Under a banner of ‘We are the Game Changers’, 69 players representing 18 different nations will vie for one of the most coveted golf titles in Asia this week when the 13th edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship gets underway at Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday.
With a field that blends experience with breaking talent, the 2021 edition certainly lives up to the tournament’s reputation of ‘Asia’s Major’. Players arriving in the city state include all three Olympic medallists and 22 different major winners, while the field boasts a cumulative total of 35 major titles and 171 LPGA Tour victories.
Topping the entry list is World No.1 Jin-young Ko of South Korea with two majors and seven LPGA Tour victories to her name; she is closely followed by compatriot and World No.2 Inbee Park – twice a winner in Singapore – whose tally of seven majors, an Olympic gold medal and 21 tournament wins puts her in a league of her own in the modern era.
Defending champion Sung-hyun Park returns to the scene of her 2019 triumph, as does Angela Stanford who claimed the trophy in 2012. Both will be looking to repeat the form that forever links their names with the Championship.
Other players ranked in the top ten of the world rankings include Danielle Kang of the U.S. (No.5) Lydia Ko of New Zealand, whose win in Hawaii a week ago propelled her to No.7, Hyo-joo Kim of South Korea (No.9) and Nasa Hataoka of Japan (No.10).*
Australia will be represented by Hannah Green, Katherine Kirk, Minjee Lee and Su Oh.
Making her Singapore debut is ANA Inspiration winner, Patty Tavatanakit. The 21-year old from Bangkok won the first major championship of the year in her rookie year on tour receives a sponsor invitation. She is joined by fellow Thais, Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, Jasmine Suwannapura and Pornanong Phatlum.
Another player set to make her debut is Germany’s Sophia Popov. The 28-year old from Heidelberg, Germany showed the sporting world that fairy tales can come true when she won the AIG Women’s British Open last August. Ranked 304th in the world at the start of the tournament and having overcome illness and the loss of a full tour card, Popov claimed a famous two-shot victory at Royal Troon to secure her berth in the tournament.
Flying the flag for Singapore is Amanda Tan. Singapore’s top ranked player makes her fourth start in the tournament staged at her home club and will be looking to take full advantage of familiar surroundings on the New Tanjong course.
Marking the return of top tier international golf to the region, the 2021 edition of the HSBC Women’s World Championship takes on an even greater significance than usual. Grant Slack, EVP & Managing Director, Golf Events, IMG, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the HSBC Women’s World Championship back to Singapore. Not only is this one of the stand-out golf events in Asia, it also marks an important return for elite golf to the region. As always, the Championship has an incredibly strong field and I have no doubt that the players will put on another spectacular show for us.
Once again, I’d like to express our gratitude to all our partners for the support they have continued to show and a particular thanks to our title sponsor HSBC and also to Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore Tourism Board and our partners at the LPGA Tour. We’re set for a fantastic week of competition and we look forward to crowning the 2021 champion on Sunday.”
With limited spectator access due to Covid safety restrictions, fans can catch all the action as it unfolds in Singapore and around the world. With a live telecast produced by Asian Tour Media, the tournament will be televised across 160 countries and reach millions of people around the word.
The HSBC Women’s World Championship, which takes place at Sentosa Golf Club from Thursday 29 April to Sunday 2 May, and all the latest news, visit the Tournament Website.