy with compatriots Ryan Ang and Hiroshi Tai.

The Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student said: “It was a great opportunity for me to be next to the best players in the world, I was able to learn a lot from them.

“Talking to some of the players, I was able to learn what they’re doing now and how they’ve come to the position they’re in now, so it’s definitely inspired me to become like them.”

Troy and other Singapore amateur golfers have much to look forward to over the next two years, with the Republic hosting the South-east Asian (SEA) Amateur Golf Team Championships in 2024 and

the WATC in 2025.

At the inaugural SGA Golf Week from Monday to Sunday, the Singapore Golf Association will be looking to raise funds for its high-performance programmes and other initiatives, which include hosting the two tournaments.

SGA president Tan Chong Huat said: “We are very excited to announce the launch of our inaugural SGA Golf Week as it will play a pivotal role in shaping the golf ecosystem not only in Singapore but also the region.

“We look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders to promote and enhance the golfing culture and landscape in the region.”

SGA general manager Joshua Ho said: “There are a lot of golf events in Singapore but a lot of them are on a different scale, they’re professional, commercial golf events.

“These (two) tournaments are amateur golf events for juniors and amateurs, eventually providing them that opportunity to compete and hopefully play on one of the major tours.”

The SGA is hoping to raise $293,000 through the President’s Cup on Wednesday and plans to utilise the One Team Singapore Fund, a dollar-for-dollar matching grant established by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

Ho noted how tournaments such as the SEA Amateur Golf Team Championships, established in 1961, and the WATC, can act as a springboard for aspiring golfers.

He said: “Players from the South-east Asian region, many of them have played in this and even won this event as a key stepping stones in their career.

“World Amateur Team is what we call the Olympics of amateur golf – Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Annika Sorenstam have all represented their countries in this event, so it’s really significant.”

Having these events in Singapore would also generate interest in the sport and get more people into the game.

Ho said: “That was one of the main thoughts behind putting in a bid for World Amateur Team Championships.

“Not only does it encourage local players because they would compete with the best in the world on home ground, but it would also galvanise the current golfing community as well and the non-golfing community.”

Apart from the President’s Cup and Annual Gala and Awards dinner at Orchid Country Club on Wednesday, there will also be the Asia Golf Convention on Tuesday when industry leaders, experts and sports officials from across the region share their insights on wide-ranging topics that include agronomy, sustainability, mental wellness and golf in Asia.

On Thursday, SGA will collaborate with the Keppel Club to let para-athletes from the Singapore Disability Sports Council try out the sport.

The event concludes over the weekend with the Golf Fiesta at Downtown East organised in partnership with NTUC Club, a carnival to introduce the sport to more people.