The highlight of the morning was when reigning champion, Jiyai Shin was joined in the Palm Garden by 2008 champion Lorena Ochoa, 12-time LPGA winner Cristie Kerr, winner of the season-opening Honda PTT LPGA Thailand, Ai Miyazato, and HSBC Women's Champions first-timer Michelle Wie, as they completed a specially commissioned piece of batik artwork to signify the launch of the tournament.
Batik painting is a wax-resist form of painting using dye on a silk canvas. It traces back to the 12th century and was originally practiced as a form of meditation by female courtiers in central Java. It is a very common art form in the region and Sarkasi Said (who pens his work as Tzee) is one of the most prominent artists in the field and created the painting especially in celebration of the HSBC Women's Champions 2010 in Singapore. The motifs of batik are of flora, fauna which are rich in symbolic association and variety. The painting completed by the players today incorporates Singapore's national flower- the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid – with the event name and HSBC's vibrant red as the color theme. Each player completed a section of the canvas before signing their names which will be waxed over and preserved.
Joining the players for the press conference were Guy Harvey-Samuel, CEO HSBC Singapore, Giles Morgan, HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship, Robbie Henchman, Senior Vice President IMG and LPGA Commissioner Mr Mike Whan.
Topics: Shin, Jiyai, Ochoa, Lorena, Kerr, Cristie, Miyazato, Ai, Wie, Michelle, HSBC Women's Champions [+]
