2006 Hong Kong Ladies Masters

The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course will be the focus of attention this week with the staging of the US$80,000 Hong Kong Ladies Masters -the first event in the newly christened 2006 Ladies Asian Golf Tour. The tournament will be played over 54 holes and offers a first prize cheque of US$12,000.

First conceived and launched in 2005, the Tour management team has spent the intervening time not only planning for 2006, but also consulting and building relationships with key industry establishments that includes The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET), to ensure that the Ladies Asian Golf Tour can take its place alongside the other major Ladies Tours around the world.

Over 80 players, some of them playing in the LPGA, LET and the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Tour (JLPGA) are participating here to prepare themselves for their respective Tours that begin only in April.

"It's not just about winning but it is the competition, the quality field and the strong opposition seen here that matter most to me as I gear up for the JLPGA," said Ai Asano, adding that the events on LAGT would put her in early competition mood.

The presence of LET players Kirsty S. Taylor and Kirsty Fischer of England and Swedish trio Anna Tybring, Asa Gottmo and Linda Wessberg have certainly added depth and quality to the field.

Asa was the model of consistency with four top tens and five further top twenty finishes from 18 events last year. Her best finish was T5 at the BMW Ladies Italian Open and she finished T7 twice, at the Thailand Ladies Open and the Spanish Open. She also placed T9 at the Catalonia Ladies Masters.

India's top professional Smriti Mehra, who held a stranglehold in the Asian Circuit from 1990-1998 was a member of the LPGA Tour (1997-1999, 2001-2004) and led the LPGA Tour in driving distance her rookie year in 1997 is also bent on a sweeping start.

Prior to the birth of LAGT, it was amazing to note that the Asian lady professional golfers are enjoying huge success particularly in the US despite not having a 'home' tour where up and coming players can hone their skills against high quality opposition in preparation for an international career.

"The LAGT therefore will fill that vitally important gap," said Rae-Vadee T. Suwan, president of LAGT.

Aylwin Tai, Chief Executive of LAGT continues, "Television coverage of Tour events has also been designed to bring a new dimension to golf coverage, following the players not only 'on course' but also 'off course' as well, thus creating much broader coverage in a magazine style, following individuals throughout the Tour, thus helping to portray members overall personalities, activities and interests, rather than the more usual, one dimensional coverage."

February 8, 2006

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