Ai Miyazato and other elite golfers compete for the number one spot at HSBC Women’s Champions
The top six golfers in the women’s world golf rankings are all set for the lucrative US $1.4 million HSBC Womens Championship Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (LPGA) event to be held at Tanah Merah Golf and Country Club in Singapore. The four day
event, starting from 24th February, ensures stiff resistance for the defending champion, Ai Miyazato of Japan. The event hosts an impressive field including nine of the top ten golfers in the rankings. Moreover, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and
Natalie Gulbis of the United States, Karrie Webb of Australia and Se Ri Pak of South Korea will also be a part of the field.
Since its inception four years ago, only the world number one golfer has been able to win the tournament. Mexican Lorena Ochoa in 2008, Jiyai Shin in 2009 and Japanese Ai Maiyazato the last year were victorious in Singapore when they were holding the top
spot in the world golf rankings. "The HSBC Women's Champions has got a great reputation with the players and we all know that only players who have been number one in the world have won in Singapore,” Shin said. She further explained, "This is not only an
event at which we are treated so well, but one we all want to win. That is especially the case for me, having won the HSBC Women's Champions in the past."
This year, all eyes are on the golfing phenom and current number one Yani Tseng of Taiwan. She took over the top spot from Shin just over a week ago after being victorious in Australia on a couple of occasions. She completed her hat-trick a few days ago
by winning the Honda LPGA Thailand by a margin of five strokes. It was also her fourth victory in 2011. "I'm really looking forward to this year's HSBC Champions event. I know I have lots of confidence right now and I can't wait to get to Singapore, see my
old friends and play in the tournament", said 22-year-old Tseng.
The tournament provides Jiyai Shin, South Korean Na Yeon Choi, American Suzann Pettersen and her fellow country woman Cristie Kerr with an opportunity for the first spot. The winner at Singapore should be able to topple Yani Tseng . "Each edition of the
HSBC Women's Champions has seen a world-class winner who has played world-class golf to win. Actually having the number one spot available certainly adds to the excitement, as we know from when Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson all
arrived at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai last year in the same situation", said Giles Morgan, the group head of sponsorship.
With an impressive field and an open competition for the rankings, the organizers are expecting a record breaking attendance at the tournament.
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