Tanah Merah to host women’s R&A forum

THE women’s game in Asia received another shot in the arm with the confirmation that the R&A will be in Singapore next month, advancing the ladies’ game.

The spotlight will be the inaugural R&A Women in Golf Forum, to be held at Tanah Merah Country Club on Dec 9 and run concurrently with the opening round of the Singapore Women’s Open.

This news comes in the wake of next season’s Saudi Ladies International having had its prize money increased substantially.

An event on the Ladies European Tour, the Saudi Ladies had its prize purse increased from Us$1mil to Us$5mil, with the winner taking home US$750,000.

The forum at Tanah Merah, with the theme of “Growing Women’s Golf in Asia”, will have among its speakers South Korean legend Pak Se-ri, Yuko Tashiro of Tokyo-based Accordia Golf, R&A assistant director of golf development Jackie Davidson, Golf New Zealand’s Hana-rae Seifert and Karen Proctor of Textron Specialised Vehicles.

Commenting on the meet, R&A Asia-pacific director Dominic Wall said: “The R&A’S Women in Golf Forum is an important milestone for women’s golf in Asia and will highlight a number of initiatives and strategies to help develop women’s golf in Asia.

“We are fortunate to be bringing together a very experienced and prominent group of speakers who will be able to outline their experiences in helping grow golf in Asia,” said Wall.

Pak, widely credited with lifting the South Korean women’s game with her 25 LPGA Tour titles, including five major championships, is to present “A Journey in Golf and Addressing Barriers or Challenges”.

It will be a review of her outstanding career, highlighting her triumphs and struggles on tour, which started in earnest when she won two major championships in her rookie season in 1998 – the Mcdonald’s LPGA Championship.