The LPGA rolls into the second of three consecutive weeks competing in Asia with its annual trip to Singapore for the HSBC Women’s World Championship. The 16th playing of what has become known in recent years as “Asia’s Major,” features a limited field of 66 players who will compete for 72 holes with no cut for a purse of $1.8 million. Here are five things you need to know about the Tour’s stop at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course.
Who’s In the Field?
Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Lilia Vu headlines the field at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, where she’ll look to build on the momentum she found last week in Thailand with her first top 10 of the season. Vu is joined in Singapore by fellow major champions Celine Boutier, Allisen Corpuz, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson, Hyo Joo Kim and Ruoning Yin, just to name a few. Lydia Ko is also making a return to competition after skipping last week’s event in Thailand. She has enjoyed a strong start in 2024 with a win at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and a second-place finish at the LPGA Drive On Championship, where she lost in a playoff to Nelly Korda. The field also features five sponsor exemptions, which include three-time major champion In Gee Chun and 2019 rookie Muni He.
Can Tavatanakit Make it a Triple?
As Patty Tavatanakit arrives at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, there’s no denying that the young Thai star has been one of the hottest players in the women’s game in recent weeks. She will once again be one to watch in Singapore as she is riding the momentum generated from her wins in back-to-back weeks on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour. Tavatanakit stormed back into the winner's circle after a nearly three-year hiatus with a commanding seven-stroke victory at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, backing that up with a stellar performance in front of friends and family to win by one shot in her home country at the Honda LPGA Thailand. It was the first win for Tavatanakit on the LPGA Tour since her breakthrough major victory at The Chevron Championship in 2021, the same year she finished tied for third in Singapore, her career-best result in the event.
Jin Young Ko Seeking Singapore Three-Peat
Tavatanakit won’t be the only one seeking three straight victories this week as Jin Young Ko is returning to Singapore in search of three wins of her own. Ko is the back-to-back defending champion at the HSBC Women’s World Championship where she won by two strokes over Nelly Korda in 2023 and finished two strokes clear of Minjee Lee in 2022. Ko made her season debut last week in Thailand, kicking off her seventh year on the LPGA Tour with a T20 finish. It was a good chance for the 28-year-old to assess her game as much as her stamina as she returned to competition for the first time since withdrawing from the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship with a knee injury. Ko said during the week that she was feeling better than she had last season, but she is continuing to work on improving her swing
Players Poised for Season Debut
Although the HSBC Women’s World Championship marks the fourth event of the year, several players are just getting their 2024 LPGA Tour seasons started. Minjee Lee will make her first start of the season in Singapore, and it’s the second consecutive year that Lee has chosen to begin playing a little later to give herself an extended break. Lee will be one to keep an eye on as she seeks to pick up where she left off last season as she finished with two victories in her final four starts of 2023. It would come as no surprise to see Lee contend in Singapore considering she finished runner-up in the event in 2022.
Like Minjee Lee, Alison Lee also enjoyed a strong finish in 2023 and will make her first start of the season this week in Singapore. Alison Lee racked up four second-place finishes and a victory on the LET in her final five events of the year and will seek to replicate that form as she begins a new season, hungrier than ever for an LPGA Tour victory. However, she will be dealing with a dog bite on her hand that she suffered during the offseason, which forced her to get stitches, something that may impact her return to competition. Lee is making her fourth appearance at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and will be seeking to crack the top 30 for the first time.
How to Watch
Singapore is 13 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone, which makes for some late-night viewing of the LPGA Tour this week. Catch the coverage of the HSBC Women’s World Championship February 28 - March 2 on Golf Channel and Peacock from 9:30 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. EST.
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