Star Studded Field Compete for this year's Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Title
Sime Darby Berhad and event organisers IMG have today announced that nine of the world’s top ten ranked players in ladies’ golf will be coming to Malaysia to compete in the forthcoming Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2011. The event, featuring an increased prize purse of US$1.9 million, will be taking place at the East Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) from 13-16 October.
World No.2 Suzann Pettersen, alongside international stars, Jiyai Shin and Ai Miyazato, who are currently placed at fifth and seventh, respectively, have all confirmed their participation in the second edition of the prestigious Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.
The world acclaimed golfers will be joined by current World No.1 Yani Tseng alongside fellow top ten players Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Na Yeon Choi, Brittany Lincicome and Stacy Lewis in what promises to be yet another fantastic event at KLGCC. (World rankings as of 21 September 2011.)
Norwegian born Pettersen has been in excellent form this year with a victory in the Sybase Match Play Championship in May and then twice in August at the Ladies Irish Open and the Safeway Classic. The thirty-year old, who has four second place finishes and one major in the 2007 LPGA Championship to her name, is hoping to add to her win tally this year at theprestigious Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2011.
Speaking ahead of next month’s event, Pettersen said, “I am delighted to be returning to Malaysia for this year’s tournament. The course at KLGCC is extremely challenging but I have been working hard this year to improve my game and hope to have a successful run next month.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Malaysia last year and am looking forward to competing against another top line up.” Petterson will be battling her way through the course alongside Jiyai Shin, who stormed into the golfing world playing in the Korean LPGA where she won a phenomenal 10 events from 19 starts. In 2008, playing only 10 tournaments on a LPGA Tour, she proceeded to win three events including the women’s British Open at the ADT Championship in the same year. A strong contender in last year’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia tournament, she finished joint sixth and will be hoping to replicate her performance once again at the KLGCC this year.
Current World No. 7, Ai Miyazato from Japan, turned professional in 2004 on the Japanese LPGA and went on to become the youngest player ever to win a JLPGA major, doing so at the age of 20. Enjoying an impressive season in 2009, she won her first LPGA title at the prestigious Evian Masters. Miyazato repeated this win in France once again earlier this year.
Alongside these players, Sime Darby has extended their sponsor invitations to four additional talents in the game to take part in the 2011 event. Australian Frances Bondad who currently plays on the European LPGA will be competing on the East Course at the KLGCC in October alongside the talented Laura Davies.
Davies is considered to be Britain’s most accomplished female golfer having finished on top of the LET Order of Merit a record seven times. Davies has 81 professional victories, 20 of those on the LPGA Tour including four majors.
Also selected by sponsor’s invite is international golfer, Melissa Reid, who turned professional in 2007, and had a breakthrough season on the LET in 2010 winning at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open. This has been followed by a stellar run this year securing two victories in the Deloitte Ladies Open and the Open De Espana Femenino, as well as being selected for the Solhiem Cup.
Keeping with Sime Darby’s theme of promoting young players, Jennifer Song, a promising talent on the LPGA Tour will be competing in this year’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. Song who turned professional in 2010 is only the second player ever to win both the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links and the U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf Championship in the same year, which she did in 2009.
Dato’ Wahab Maskan, Sime Darby Berhad’s Group Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Sime Darby Property said, "We are truly delighted to welcome back the best players in the women's game to Malaysia this October for the second Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2011.
As one of the final tournaments on the Tour, the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia continues to be crucial, especially with nine of the top ten players vying for the coveted top spot. With an impressive field of star players for the second consecutive year, fans can once again look forward to an exciting competition." The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia is a four-day stroke play event with no cut, ensuring that players are in Kuala Lumpur for the tournament duration and the local and regional golf community can catch their favourite golfers in action for the entire week.
“The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia is a phenomenal event and with this year’s star-studded field it promises to be a tournament to remember. We are working hard to build on last year’s event but what is certain is that fans and the regional golfing community will be able to see thei favourite golfers in one place and in first-class competitive action,” said Robbie Henchman Senior Vice President and Co-Managing Director of IMG Golf. The domestic Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Local and Regional Qualifier was played on the tournament’s East Course at KLGCC earlier this month, and offered four exemption spots to the top two Malaysian players as well as the lowest scoring Regional players of the tournament.
Local winners Aretha Pan and Ainil Johani will join Thai pair Porani Chutichai and Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai in flying the South East Asian flag in this year’s tournament. For more information on the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2011, please visit the event website -
