Rising Starts Lin and Green earn HSBC Sponosr Invites
A record breaking American rookie and the youngest ever China LPGA winner are the latest names to earn their place at the star-studded HSBC Women’s Champions later this month.
Tournament sponsor HSBC has extended highly coveted sponsor invites to teenage starlets Jaye Marie Green from USA and China’s Janet Lin for the 2014 HSBC Women’s Champions at Sentosa Golf Club from 27 February to 2 March 2014.
20 year old Green earned her place in the tournament, dubbed ‘Asia’s Major’, after achieving a remarkable victory in the 2013 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, finishing with a record 29-under-par 331 total and a 10-stroke margin.
The Florida native, who picked up golf at the age of 12, enthused, “This tournament is definitely one of the key highlights on the events schedule, and receiving an invitation to play is an absolute honour and a dream come true! It’s a great opportunity and it will make me challenge and push myself further as a professional. Also, I’ve heard so much about Singapore and I am thrilled to head there to play!”
Turning professional in 2013, the American played her rookie year on the Symetra Tour. Prior to that, she played in three LPGA Majors: 2012 US Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run and LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, and the 2010 US Women’s Open at Oakmont. Her amateur career also boasts numerous achievements such as Winner of 2012 North and South Amateur Championship, 2012 AJGA ROLEX Tournament of Champions and 2011 The Sally Championship, as well as runner up in 2012 USGA US Women’s Amateur.
Joining her as a sponsor invite is 17 year old Janet Lin from Guangdong, China. Honing her golf skills from the age of 8 years old, Janet has earned bragging rights as a member of the China National Golf Team, the youngest LET (Ladies European Tour) full card holder and earning a full card for 2014 LPGA Tour, making her the second Chinese player on the LPGA alongside Shanshan Feng.
With three championship titles under her belt on the China LPGA Tour – 2013 CLPGA Sanya’s Hills Ladies Classic, 2012 CLPGA Tianjin Challenge and 2012 CLPGA SRIXON XXIO Ladies Open – Janet has earned herself the accolade of being the youngest CLPGA winner of all time.
Commenting on the sponsor invitation to the HSBC Women’s Champions, Lin, who will turn 18 just two days before the tournament, said, “I can’t believe this great opportunity! Being able to compete amongst a strong field of players from around the world will be a challenge but I hope through this I am able to improve my form and my game. Also as one of the two Chinese players on the LPGA Tour, I am really happy to be able to represent my country in Singapore!”
HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship and Events Giles Morgan said, “Everything about HSBC Women’s Champions is tough and the first challenge is getting there so congratulations to both Jaye Marie and Janet – now the hard work really starts! The reason why this event has been dubbed ‘Asia’s Major’ is that qualification is tough, the course is tough and the competition is incredibly tough with the best of the best going head to head for one of the most coveted trophies in women’s golf. Good luck to both players – it promises to be another memorable week.”
Competing alongside Green and Lin for the championship trophy and title of ‘Champion of Champions’ are nine of the world’s top ten players including defending champion and World No. 3 Stacy Lewis, World No. 1 Inbee Park, World No. 2 Suzann Pettersen and World No. 4 Lydia Ko.
In this seventh edition, the world-class Serapong course will play host to an elite 63 player field, including local qualifier, 14-year-old Amanda Tan, who won her place at the host country qualifying tournament, hoping to earn a share of the US$1.4 million prize purse.
For more information on the HSBC Women’s Champions 2014, please visit the tournament website at http://www.hsbcgolf.com/womens
