SINGAPORE – There will be more playing opportunities for Singapore’s golfers as the Republic prepares to host four stops of the China Ladies Professional Golfers (CLPG) Q-Series in 2024, with the first event taking place at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club from May 27-28.
Organised by LLD Sports and supported by title sponsor EFG Bank AG, the four tournaments are part of the developmental circuit that acts as a qualifying pathway to China’s top CLPGA Tour, which has produced talent such as former world No. 1 Yin Ruoning.
The Singapore stops are open to female amateurs and professionals, and male amateurs. In each event, the top 10 players and ties will earn a share of the $10,000 prize pool.
Amateurs who finish among the top 10 are also eligible for prize money, with a limit of US$1,000 (S$1,350) per event.
The dates of the other three events will be announced later.
LLD Sports founder Lyn Yeo said: “This EFG CLPGQ Singapore Series offers up-and-coming Singapore amateurs the chance to compete against top regional and Chinese talent, fostering their growth and development.”
She added that the live streaming for the tournaments will allow American college coaches to track the players’ performances, thus opening the door for local golfers looking to take their careers abroad.
Albert Chiu, EFG’s executive chairman for Asia Pacific, said: “This collaboration underscores our commitment to supporting the development of women’s golf, not only in Singapore but across the entire region, as well as our commitment to enriching the local sports scene and empowering athletes to achieve their full potential.”
This is the first time the CLPG Q-Series, which was set up in 2020 and has over 40 stops this season, will be held outside China.
In 2023, the Republic also staged a CLPGA event for the first time when it hosted the Singapore Ladies Masters, which was won by local golfer Shannon Tan, last July. The US$100,000 tournament will return to Laguna National in June.
The first event of the CLPG Q-Series in Singapore will also be a qualifier for the Ladies Masters.
The 54-hole Q-Series event will feature up to 72 players, with a maximum of 18 participants from China.
Three spots, with one reserved for a Singaporean, will be up for grabs at the qualifying event.
Local golfer Sydnie Ng, 13, is thrilled at the prospect of having more competitive events featuring the top amateurs here.
The Grade 7 student at St Joseph’s Institution International noted the dearth of high-level competitions for junior golfers in the past, which made it difficult for her to gain valuable experience.
Playing in overseas competitions such as the Future Champions Golf (FCG) World Championship in the United States, where she picked up the girls’ 11-12 category title in 2023, has been beneficial to her development as a golfer.
She said: “When I watch international players play, they seem to be very steady... even after they hit a bad shot.
“Going to other countries and learning from international players impacted me a lot because now I know that even if I have a bad hole, I can still stay calm and there are other holes to come back.
“Other than that, I’m able to see how they approach the green and their course management.”
Fellow Singaporean golfer Troy Storm, 15, believes that having events like these locally can contribute towards growing interest in the game.
The Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Secondary 3 student said: “It gives junior golfers an opportunity to learn from the people playing or if we’re lucky, it allows us to gain experience by playing in these events.”
