Golf’s brightest young talent set for HSBC Women’s Champions

SINGAPORE — Fans at next week’s HSBC Women’s Champions can catch two of the sport’s up-and-coming young players when the US$1.4 million (S$1.9 million) tournament returns to Sentosa Golf Club from March 5 to 8.

LPGA Tour rookies Lee Minjee (Australia) and China’s Yan Jing have been awarded sponsor invitations for the event.

The duo will join Singaporean qualifier Koh Sock Hwee in a world-class line-up that includes world No 1 Lydia Ko, No 2 Park Inbee and defending champion Paula Creamer.

Lee’s achievements as an amateur include victories in the 2013 and 2014 Australian Women’s Amateur Championship. The 18-year-old was ranked the top amateur golfer after winning the 2014 Oates Victorian Open (Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour).

She will be joined by fellow Tour rookie, the Shanghai-born, Singapore-raised Yan, a graduate of Singapore’s HSBC Youth Golfers’ Excellence Programme.

In 2013, Yan, 18, claimed a unique double after winning the Girls’ British Open Amateur and Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

She also qualified for the LPGA Tour on her first attempt, becoming the first Singapore resident to gain LPGA Tour status.

Dubbed “Asia’s Major”, the HSBC Women’s Champions, which is in its eighth edition, will feature 60 of the world’s top female golfers battling for the winner’s trophy and cheque of US$210,000.

Among the activities organised by title sponsor HSBC to get the public involved was the Club House roadshow at Shaw House earlier this month and the HSBC Golf Hunt, a 1,000-ball treasure hunt offering participants prizes such as shopping and dining vouchers, and season passes to the event.

TODAY readers can win two pairs of tickets to the HSBC Women’s Champions Premier Lounge worth S$250 each, courtesy of HSBC. Email your answer to the question: “Where is the HSBC Women’s Champions 2015 held?” to HSBCWomensChamps [at] hkstrategies.com and indicate that you are a TODAY reader. The contest ends at midnight on Sunday. Winners will be notified on Monday.