DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 20, 2019 - LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was today appointed as Sports (Golf) Ambassador for Busan Metropolitan City, which will host a new event on the LPGA Tour, the BMW Ladies Championship, from Oct. 24-27 this year.
Whan’s honorary appointment, conducted by Busan Metropolitan City's Mayor Keo-don Oh in a formal ceremony at Busan Metropolitan City Hall, commemorates the launch of LPGA International Busan, the LPGA’s first golf facility outside the United States and the venue for the BMW Ladies Championship.
“We are grateful for the Commissioner of the LPGA to accept the position of Golf Ambassador of Busan Metropolitan City. The LPGA grew into a global tour with original marketing and transparency in a relatively short time span. I hope this will be an opportunity for Busan to make the leap into becoming a world-class tourism city by combining its success stories with the LPGA.” said Busan City Mayor Oh.
Whan said: "I am very honored to serve as an ambassador for Busan Metropolitan City. I expect a lot to come of this new endeavor with Busan and I look forward to spreading the city’s spirit and energy as we travel the world with the Tour. With the launch of the LPGA International Busan as the host site for the inaugural BMW Ladies Championship, the whole world will be able to experience the beauty of Busan.
"Busan is a vibrant city with the catchphrase 'Dynamic Busan', and that mirrors the LPGA Tour and how we showcase our own athletes’ dynamic performance and create memorable moments for our golf fans in every corner of the globe. We look forward to collaborating with Busan."
The LPGA plans to utilize LPGA International Busan to develop industry initiatives to grow the game through golf tournaments and the support of junior golf. The appointment of Whan as an Ambassador of Busan Metropolitan City is expected to strengthen the LPGA’s business initiatives as it continues to expand its global reach and strives to become the center of the Asian golf market outside South Korea.