LPGA season tees off today, S’pore event in April

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LOS ANGELES • The LPGA will launch its 71st season today in Orlando, with the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore slated for April 29 to May 2, as the Tour plans for a 34-event global campaign paying a record US$76.45 million (S$101.4 million) in prize money.

The US$1.6 million HSBC Women’s World Championship, one of Singapore’s marquee sports events, was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Straits Times reported last month that the tournament will return this year after its title sponsor announced it had renewed its commitment to the event on a multi-year deal.

Usually held in the February-March slot, the competition is part of the Tour’s early season Asian Swing and features a world-class field with most of the top-10 players and Major champions.

It was confirmed on the LPGA website that it will be moved to April-May this year.

Today, a field of 25 women will gather with celebrities for the LPGA Tournament of Champions at Four Seasons in Orlando to begin the 2021 campaign, after a 2020 season that endured a five-month shutdown due to Covid-19.

“In many ways, this past year – with all the pandemic challenges – was also the LPGA’s most triumphant,” said LPGA commissioner Mike Whan, who announced this month he would step down this year. “We’re entering 2021 on a wave of momentum – a strong schedule with record purses, new events/sponsors, double-digit viewership growth and a talented team that demonstrated exceptional skill, resilience and capability to lead through challenging times.”

The Tournament of Champions, modified this year to include event winners from the past three years due to Covid-19, will see Mexico’s Gaby Lopez try to retain her title.

World No. 4 Nelly Korda and No. 5 Danielle Kang from the United States and Canada’s sixth-ranked Brooke Henderson are also in the field.

Full-field events begin next month with the Asian swing delayed until after the year’s first Major, the ANA Inspiration at Rancho Mirage, California, on April 1-4.

The schedule also features a new matchplay event in May, the US Women’s Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco (June 10-13) and the Women’s PGA Championship in Georgia (June 24-27).

  • ASIAN SWING

  • APRIL 29-MAY 2 HSBC Women’s World Championship, Singapore

    MAY 6-9 Honda LPGA Thailand, Chonburi, Thailand

    MAY 13-16 Blue Bay LPGA, Hainan Island, China

    OCT 14-17 Buick LPGA Shanghai Shanghai, China

    OCT 21-24 BMW Ladies C’ship, Busan, South Korea

    OCT 28-31 Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA, Taipei, Taiwan

    NOV 4-7 Toto Japan Classic, Shiga, Japan

The Tokyo Olympics tournament will be staged from Aug 4 to 7 between two LPGA Majors – the July 22-25 Evian Championship in France and the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie (Aug 19-22).

The Solheim Cup matches between Europe and the United States will be staged at Inverness in Toledo, Ohio from Sept 4 to 6, with the season ending at the Tour Championship from Nov 18 to 21.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published by bryony