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Since 2008, the HSBC Girls’s World Championship in Singapore has been a staple on the LPGA calendar. Identified by many as “Asia’s Main,” the checklist of champions reads like a Who’s Who in ladies’s golf.
Of the 13 winners in Singapore, all however two (Ai Miyazato and Ha Na Jang) are main champions. Seven of the 13 are former World No. 1s and three are LPGA Corridor of Famers (Inbee Park, Lorena Ochoa and Karrie Webb).
This week’s HSBC at Sentosa Golf Membership is headlined by back-to-back champ Jin Younger Ko, present No. 1 Lilia Vu, final week’s winner Patty Tavatanakit, and Lydia Ko who, with a victory, may play her means into the LPGA Corridor of Fame.
A no-cut, limited-field affair that after featured glamorous photograph shoots and Singapore Slings has lengthy been considered as an alluring reward for tremendous play. The HSBC debuted in 2008 with a handbag of $2 million, and Ochoa, the occasion’s inaugural winner, earned $300,000 that first 12 months. The identical held true for Jiyai Shin in 2009.
However, because the economic system took successful in 2010, so too did the HSBC purse, which dropped to $1.3 million. Within the years since, the purse has but to achieve that authentic mark of $2 million.
This 12 months’s purse of $1.8 million will supply a winner’s prize of $270,000, the identical quantity Jin Younger Ko received in 2023. In 2022, Ko earned $255,000 for her first HSBC victory.
Whereas the HSBC has been a gentle presence in a time of a lot turnover on the LPGA, it’s onerous to look previous the truth that the sector has taken successful lately, notably amongst American stars. Although the event takes care of airfare and resort prices for gamers, in addition to transportation, not everybody has booked a return ticket to Singapore.
It’s price noting that gamers are chargeable for the journey prices of their caddies. Final 12 months, Jessica Korda completed final and earned $4,078. Take out taxes and the price of her caddie, and there’s not a lot left, if something.
Lexi Thompson hasn’t performed in Singapore since 2019. She traveled to Saudi Arabia earlier this month for an LET occasion and can play in an Aramco Workforce Sequence occasion subsequent week in Clearwater, Florida. On Monday night time, she’s competing in Capitol One’s The Match on TNT in Florida.
Nelly Korda completed second on the 2023 HSBC, however this 12 months, determined to take off seven weeks following her victory on the Drive On. She went to Prague to go to her grandparents instantly after successful at dwelling in Bradenton, Florida.
Megan Khang, who may also be within the Aramco area in Clearwater, isn’t in Singapore this week. Neither are fellow Solheim Cup gamers Ally Ewing or Rose Zhang, who can also be enjoying with Thompson, Rory McIlroy and Max Homa in The Match.
Angel Yin suffered an damage earlier this 12 months and hasn’t performed all season.
With solely 14 U.S. gamers within the prime 100 of the Rolex Rankings, when a number of go lacking from an elite area of 66, it’s noticeable. Final week in Thailand, solely 11 Individuals had been within the area, the identical quantity as this week.
A complete of 17 gamers will make their debut on the HSBC, together with former No. 1 Ruoning Yin and Albane Valenzuela, who completed runner-up final week in Thailand.
There are a variety of memorable victories over time in Singapore, from the 75-foot eagle putt Paula Creamer made to win a playoff 10 years in the past, to the 36-foot birdie putt Michelle Wie West drained from off the 18th inexperienced to clinch the title in 2018.
Right here’s a glance again on all the massive names who’ve hoisted the HSBC trophy and signature ribbons.
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