(June 12, Singapore) As a key bridge for cultural and sports exchanges between China and Singapore, the 2nd Singapore Ladies Masters is set to tee off on June 14 at Laguna National Golf & Country Club. Ahead of the tournament, Lily Yang, founder of the Singapore Ladies Masters and President of LLD Sports, shared in an interview that she was delighted with the success of the first edition and looks forward to another golf fever in both Singapore and China.
The inaugural Singapore Ladies Masters took place last July, marking the first time the China LPGA Tour landed in Singapore. Local amateur Chen Xuan Yin pulled off a stunning victory over Chinese player Ji Yue’ai. Chen later earned her Ladies European Tour card and claimed a LET title, now ranked 200th in the world. With the Olympic qualification deadline this month, she sits at 46th in the Olympic rankings, on track to become Singapore’s first Olympic golfer.
“Talking about last year’s event still fills me with excitement,” Yang said, tears welling up in her eyes. “Xuan Yin was an amateur I’ve been nurturing at Laguna for years. I’ve always had an Olympic dream – for a Singaporean golfer to win this tournament and represent Singapore at the Olympics. And last year, Xuan Yin made it happen here, and now she’s on the verge of becoming Singapore’s first Olympic golfer. She helped fulfill my dream, and Singapore’s dream.”
Yang mentioned that she had often brought juniors to compete in China and had heard them talking about the China LPGA Tour. From then on, she started paying attention to the rapidly growing tour, especially after Yin Ruonan’s major win and rise to world No. 1, which reinforced her belief in bringing the China LPGA Tour to Singapore.
“The China LPGA Tour is a fast-developing tour, and I believe it will become a significant force in global women’s golf in the future. Yin Ruonan’s success on the LPGA shows the platform’s ability to nurture and develop talent,” Yang said. “I wanted to create this opportunity for Singaporean and Southeast Asian players to compete on their home soil.
“Since Xuan Yin’s victory, many amateurs have approached me for wildcard entries, hoping to gain experience and showcase their skills in such an event,” she added.
According to Yang, there are currently 10 golf clubs in Singapore with around 20 18-hole courses, and the sport is gaining popularity among the youth. She expects this year’s tournament to shine a light on these young talents.
“This year, we have many amateurs from Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, as well as China participating. These are all future stars, and we’re looking forward to some great performances,” Yang said. “In addition, last year’s runner-up Ji Yue’ai, former China LPGA Tour money leader Liu Wenbo, and recent champions Ren Yijia and Cao Xinxiu will be competing. Their presence certainly adds excitement. With such a strong Chinese contingent, I think they have a good chance to win. Let’s see what they can do this week.”
Yang sincerely hopes the Singapore Ladies Masters will continue to flourish and further enhance the exchange between China and Singapore: “I believe hosting this event will strengthen sports and cultural ties between our two countries and foster friendship. I know many Chinese fans are flying in to watch, and our tournament will be broadcasted. Through the live stream, friends in China can see how beautiful Singapore is and consider visiting for golf and tourism. This event will also encourage more Singaporean juniors to compete in China. May the friendship between China and Singapore last for generations.”
The Singapore Ladies Masters is an independently certified China LPGA Tour event with a total purse of US$100,000 and a winner’s share of US$15,000. A field of 132 players will compete from June 14 to 16 at Laguna National Golf & Country Club.
Photographer: Liu Zhuang
