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Even now, I can’t forget the emotions I felt at the time. It was and still is an unbelievable fact that Princess Mary Superal had won the trophy over the ‘absolute powerhouse’ that was Lydia Ko who had just became LPGA Tour’ s prize money Queen in 2022 and returned to the top of the world rankings. Besides Lydia, players like Hyo-joo Kim (ranked 8th in the world) and So-yeon Ryu (former major champion) tried to chase after Princess but to no avail. Having won the individual competition at the Simone Asia Pacific Cup, Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines said that her heart beats rapidly whenever she thinks about how she had won. She’d also finished 2nd in the teams competition with her compatriot Pauline Del Rosario.
Princess made her professional debut in 2016 on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. In 2019, she’d won the most prize money in the tour for that year and in 2021 won the ‘ICTSI Sherwood Ladies Challenge’ and the ‘ICTSI Eagle Ridge Challenge’. Despite being a top player in the Philippine Tour, no one expected her to be able to compete with the likes of such prominent world-class players. However, on the final day of the tournament, she overwhelmed her competitors with 3 birdies in the first four holes and defied all expectations. The $100,000 prize money she’d received for her win was the largest she’d ever won.
With tears of joy in her eyes, Princess exclaimed,” It’s so special to me because it’s my first international tournament win as a professional golfer. I’ve waited so long for this moment to come and I’m so happy that it did.” She added, “I learned a lot by playing with such world-class players like Bo-mee Lee, So-yeon Ryu, and Lydia Ko, who I watch a lot on TV.” Since her win, she has gained confidence and expressed her intention to try again to play on the LPGA Tour. This is what we’ve come to learn about Princess since her historic win and as a ‘world champion’.
Do you remember that emotional moment when you won the Simone APAC Cup? How did you feel in the days following your historic win?
I honestly couldn't believe I had won after that tournament. I was so happy since it was my first international win.
You must have gained confidence after winning. What's changed for you since?
That win gave me a lot of confidence knowing I had the ability to do that and knowing I can win despite competing against many top ranked players from Asia How would you describe your style of golf? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
My short game is pretty good, which I think makes up for the fact that I don't hit the ball very far off the tee.
How did the people around you react after you won? Do people recognize you more now that you've won? If there's an interesting instance when you were recognized, please share.
Many people were congratulating me and expressed happiness that I had won. Nothing interesting happened but when I play in different courses back home, a lot of caddies are asking me to take pictures with them.
Since your win at the Simone APAC Cup, which tournaments have you played in and how did you do?
After competing in Indonesia, I participated in a couple tournaments in Thailand. I didn't exactly perform well in some of the events but I finished second place at my last tournament in Thailand a month ago.
What is something memorable you've spent on using your prize winnings?
Most memorable memory i think is when my family and I took a beach trip back home. Being able to rest and spent time with my family made it special for me.
The Simone Asia Pacific Cup (total prize purse of $750,000USD), the first international tournament created by the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), began with an unexpected start on the first day.
So-yeon Ryu (32) and Bo-mee Lee (34), ‘veteran sisters’ in their 30s, were at the top of the leaderboards in the team competition after the first round of the Simone Cup, a national competition with 44 players from 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Under the blazing sun on August 18th, Ryu and Lee, paired together to form Korea’s 2nd Team, took the lead with a 12-under par (132 strokes) in the first round of the tournament, held in Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Two teams represented Korea during the Simone Cup. Korea’s 1st Team had Hyo-joo Kim (27) and Youmin Hwang (19) who were much less experienced than Korea’s 2nd Team with the ‘veteran sisters’. Despite their young age, however, Hyo-joo Kim was then ranked eighth in the world rankings and Youmin Hwang was a rising star who had just won two consecutive tournaments in the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association’s (KLPGA) third-tier Jump Tour.
However, the results of the first day were completely unexpected. Korea’s 2nd Team with the ‘veteran sisters’ were quickly reborn as the ‘scary sisters’ after their dominant performance in the 1st round.
They looked to be heavy favorites from the start with a 9-stroke difference between them and Japan’s 2nd Team (Kokona Sakurai / Maria Shinohara) and Team Philippines (Princess Mary Superal / Pauline Del Rosario) who finished 3-under par with 141 strokes. So-yeon Ryu who finished with no bogeys and 7 birdies, finished 7-under par (65 strokes) and led also the individual competition leaderboards. Bo-mee Lee wasn’t far below with her 6 birdies and 1 bogey play finishing 5-under par (67 strokes), landing her 4th in the individual competition. Tied for 2nd was Lydia Ko of Team New Zealand and Philippines’ Princess Mary Superal, with 6-under par (66 strokes).
Youmin Hwang finished 1-under par (71 strokes) and Hyo-joo Kim finished even-par to land Korea’s 1st Team tied for 5th along with Thailand’s 2nd Team. In the individual’s, Youmin Hwang was tied for 7th and Hyo-joo Kim was tied for 10th.
Entering the 2nd round, a strong contender appeared before the dominating ‘scary sisters’ from Korea. It was none other than Korea’s 1st Team.
Despite the 11-stroke difference, Korea’s younger sister team sharply reduced it to a mere 2-stroke difference with consecutive birdie finishes. While Hyo-joo Kim and Youmin Hwang reduced six shots, So-yeon Ryu and Bo-mee Lee lost three shots. This placed Korea’s 1st and 2nd Team side-by-side in the team competition with the 1st Team leading with 9-under par and the 2nd Team trailing behind with 7-under par. The Philippines Team came in third with 6-under par and Team New Zealand finished 4th with 4-under after Lydia Ko’s hard fought 2nd round.
Further unexpected events came about in the 2nd round. Philippines’ Princess Mary Superal took the lead in the individual competition. After hitting 6-under par in the 1st round, she hit an even better 7-under par in the 2nd round placing her at the top of the leaderboards. So-yeon Ryu, who hit 7-under par in the 1st round struggled with the harsh winds and lost 3-strokes with a 4-under par, putting her at a tied 4th place.
Bo-mee Lee who finished even par in the 1st round went 5-under par (139 strokes) to land her tied for 3rd while Hyo-joo Kim placed 4th alongside So-yeon Ryu with 4-under par (140 strokes). Youmin Hwang also reduced 2-strokes to put her tied for 6th with a 3-under par finish (141 strokes).
With the final round, the team competition played out as was expected with Team Korea finishing first. However, in the individual competition, Philippines Princess Mary Superal remained on top to become Simone Cup’s first ever champion, beating out four major championship winners surprising all fans and spectators. So-yeon Ryu came in 2nd, a good result of her strong play.
The final round was that of a cat and mouse chase. With those chasing to be at the top of the leaderboards coming ever so close only to have those who were already there increasing the gap once more, again and again. Those who sat at the top smiled brightly while keeping the lead they gained from the 2nd round.
In Korea’s 2nd Team, So-yeon Ryu finished 5-under par (67 strokes) to combine her total tournament score to 9-under par (207 strokes). Bo-mee Lee hit 3-over par (75 strokes) having her finish 2-under par (214 strokes). Their combined scores landed them with a 1st place finish in the team competition with an 11-under par team finish. Team Philippines was 6-strokes behind and Korea’s 1st Team placed 6th with a combined 1-under par.
The individual competition’s champion was Princess Mary Superal, who recorded a 5-under par (67 strokes) in the final round, showing no signs of being swayed by the fierce pursuit of the world’s top ranking players. Superal, who had a total combined score of 12-under par (214 strokes) beat out Soyeon Ryu by 3 strokes to have her win her first ever tournament of this scale in her career.
After her win, Superal mustered out while holding back tears, “Honestly, I can’t believe I just won this tournament. I’m so happy to have won my first ever international tournament.”
Korean-New Zealander Lydia Ko placed 3rd with 8-under par for the individual competition and 3rd in the team competition with 5-under par. Hyo-joo Kim tied for 8th in the individual competition with 1-under par (215 strokes) while Youmin Hwang tied for 12th with an even par finish (216 strokes).
Many were skeptical after hearing that Simone was looking to hold a golf tournament overseas in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, it was hard to hold a tournament even in Korea, yet alone in a country like Indonesia where golf was still being developed. However, the tournament was a success only through the full support and determination of Simone Group Chairman Eun-kwan Kenny Park.
Chairman Park joined as a founding member of the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) in October 2019 and promised that he would one day hold a tournament in Asia under Simone’ s name. “Countries where the golf infrastructure, market and system have developed and matured such as Korea, Japan, Australia, and Thailand, should play the bigger role in helping the other Asia Pacific countries,” said Mr. Park.
He was well aware that to achieve such a goal would be long and timeconsuming. However, he firmly believed that the Simone Asia Pacific Cup would be the turning point in the development of golf in these countries and serve as a stepping stone for them to take the next step. Above all, Chairman Park gave further significance to the tournament by having it held in Indonesia, where the Simone production plant is located.
As a global leader in luxury handbag production with factories in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia, and with more than over 10,000 local employees, Simone has played a vital role in helping grow Indonesia for more than 20 years. Mr. Park said in confidence, “AGLF will be the future of Asian Golf. I think that it can become a stage that can encompass and host the entire Asian market and as an organization, play the pivotal role Asia so desperately needs. But first it needs to hold many tournaments. That’s why I boldly invested.”
However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic proved detrimental with social activities and the number of golf tournaments being greatly reduced. But with resolute determination that such a meaningful tournament can no longer be delayed, the Simone Asia Pacific Cup was officially held in August 2022. After years of hard work, it became the first international tournament created by the AGLF, which was launched to develop women’s golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
There are several prerequisites and requirements for a tournament to be successful. Firstly, the players to participate is crucial. As the first women’ s golf tournament in the Asia-Pacific region since COVID-19, famous and popular players were needed above all else. Korean representatives, such as Soyeon Ryu, Bo-mee Lee, Hyo-joo Kim, and Youmin Kwang, were to be a spectacle. In addition, Lydia Ko, the youngest Korean to ever reach number one in the world rankings, Hinako Shibuno, a major winner, Korean-American Yealimi Noh, and Hong Kong’s only LPGA Tour player Tiffany Chan, were all set to hit the stage.
With such a heavy-hitting lineup, the Pondok Indah Golf Course filled with galleries cheering for their favorite players. Dersi Suwita, secretary of the Indonesia Golf Association(IGA), expressed her delightful surprise when finding out that “for the first time in the history of the Indonesia Golf Association , a total of more than 10,000 people came in attendance for the tournament.” It was the largest gallery at the Pondok Indah Golf Course since its opening, where the Golf World Cup and the Asian Tour tournament is held. The level and scale of the tournament felt matched with a tournament held in Korea. The tournament also proved to play a meaningful role in friendship between South Korea and Indonesia.
Simone also drew attention by awarding the winner of the tournament a Boston bag and a mini bag specially made by the “0914 Masters” using an ‘Embossed Croco Leather’ of ‘Conceria Samata’, a world-class Italian tanner.
Furthermore, exciting news was revealed shortly before the start of the tournament. It was determined that a new tournament by Celltrion would be held in New Zealand in 2024 under the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series.
The news of the Celltrion tournament was deemed ‘outrageous’. Attending as an invited guest of Chairman Kenny Park, Celltrion founder Jin Seo Jung, expressed his intention to create the tournament during the Gala Dinner, in front of all the participating players and related officials. He revealed the reason for his surprise announcement.
“I was very impressed by the contribution to golf development by Simone Chairman Kenny Park, who started his Indonesian business 25 years ago and turned it into a global handbag company. Celltrion is along dealing lots of business in Oceania, and we would also like to support golf in the region by contributing a golf tournament of our own.”
This news of the Celltrion tournament was first born during the Simone Asia Pacific Cup.
Simone Asia Pacific Cup set for December return
to Indonesia
Philippines' Princess Mary Superal celebratIng her win at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup in 2022.
The Simone Asia Pacific Cup will make a welcome return to Indonesia for its second edition from December 21-23 this year, following a successful debut on the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series last August.
The tournament venue and the prize fund will be announced in due course, but talks are ongoing for the prestigious Jakarta-based Pondok Indah Golf Club to return as the host for the second year running.
The inaugural edition in 2022 offered a total prize money of USD $750,000, positioning itself as one of the most lucrative women's golf tournaments in the Southeast Asian region.
Held as a 54-hole strokeplay event with no cut, the Simone Asia Pacific Cup featured a unique format where players compete for both individual and team glory.
Last year's event was contested by 44 players from 16 countries namely South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, India, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Chinese Taipei, Myanmar, Hong Kong and the United States.
It starred some of the world's best players including New Zealand's Lydia Ko, South Korean duo Soyeon Ryu, Hyojoo Kim and Hinako Shibuno of Japan - all of whom were major winners.
However, it was Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines who stole the thunder when she upstaged her more illustrious rivals to claim the individual title, winning by three shots from former US Women's Open winner Ryu.
Ryu still had a reason to celebrate as she partnered Bomee Lee to come out tops in the team competition.
AGLF secretary general Paul Park said: "Following the highly successful staging of the maiden Simone Asia Pacific Cup last year, we believe that everyone will be looking forward to the second edition this year.
"We would like to thank Simone for their continuous support and making this event possible.
"What could have been a better storyline than Princess Mary overcoming a host of heavyweights to become the inaugural winner.
"I have no doubt that another great battle with plenty of dramas is on the cards come December.”
Ends.
About Ladies Asian Tour Series
Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series is a group of ladies professional golf tournaments in Asia for Asian ladies’ golfers created by a coalition among sanctioning bodies in the region of Asia. The purpose of Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series is to create Asia's own series by not interfering with sanctioning bodies in this region, but by promoting women's golf at a more competitive level in order to secure more fans for Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) series.
About Asia Golf Leaders Forum
Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) is a non-profit corporation, led by four founders Mr. Jung-Tai Kim of Hana Financial Group, Mr. Gwang-Soo Hur of Korea Golf Association (KGA), Mr. Sang-Yeol Kim of Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), and Mr. Kenny Park of Simone. With a mutual understanding with the R&A and golf associations in Asia such as Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, AGLF's mission is to unite all the Asian golf associations and create synergies to boost Asian golf to a global arena. Together with corporate partners, the AGLF is working to establish and grow Asia's own series of women’s golf by co-developing with existing tournaments or establishing new tournaments in countries across Asia. R&A has put its support behind AGLF and LAT for this new milestone in Asian Golf.
South Korea's So Yeon Ryu and Bomee Lee winning the team competition at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup
개인전 우승자인 필리핀의 프린세스 메리 슈페랄과 시몬느 그룹 박은관회장
Philippines golfer Princess Mary Superal outshone her more illustrious rivals to snatch a surprise one-shot lead after the penultimate stage of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday.
The 25-year-old Princess, who started the day one shot off the pace, carded one-under-par 71 after making two birdies to offset a bogey to reach the 36-hole mark at seven-under 137, giving her a slender advantage over New Zealand's Lydia Ko.
The world number four battled to an ever-par 72 following a roller-coaster day at the Pondok Indah Golf Course which saw her mix three birdies with as many bogeys.
Bomee Lee of South Korea also shot a 72 to sit a further stroke back on 139, while compatriots So Yeon Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim were tied for fourth on matching 140s after going through contrasting fortunes.
While Kim fought back gallantly with a sparkling 68, Ryu stumbled to a 75 after marking her scorecard with five birdies, two bogeys and three double bogeys.
Rookie professional Youmin Hwang signed for a solid 70 for 141 to make it four South Koreans to feature inside the top-six on the individual leaderboard.
South Korea also ruled the top-two spots on the team standings, with Team Korea 2 featuring Lee and Ryu sitting in first place on nine-under overall, just two shots ahead of Kim and Hwang of Team Korea 1.
But the second day of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup clearly belonged to Princess, who continued to prove that she is no pushover against the heavyweights, including playing partners Ryu and Lee, who have won 46 professional titles between them.
"I was really happy when I knew that I was playing with So Yeon Ryu and Bo Mee Lee, I've known them for like a long time, I see them often on TV," said Princess, who responded to a bogey on hole nine with a pair of birdies on 13 and 16.
"I was really nervous, but I just want to learn from them and see them play."
Although overwhelmed to be playing alongside the big guns, Princess said the key to her solid display was 'minding her own business'.
"I was just minding my own business and just focusing on my own game, so that really helped me and that's what I'm going to do tomorrow."
Princess also stands a chance to contend for the team crown with partner Pauline Del Rosario as they trail Team Korea 2 by just three shots on three-under.
Ko was pleased with how she fought back late in play to head into the finale firmly on the ground.
"Overall, I wasn't as sharp as I was yesterday," said the two-time major winner, who secured a crucial birdie on 17.
"I didn't have as many birdie opportunities and I missed a couple of par putts. It was probably careless mistakes but I got a birdie on 17. It was kind of the day when I didn't really get anything going.
"Hopefully I'll take the positives from the last couple of days and put that all into action for tomorrow."
Ends.
Second round scores
137: Princess Mary SUPERAL (PHI) 66-71
138: Lydia KO (NZL) 66-72
139: Bo Mee LEE (KOR) 67-72
140: Hyo Joo KIM (KOR) 72-68, So Yeon RYU (KOR) 65-75
141: You Min HWANG (KOR) 71-70
143: Jaravee BOONCHANT (THA) 73-70, Patricia SINOLUNGAN [A] INA 71-72, Maria SHINOHARA (JPN) 71-72, Patcharajutar KONGKRAPHAN (THA) 70-73
144: Natasha OON (MAS) 74-70
145: Tiffany CHAN (HKG) 73-72, Kokona SAKURAI (JPN) 70-75, Pauline DEL ROSARIO (PHI) 75-70
146: Kristina YOKO [A] (INA) 74-72, Momoka KOBORI (NZL) 76-70
147: Hinako SHIBUNO (JPN) 73-74, Karis DAVIDSON (AUS) 72-75
148: Yuli SHI (CHN) 74-74, Vani KAPOOR (IND) 78-70
149: Hsuan Ping CHANG (TPE) 74-75, Cheng Hsuan SHIH (TPE) 72-77, Xiang SUI (CHN) 76-73, Diksha DAGAR (IND) 74-75, Amandeep KAUR (IND) 72-77, Yealimi NOH (USA) 77-72, Saraporn CHAMCHOI (THA) 73-76
150: Virginie DING [A] (HKG) 78-72
151: Gaurika BISHNOI (IND) 77-74
153: Alyaa ABDULGHANY (MAS) 74-79, Kiriko SHIBUNO [A] (JPN) 75-78, Cassie PORTER (AUS) 80-73
154: Jaymie NG [A] (SIN) 76-78
155: Aunchisa UTAMA (THA) 76-79, Aloysa ATIENZA [A] (SIN) 81-74, Dea MAHENDRA (INA) 79-76, Phu Pwint Yati KHINE [A] (MYN) 81-74
156: Putri Aisyah AMANI (INA) 80-76
159: Melati PUTRI (INA) 81-78, Tatiana WIJAYA (INA) 78-81
160: Eimi KOGA (USA) 79-81
161: My Thao NGUYEN (VNM) 81-80
167: Nghi Bao NGO (VNM) 84-83
174: Khin Thu THU (MYN) 86-88
Second Round Team Leaderboard
-9: Korea 2
-7: Korea 1
-6: Philippines
-4: New Zealand
Even: Japan 2
+1: Indonesia 3
+4: Thailand 2
+7: Hong Kong
+9: China, Malaysia, India 2
+10: Thailand 1, Chinese Taipei
+12: Japan 1, Australia, India 1
+21: USA, Singapore
+23: Indonesia 2
+30: Indonesia 1
+40: Vietnam
+41: Myanmar
Celltrion ready to join LAT series with inaugural event slated for
New Zealand in 2024
New Zealand's Lydia Ko teeing off at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup
◾Kiwi Lydia Ko set to play host on new event on home soil
◾Celltrion to join forces with AGLF to grow the game of women’s golf in Asia Pacific
Women’s golf in New Zealand received a major boost after Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) announced they will be staging a new tournament in the South Pacific island as part of the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series in 2024.
South Korean biopharmaceutical giant Celltrion will come on board as the title sponsor and hosted by Kiwi pride Lydia Ko, the world number four and two-time major winner.
This newest development comes after an agreement was made between AGLF, New Zealand Golf Association and Ko at the AGLF Summit Meeting which took place in conjunction with this week’s inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup in Jakarta.
Further details on the tournament dates and prize money will be announced later.
AGLF President Jungtae Kim said, "We are happy to announce that AGLF will be hosting a new LAT Series tournament in New Zealand in 2024. This is certainly a welcome development for AGLF as we are already feeling buoyed by the successful staging of the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup at Pondok Indah Golf Course, the first LAT Series event held outside South Korea."
Jungjin Seo, Honorary President of Celltrion, said the decision to title sponsor the tournament in New Zealand came after he was inspired by what Eunkwan Kenny Park, President of Simone Group, has done to spark the development of women’s golf in Indonesia.
Seo intends to do the same in Oceania continent where his company has a business interest.
"I'm deeply inspired by President Park's effort in giving back to society. He established his company's branch in Indonesia 25 years ago had since transformed it into a renowned global handbag company.
"At Celltrion, we're also doing a lot of business in the Oceania region and would also like to give back to its society by supporting golf tournaments," said Seo.
Celltrion has long been a staunch supporter of women’s golf in Korea. It has been sponsoring the Celltrion Queens Masters on the KLPGA Tour for four years now. The tournament carries a prize fund of KRW100,000,000.
Hyung Mo Kang, President of the Asia Pacific Golf Platform (APGP) welcomed the news and said: “We've already scheduled our next LAT Series event, ‘Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open’ in Singapore in December. Now that we have Celltrion joining us, AGLF's LAT Series is set to take another big step forward in the development of professional women's golf in the region."
This season’s LAT Series commenced in June with the 'DB Group 36th Korea Women Open’, followed by this week’s Simone Asia Pacific Cup.
The two other events lined up later this year include the KRW1,500,000,000 Hana Financial Group Championship, which is major event of the KLPGA Tour, at Bears Best Chungra Golf Club from September 29-October 2 and the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open.
LAT Series will expand to eight tournaments in 2023 with the addition of existing national Opens of Thailand and the Philippines. When the New Zealand event takes off in 2024, LAT Series is set to get even better with a 10-tournament schedule.
AGLF also announced during its summit meeting that the current AGLF executives will hold their positions for three years and has established its committee with the participating golf association members.
The forum has also appointed Aesook Kim from KPS and Lyn Yeo as its advisors. Kim represents Jiyae Shin and Sunwoo Bae in Japan, and is also KLPGA's official member (ID#: 35) while Yeo is a strong advocate of junior golf development in Singapore.
Ends.
Princess revels in fairy tale win at Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Philippines' Princess Mary Superal celebrates her win at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Philippines' Princess Mary Superal held off some of the world's best golfers to claim her maiden professional international title at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Princess fired a glorious five-under-par 67 to finish on 12-under-par 204 total, winning by three shots from former US Women's Open winner So Yeon Ryu of South Korea, who also closed with a 67.
World number four Lydia Ko, who trailed Princess by one at the start of the day, failed to mount a strong challenge as she signed for a 70 to finish four shots behind the champion.
"It's pretty special to me because this is my first international win as a professional," said Princess, who pocketed a cool USD $100,000 for the biggest paycheck of her career.
"I've been waiting for this moment to arrive. I'm very happy."
Playing alongside the more illustrious Ko, Princess showed no signs of nerves as she birdied three of the opening four holes to open a two-shot lead and never looked back since.
She picked up her fourth and fifth birdie of the day on holes 10 and 15 to finish with a bogey-free scorecard at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia.
"I approached the final round like the previous day. I was just minding my own business and really just wanted to focus on my game. That really helped me to secure this win."
"To be able to play with the world's top golfers, obviously I did feel nervous but happy at the same time. It's the first time I had this chance and I will cherish them," said the Filipino.
In the team competition, the title went to Team Korea 2 comprising of Ryu and Bomee Lee who recorded a 11-under-par winning total.
Not even a battling 75 from Lee could stop them from claiming a four-shot win over Princess and Pauline Del Rosario of Team Philippines. New Zealand’s Ko and Momoka Koburi came in third on five-under-par.
Ryu attributed the victory to her close friendship with Lee.
"As Bomee is playing mostly on the JLPGA Tour, we haven't played together for a while. Just being here as a team was really amazing."
"I had so much fun, she definitely helped me a lot when I struggled yesterday. So having a really good friendship definitely helped a lot to win this tournament," said Ryu.
With an individual title and team runners-up in the bag for the Philippines this week, Princess and Del Rosario have also certainly repaid the tremendous support shown by their countrymen.
This comes after a video of a Filipino idol group 'SB Talent Camp' performing the K-Cheer Challenge amassed a whopping 2.5 million views after it was posted just five days ago.
Final Round Scores
204: Princess Mary SUPERAL (PHI) 66-71-67
207: So Yeon RYU (KOR) 65-75-67
208: Lydia KO (NZL) 66-72-70
213:Patcharajutar KONGKRAPHAN (THA) 70-73-70, Kokona SAKURAI (JPN) 70-75-68
214: Patricia SINOLUNGAN [A] (INA) 71-72-71, Bomee LEE (KOR) 67-72-75
215: Karis DAVIDSON (AUS) 72-75-68, Tiffany CHAN (HKG) 73-72-70, Kristina YOKO [A] (INA) 74-72-69, Hyo Joo KIM (KOR) 72-68-75
216: You Min HWANG (KOR) 71-70-75
217:Cheng Hsuan SHIH (TPE) 72-77-68, Maria SHINOHARA (JPN) 71-72-74, Jaravee BOONCHANT (THA) 73-70-74
218: Xiang SUI (CHN) 76-73-69
219: Momoka KOBORI (NZL) 76-70-73
221: Amandeep KAUR (IND) 72-77-72, Pauline DEL ROSARIO (PHI) 75-70-76
222: Vani KAPOOR (IND) 78-70-74, Saraporn CHAMCHOI (THA) 73-76-73
223: Cassie PORTER (AUS) 80-73-70, Hinako SHIBUNO (JPN) 73-74-76, Yuli SHI (CHN) 74-74-75, Gaurika BISHNOI (IND) 77-74-72
224: Virginie DING [A] (HKG) 78-72-74, Diksha DAGAR (IND) 74-75-75, Yealimi NOH (USA) 77-72-75;
227: Hsuan Ping CHANG (TPE) 74-75-78, Aunchisa UTAMA (THA) 76-79-72
228: Kiriko SHIBUNO [A] (JPN) 75-78-75, Phu Pwint Yati KHINE [A] (MYN) 81-74-73
230: Jaymie NG [A] (SIN) 76-78-76
232: Alyaa ABDULGHANY (MAS) 74-79-79, Eimi KOGA (USA) 79-81-72
234: Aloysa ATIENZA [A] (SIN) 81-74-79, Melati PUTRI (INA) 81-78-75
235: Dea MAHENDRA (INA) 79-76-80
238: Tatiana WIJAYA (INA) 78-81-79
239: Putri Aisyah AMANI (INA) 80-76-83
241: My Thao NGUYEN (VNM) 81-80-80
250: Nghi Bao NGO (VNM) 84-83-83
253: Natasha OON (MAS) 90-84-79
254: Khin Thu THU (MYN) 86-88-80
Final Round Team Leaderboard
-11: KOREA 2
-7: PHILIPPINES
-5: NEW ZEALAND
-3: INDONESIA 3
-2: JAPAN 2
-1: KOREA 1
+3: THAILAND 2
+6: AUSTRALIA
+7: HONG KONG
+9: CHINA
+11: INDIA 2
+12: THAILAND 1, CHINESE TAIPEI
+15: Team INDIA 1
+19: JAPAN 1
+24: USA
+32: SINGAPORE
+40: INDONESIA 1
+42: INDONESIA 2
+50: MYANMAR
+53: MALAYSIA
+59: VIETNAM
South Korea's So Yeon Ryu and Bomee Lee winning the team competition at the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Princess to Queen for the day at Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Philippines' Princess Mary Superal
Philippines golfer Princess Mary Superal outshone her more illustrious rivals to snatch a surprise one-shot lead after the penultimate stage of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday.
The 25-year-old Princess, who started the day one shot off the pace, carded one-under-par 71 after making two birdies to offset a bogey to reach the 36-hole mark at seven-under 137, giving her a slender advantage over New Zealand's Lydia Ko.
The world number four battled to an ever-par 72 following a roller-coaster day at the Pondok Indah Golf Course which saw her mix three birdies with as many bogeys.
Bomee Lee of South Korea also shot a 72 to sit a further stroke back on 139, while compatriots So Yeon Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim were tied for fourth on matching 140s after going through contrasting fortunes.
While Kim fought back gallantly with a sparkling 68, Ryu stumbled to a 75 after marking her scorecard with five birdies, two bogeys and three double bogeys.
Rookie professional Youmin Hwang signed for a solid 70 for 141 to make it four South Koreans to feature inside the top-six on the individual leaderboard.
South Korea also ruled the top-two spots on the team standings, with Team Korea 2 featuring Lee and Ryu sitting in first place on nine-under overall, just two shots ahead of Kim and Hwang of Team Korea 1.
But the second day of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup clearly belonged to Princess, who continued to prove that she is no pushover against the heavyweights, including playing partners Ryu and Lee, who have won 46 professional titles between them.
"I was really happy when I knew that I was playing with So Yeon Ryu and Bo Mee Lee, I've known them for like a long time, I see them often on TV," said Princess, who responded to a bogey on hole nine with a pair of birdies on 13 and 16.
"I was really nervous, but I just want to learn from them and see them play."
Although overwhelmed to be playing alongside the big guns, Princess said the key to her solid display was 'minding her own business'.
"I was just minding my own business and just focusing on my own game, so that really helped me and that's what I'm going to do tomorrow."
Princess also stands a chance to contend for the team crown with partner Pauline Del Rosario as they trail Team Korea 2 by just three shots on three-under.
Ko was pleased with how she fought back late in play to head into the finale firmly on the ground.
"Overall, I wasn't as sharp as I was yesterday," said the two-time major winner, who secured a crucial birdie on 17.
"I didn't have as many birdie opportunities and I missed a couple of par putts. It was probably careless mistakes but I got a birdie on 17. It was kind of the day when I didn't really get anything going.
"Hopefully I'll take the positives from the last couple of days and put that all into action for tomorrow."
Ends.
Second round scores
137: Princess Mary SUPERAL (PHI) 66-71
138: Lydia KO (NZL) 66-72
139: Bo Mee LEE (KOR) 67-72
140: Hyo Joo KIM (KOR) 72-68, So Yeon RYU (KOR) 65-75
141: You Min HWANG (KOR) 71-70
143: Jaravee BOONCHANT (THA) 73-70, Patricia SINOLUNGAN [A] INA 71-72, Maria SHINOHARA (JPN) 71-72, Patcharajutar KONGKRAPHAN (THA) 70-73
144: Natasha OON (MAS) 74-70
145: Tiffany CHAN (HKG) 73-72, Kokona SAKURAI (JPN) 70-75, Pauline DEL ROSARIO (PHI) 75-70
146: Kristina YOKO [A] (INA) 74-72, Momoka KOBORI (NZL) 76-70
147: Hinako SHIBUNO (JPN) 73-74, Karis DAVIDSON (AUS) 72-75
148: Yuli SHI (CHN) 74-74, Vani KAPOOR (IND) 78-70
149: Hsuan Ping CHANG (TPE) 74-75, Cheng Hsuan SHIH (TPE) 72-77, Xiang SUI (CHN) 76-73, Diksha DAGAR (IND) 74-75, Amandeep KAUR (IND) 72-77, Yealimi NOH (USA) 77-72, Saraporn CHAMCHOI (THA) 73-76
150: Virginie DING [A] (HKG) 78-72
151: Gaurika BISHNOI (IND) 77-74
153: Alyaa ABDULGHANY (MAS) 74-79, Kiriko SHIBUNO [A] (JPN) 75-78, Cassie PORTER (AUS) 80-73
154: Jaymie NG [A] (SIN) 76-78
155: Aunchisa UTAMA (THA) 76-79, Aloysa ATIENZA [A] (SIN) 81-74, Dea MAHENDRA (INA) 79-76, Phu Pwint Yati KHINE [A] (MYN) 81-74
156: Putri Aisyah AMANI (INA) 80-76
159: Melati PUTRI (INA) 81-78, Tatiana WIJAYA (INA) 78-81
160: Eimi KOGA (USA) 79-81
161: My Thao NGUYEN (VNM) 81-80
167: Nghi Bao NGO (VNM) 84-83
174: Khin Thu THU (MYN) 86-88
Second Round Team Leaderboard
-9: Korea 2
-7: Korea 1
-6: Philippines
-4: New Zealand
Even: Japan 2
+1: Indonesia 3
+4: Thailand 2
+7: Hong Kong
+9: China, Malaysia, India 2
+10: Thailand 1, Chinese Taipei
+12: Japan 1, Australia, India 1
+21: USA, Singapore
+23: Indonesia 2
+30: Indonesia 1
+40: Vietnam
+41: Myanmar
New Zealand's Lydia Ko
Ryu leads the way at Simone Asia Pacific Cup
South Korea's So Yeon Ryu and Bo Mee Lee
South Korea's seasoned campaigner So Yeon Ryu fired a seven-under-par 65 to seize a one-shot lead after the opening round of the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup in Indonesia on Thursday.
The 32-year-old reeled off seven birdies in a flawless round at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta.
World number four Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the highest-ranked player among the 44 competitors in the field, left it late with a glorious birdie-eagle finish for a bogey-free 66 to join Philippines' Princess Mary Superal in second spot.
Another South Korean Bo Mee Lee ended the opening day in outright fourth place, two off the pace after trading five birdies against a lone bogey on the par-three fifth.
Thailand's Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, the 2012 Indonesian Ladies Open champion, also enjoyed a solid start by carding a 70 to share fifth with Japan's Kokona Sakurai.
Ryu and Lee's combined individual brilliance, which yielded a blistering 12-under-par total, also inspired Team Korea 2 to a whopping nine-shot lead over Team Japan 2 comprising of Sakurai and Maria Shinohara (71) and Team Philippines made up of Princess and Pauline Del Rosario (73).
"To be honest, I was quite nervous this morning because I haven't represented my country for a while," said two-time major winner Ryu.
"I paired up with Bo Mee Lee, who's one of my good friends and I had a lot of fun playing with her and this helped me to relax.
"My putting was pretty great today and I’m always happy with a bogey-free round.
"At the back nine, the wind started to pick up. It was swirling and made it hard to read the wind direction. That's the reason why it was tough to create any birdie chances. But my putting was good enough to make a couple of birdies out there.
"I hope I can play like this tomorrow and also Saturday. But it's golf, you'll never know what's going to happen. I'm just going to give my best and enjoy this beautiful gold course as much as possible."
Ko, meanwhile, had a modest start on the front nine after she could only pick up a birdie.
But with the help of Indonesian rising star Jonathan Xavier Hartono, who is caddying for her this week, the 17-time LPGA Tour winner was able to turn things around on the back nine.
Jonathan, 18, is the world number 261 boys’ amateur who had won five junior domestic titles in succession recently.
"Jojo’s (Jonathan) great, he's a member of the Indonesian national team. He's super talented and just came off a tournament recently and played really well," said Ko, who is placed fourth on the team leaderboard with fellow Kiwi Momoka Kobori (76).
"It's great to have his advice even though my regular caddie is not here. He obviously knows this course very well. He has got a lot of knowledge and has been super helpful, especially on this kind of grass. I was able to learn from him.
"Overall, I hit the ball pretty consistently, I gave myself a lot of good looks. There were few putts that I felt I could have holed, but they didn’t end up falling,” added Ko.
Princess was delighted to return to the scene where she bagged a junior title back in 2015 and produced another fine display to give the more established stars a run for their money.
"I have fond memories of this course and am happy to be back here," said Princess.
"I hit my irons very well, my putting was also very good which led to this good score. For the next two days, I just have to focus on my own game and do what I have to do."
World Number eight Hyo Joo Kim could only muster an opening 72 to sit in a four-way tie for 10th.
First Round Scores
65: So Yeon RYU (KOR)
66: Princess Mary SUPERAL (PHI), Lydia KO (NZL);
67: Bo Mee LEE (KOR)
70: Patcharajutar KONGKRAPHAN (THA), Kokona SAKURAI (JPN)
71: Patricia SINOLUNGAN [A] INA, Maria SHINOHARA (JPN), You Min HWANG (KOR)
72: Amandeep KAUR (IND), Cheng Hsuan SHIH (TPE), Karis DAVIDSON (AUS), Hyo Joo KIM (KOR)
73: Saraporn CHAMCHOI (THA), Tiffany CHAN (HKG), Jaravee BOONCHANT (THA), Hinako SHIBUNO (JPN)
74: Kristina YOKO [A] (INA), Alyaa ABDULGHANY (MAS), Natasha OON (MAS), Hsuan Ping CHANG (TPE), Diksha DAGAR (IND), Yuli SHI (CHN)
75: Pauline DEL ROSARIO (PHI), Kiriko SHIBUNO [A] (JPN)
76: Jaymie NG [A] (SIN), Xiang SUI (CHN), Aunchisa UTAMA (THA), Momoka KOBORI (NZL)
77: Gaurika BISHNOI (IND), Yealimi NOH (USA)
78: Vani KAPOOR (IND), Tatiana WIJAYA (INA), Virginie DING [A] (HKG)
79: Dea MAHENDRA (INA), Eimi KOGA (USA)
80: Putri Aisyah AMANI (INA), Cassie PORTER (AUS)
Phu Pwint Yati KHINE [A] (MYN)
81: Aloysa ATIENZA [A] (SIN), My Thao NGUYEN (VNM), Melati PUTRI (INA)
84: Nghi Bao NGO (VNM)
86: Khin Thu THU (MYN)
First Round Team Leaderboard
-12: KOREA 2
-3: PHILIPPINES, JAPAN 2
-2: NEW ZEALAND
-1: KOREA 1, THAILAND 2
+1: Team INDONESIA 3
+2: CHINESE TAIPEI
+4: JAPAN 1, MALAYSIA
+5: THAILAND 1
+6: CHINA, INDIA 2
+7: HONG KONG, INDIA 1
+8: AUSTRALIA
+12: USA
+13: SINGAPORE
+15: INDONESIA 1, INDONESIA 2
+21: VIETNAM
+23: MYANMAR
New Zealand's Lydia Ko
Shibuno sisters ready for battle ahead of Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Japan's Hinako Shibuno enjoying her pro-am day at the Pondok Indah Golf Club
Japan's major champion Hinako Shibuno declared she is ready to contend for the inaugural USD$750,000 Simone Asia Pacific Cup title after rediscovering her form at the recent Women's British Open.
The 23-year-old, nicknamed the ‘Smiling Cinderella’, put a disappointing run of results behind her by finishing outright third in the major event that launched her stardom three years ago.
Before that, Hinako had missed five cuts in her last seven tournaments.
With her confidence boosted, Hinako is eager to carry the momentum into Pondok Indah Golf Course this week where she is set to do battle with fellow major winners Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Hyo Joo Kim and So Yeon Ryu of South Korea in the 44-woman contest.
"I think it's fair to say that that I've gotten back some of my form," said Hinako.
"I was able to put together four good rounds (at the British) Open, that's pleasing indeed.
"But what's important is to stabilise my form by getting a good run of results. I'm still trying to get my mental game to click well with my performance on the course. "
Hinako, a winner of six Japan LPGA Tour titles, is also excited about competing in the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series for the first time.
"I agreed with the concept of supporting the growth of women's golf in this region and decided to participate. I'm really happy to be part of this week's tournament," said Hinako.
Hinako will have an added motivation to do well this week as she will be joining forces with her younger sister Kiriko, 19, for the first time where they look to mount a serious challenge for the team title.
Kiriko is still an amateur and plays collegiate golf in Japan.
"I'm so looking forward to it. It's going to be interesting how we're going to fare as a team. Individually, I will try my best not to lose to her!" laughed Hinako.
Kiriko described her maiden experience of playing alongside her elder sister as "refreshing".
"It's really refreshing. When I entered the golf scene as a junior, we never get to compete together because of our age gap," said Kiriko.
"Being four years apart means we didn't get to compete in the same division."
The 54-hole event, which tees off from August 18-20 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, offers a competitive total prize fund of USD $750,000 that will be enjoyed by all 37 professionals from the 44-player field as it is a no-cut event.
Ends.
Japan's Hinako Shibuno and Kiriko Shibuno
K-pop star Song lend star power to Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Minkyung Song, former member of K-pop group SeeYa
◾ Multi-entertainer, Minkyung Song announced as the ambassador of the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup
◾ Promotions of the event include Korean cheering song ‘Let’s go Korea’ dance challenge
◾ Special prizes await selected winners of the Simone Asia Pacific Pop Cheer Challenge.
Korean popular artist and actress Minkyung Song, former member of K-pop group SeeYa, will lend her star power to the ‘Simone Asia Pacific Cup’, to be held at Pondok Indah Golf Course from Jakarta, Indonesia from August 18-20, after being appointed the tournament’s official ambassador.
Song is widely regarded as a ballad singer with a very soulful voice. Some of her most popular hits include ‘Ahgaya’, ‘Now I can never see you’, ‘A good day’, ‘Shouldn’t have loved if like this’, ‘BByong BByong’.
To spice up the event, Song has initiated a promotional campaign – the ‘Simone Asia Pacific Pop Cheer Challenge’ – where she invites fans to post a video of them cheering for all 16 competing nations with their creatively choreographed dance performance.
As a start, a tutorial video of Song leading a “Let’s Go Korea” dance performance has been shared on the ‘Simone Asia Pacific Cup’s official Instagram account @apgp_official > Click here
Song has called on the fans to show their stuff and join in the fun in the spirit of cheering for their respective countries.
AGLF General-Secretary, Paul Park said: “I hope many fans in the APAC region will not only root for Soyeon Ryu, Bomee Lee, Hyojoo Kim and Youmin Hwang of Team Korea on the week of Korea’s Independence Day but also players from the other countries participating in the Simone Asia Pacific Cup.
"Hopefully, the promotional dance challenge will add to the already increasing K-golf interest and passion.”
In commemoration of South Korea’s 77th Independence Day, selected winners of the dance challenge will receive a 55-inch smart TV, 0914 luxury handbag, tournament t-shirt and hat, as well as ANEW golf pouch or ANEW golf hat and other exciting prizes.
The Simone Asia Pacific Cup will be contested by 44 players from 16 countries. JTBC Golf and Sports will broadcast the event live from August 18-19, while JTBC Golf channel will air the event from 5 pm to 9 pm. The final round will be broadcasted live on JTBC Golf from 12 pm to 4 pm South Korean time.
Lucrative cash purse awaits women golfers at Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Hole 12 at Pondok Indah Golf Course
The Simone Asia Pacific Cup will make its debut next week as one of the most lucrative women's golf tournaments in the South-East Asian region.
The 54-hole event, which tees off from August 18-20 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, offers a competitive total prize fund of USD $750,000 that will be enjoyed by all 37 professionals from the 44-player field as it is a no-cut event.
The individual contest offers a prize purse of USD $500,000, with another USD $250,000 has been set aside for the team competition.
The individual champion is set to walk away with a USD $100,000 jackpot, while the runner-up takes home US$57,500.
A participant is guaranteed a minimum payout of USD $5,680, provided she completes all 54 holes over the three-day contest.
That is comparatively higher than the USD $3,707 and USD $4,051 cheques picked up by the last place finishers in LPGA events in Singapore and Thailand earlier this year.
All professional players who feature in the Simone Asia Pacific Cup can expect to cash in more bonuses through the remaining USD $250,000 that will be dispersed among the teams that finish inside the top-15.
The breakdown of the prize money distribution will be announced by the event organizers Asian Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) in due course.
The tournament features a star-studded cast that includes Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Korean duo Hyo Joo Kim and So Yeon Ryu and Japan's Hinako Shibuno, boasting a combined six major titles in between them.
An explosive battle is likely to ensue with regional stars such as Thailand's Jaravee Boonchant, Australia's Cassie Porter, India's Diksha Dagar, Chinese Taipei's Cheng-Hsuan Shih and Malaysia's Natasha Andrea Oon will be out to prove that they are not pushovers against their more illustrious competitors.
Simone Asia Pacific Cup is part of the series of tournaments on the LAT Series, which teed off with its season-opening DB Group 36th Korea Women’s Open.
Other tournaments on the schedule include the KRW 1,500,000,000 Hana Bank Group Championship, which will take place in September and the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open in December.
Ends.
Players hail playing opportunities in the Asia Pacific
Hong Kong's Tiffany Chan
Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan, Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant and Indonesia’s Tatiana Wijaya are thrilled with the prospects of playing in more tournaments in Asia for many years to come - thanks to the formation of the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series, which continues to take shape with the staging of the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup this week.
The USD $750,000 event, which tees off at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday, is the second event of the LAT Series following the season-opening DB Group 36th Korea Women’s Open in June.
Other tournaments on the schedule include the KRW 1,500,000,000 Hana Bank Group Championship, which will take place in September and the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open in December.
The LAT Series, established by Asian Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), aims to stage seven tournaments across the Asia Pacific region in 2023 before expanding the burgeoning circuit further into 10-tournament a season starting from 2024.
Chan, Hong Kong’s sole flag-bearer on the US LPGA Tour, hailed LAT Series as the game-changer for women’s golf in Asia and believes it has the potential to flourish into a highly-competitive and respectable circuit that the region can be proud of.
Chan, who travelled extensively throughout her professional career, wants to play her part in helping AGLF’s cause.
“We haven’t really had the chance to play in Asia after turning professional. Everyone is either trying to play in the States, Europe or any other Tour,” said Chan during the pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday.
“For myself, I did play a lot on the China Tour, Taiwan LPGA and every single Asian Tour event in all the countries. We are finally seeing women’s golf growing in Asia.
“The Tours have been established in the United States and it’s time to see great players from Asia coming back to play and grow the Tour which will become more well-known and recognised.
“I’m happy to see this and hopefully more of us can participate in the future and not only 44 of us this week.”
Tatiana echoed Chan’s sentiment and expressed her confidence that there will be more professional stars expected to emerge from this region with the playing opportunities provided by LAT.
Tatiana herself is a great example as she is one of the many aspiring women Asian golfers who had to base themselves in the United States to pursue their dream.
“For me personally, the issue that I face is the lack of tournaments in Asia. To pursue this career as an Indonesian, I have to go to the United States or the European Tour,” lamented Tatiana, who’s currently plying her trade on the Women’s All Pro Tour (WAPT), the third-tier circuit in the US.
“It’s so far and it requires a lot of time. Obviously, there’s the cost factor and you have to be far from your family. It does not make sense for every Asian player to go back and forth all the time.
“It’s expensive and you got to think about how you are going to be there for six months. With the Ladies Asian Tour, it has opened a lot of opportunities for us now.
“There’s no reason for us to go for it if we really want to pursue this career”.
Jaravee, a rookie professional who holds a card on Epson Tour, is game for more action in Asia even though her ultimate dream is to make it to the LPGA Tour.
She’s keen to contribute to the growth of women’s golf in Asia.
“I went to high school and college in the US. I got my Epson Tour card this year. I’ve been playing most of my golf in the United States and I do not have much experience playing golf in Asia,” said Jaravee.
“So, I’m very excited to see how much women’s golf has grown in Asia and how much it’ll be growing in the future. It has definitely opened more doors for Asian golfers to play close to home and against great players. Just excited to see more of these events.”
Ends.
Ko and Kim play down favourite tags ahead of inaugural
Simone Asia Pacific Cup
L-R Tiffany Chan, Lydia Ko, So Yeon Ryu, Tatiana Wijaya, Jaravee Boochant, Hyo Joo Kim
Pre-tournament favourites Lydia Ko and Hyo Joo Kim both played down suggestions that the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup, which begins on Thursday will turn out to be more than just a four-horse race between them alongside two other major winners Shibuno Hinako and So Yeon Ryu.
New Zealand’s Ko and South Korea’s Kim, the world number four and eight respectively, are the biggest names to grace the USD $750,000 showpiece at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia, alongside Japan’s Hinako and another South Korean Ryu, who boast a combined 29 US LPGA Tour victories under their belts.
But the 25-year-old Ko, winner of two major titles, was quick to point out that her reputation counts for nothing and she will still have to bring out their A-game if she Is to walk away victorious on her first visit to Indonesia on Saturday.
Ko added that she is also expecting stiff competition from the rest in the 44-woman field that includes some regional’s rising stars including Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan, Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant and even local hopeful Tatiana Wijaya.
With the tournament also featuring a national team competition where 16 nations are in the fray, Ko has no qualms it will serve as an added motivation and help to bring out the best in each competitor.
“There are more known names than others. But like any other event, anyone who has played golf knows you can never say just because you are world number four, that means I’m going to win,” said Ko, who will be on a mission to win her second title of the season after triumphing at the Gainbridge LPGA for her 17th LPGA Tour title in January.
“All of us will have good and bad days. Those good days can be this week and our bad days could also be this week as well.
“The world’s best players are here representing their countries. We want to win for our country whether it’s the individual or team event. I don’t think it’s going to be all about us.
“There may be a higher probability just because of our ranking. But we cannot take out other players just because they are less experienced or because they are less well known,” added the New Zealander.
On a lighter note, Ko has reassured her fans that she has no intention to hang up her clubs just yet despite her impending wedding.
Ko has been reportedly engaged to her sweetheart Chung Jun, and the couple is expected to tie the knot later this year.
“I don’t think there will be many changes to my schedule. I’m really thankful for my fiancé and my family who have been super supportive. As much as I want it, they also want me to finish my career well at the time I want to,” said Ko.
“As a golfer and person, I’m thankful and gives me lots of motivation to work hard when I’m competing and enjoying my time off as well.
“Getting married is not going to change my schedule and it’s going to remain the same.”
Like Ko, Kim will also be seeking her second title of the year after claiming her fifth LPGA Tour victory at the Lotte Championship in April.
But the South Korean is taking nothing for granted despite being the top-two ranked golfers this week.
“World ranking does not necessarily guarantee a good score,” she stressed.
“Every player is talented and we do not know who will win. Everyone will do their best.”
Being a regular on LPGA Tour and KLPGA Tour back home, Kim also expressed her excitement on her first visit to Indonesia and compete with unfamiliar competitors from the Asia-Pacific region.
“This is my first time in Indonesia and I’m very happy to be able to participate and play with other players. I’m looking forward to having a fun and enjoyable week. We are representing our countries, so that’s a huge motivation for us too,” she said.
Ends.
Major champion Hinako commits to inaugural
Simone Asia Pacific Cup
Japan's Shibuno Hinako
◾ Japan’s Shibuno Hinako adds depth to the illustrious field that already features Lydia Ko, Soyeon Ryu and Hyojoo Kim
◾ Excitement builds up with four Major champions ready to battle it out for the championship
Japan’s Shibuno Hinako, the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open champion, is the latest star to commit to the inaugural Simone Asia Pacific Cup which tees off at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta, Indonesia from August 18-20.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and South Korean duo Hyojoo Kim and Soyeon Ryu, who boast a total of five Major titles between them, have already confirmed their participation at the inaugural tournament which boasts a lucrative prize purse of USD$ 750,000.
Nicknamed the ‘Smiling Cinderella’, Hinako first shot to worldwide stardom when she captured the 2019 AIG Women’s British Open in what was her first tournament outside Japan back then. The feat made her the first Japanese Major winner in 42 years since Hisako Higuchi.
A six-time winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour, Hinako only made her full season debut on the LPGA Tour this year after earning her card through the Qualifying School.
She has enjoyed an impressive start by posting three top-10 finishes, with her best result being a runner-up finish to Kim at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in April.
With her current rich vein of form, Kim, the world number nine, will be the one to look out for at the Simone Asia Pacific Cup. She has posted two top-five finishes in the last two Major starts including a tied-third result at the Amundi Evian Championship last week. Kim won the Amundi Evian Championship in 2014 for her sole Major title to date.
Fans will also be relishing the prospects of seeing Ryu and Ko, who are both two-time Major winners, teeing it up in Jakarta for the first time.
Ryu secured her maiden Major breakthrough when she captured the 2011 US Women’s Open before adding a second by winning the 2017 ANA Inspiration. The LPGA Tour’s 2017 Player of the Year has six LPGA Tour wins under her belt.
Ko, meanwhile, is the highest-ranked player in the field. The world number four has already won 17 tournaments including two Major victories she attained at the 2015 Evian Championship, and 2016 ANA Inspiration.
All four Major champions will be under no illusion that they will have it easy in Jakarta, knowing they are going to be challenged by some of the most talented players such as the South Korean pair of Bomee Lee and Youmin Hwang, American Yealimi Noh, Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan and Indonesia’s very own Tatiana Wijaya.
Unlike other regular golf tournaments, Simone Asia Pacific Cup features a ground-breaking format where all 44 players form 22 teams and play for their countries too. It is a 54-hole stroke play tournament, with scores from individual players added and counted towards the team scores. The individual contest offers a prize purse of USD $500,000 while USD $250,000 has been allocated for the team competition.
Paul Park, Secretary General of Asian Golf Leaders Forum said: “We are very excited now that Shibuno Hinako’s entry has been confirmed. The rematch between Hinako and Kim after their clash in Hawaii could also be a mouth-watering affair for all golf fans. The stellar field, along with the best players from the region, will certainly make this inaugural event a highly-anticipated one.”
Simone Group President Eungwan Kenny Park said: “We are looking forward to the start of the Simone Asia Pacific Cup as it promises to be a world-class golfing spectacle that will delight all golf fans. It will be an intriguing contest between several of the world’s best players and Asia’s finest in Jakarta and we cannot wait for it to get underway in three weeks.”
About Simone
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About Ladies Asian Tour Series
Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series is a group of ladies professional golf tournaments in Asia for Asian ladies’ golfers created by a coalition among sanctioning bodies in the region of Asia. The purpose of Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series is to create Asia's own series by not interfering with sanctioning bodies in this region, but by promoting women's golf at a more competitive level in order to secure more fans for Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) series.
About Asia Golf Leaders Forum
Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF) is a non-profit corporation, led by four founders Mr. Jung-Tai Kim of Hana Financial Group, Mr. Gwang-Soo Hur of Korea Golf Association (KGA), Mr. Sang-Yeol Kim of Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), and Mr. Kenny Park of Simone. With a mutual understanding with the R&A and golf associations in Asia such as Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, AGLF's mission is to unite all the Asian golf associations and create synergies to boost Asian golf to a global arena. Together with corporate partners, the AGLF is working to establish and grow Asia's own series of women’s golf by co-developing with existing tournaments or establishing new tournaments in countries across Asia. R&A has put its support behind AGLF and LAT for this new milestone in Asian Golf.
About Korea Golf Association
Korea Golf Association (KGA) is a governing body of golf in Korea that organises three (3) national open championships such as the Korea Open, the Korea Women's Open and the Korea Senior Open as well as approximately 20 amateur events annually. The KGA was established in 1965, and supported by a few golf clubs here in Korea. The KGA was affiliated with a member of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) in 1965 and the International Golf Federation (IGF) in 1968. The KGA is consist of seventeen (17) regional golf associations, four (4) affiliated golf associations and ninety-three (93) member golf clubs. The KGA has achieved proud results by winning the 2016 Rio Olympic Women's individual, World Amateur Team Championships and other international events and also produced proud players such as K.J Choi, Seri Pak, Inbee Park and Sungjae Im who was the Rookie of the year for the 2018-19 PGA tour.
About Asia Pacific Golf Platform
The Asia Pacific Golf Platform (APGP) is a corporate subsidiary of the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), founded to execute business opportunities coinciding with the operations of the AGLF. Led by President Kang Hyungmo, a board director of the AGLF and the former vice-chairman of the Korea Golf Association, and Secretary-General Paul Park, also the secretary-general of the AGLF and director of Hana Financial Group Sports, the APGP is currently organising the Asia Pacific Golf Platform 2022 to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia from Aug. 15th to the 20th. The Asia Pacific Golf Platform 2022 will be a monumental week signifying the grand start of the AGLF’s and APGP’s mission: to unify the players and national associations of the Asia Pacific and create a platform where they can further promote and develop women’s golf in the region. To further emphasise this goal and mission, the APGP has promised to donate USD$250,000 of the total prize purse from the Simone Asia Pacific Cup (set to be held during the Asia Pacific Golf Platform 2022) and distribute it evenly to each participating APAC national golf association for them to invest and further develop the game in their own countries. The APGP plans to be involved in future AGLF Ladies Asia Tour (LAT) Series events and will help stimulate more business opportunities to then reinvest back and help grow women’s golf in Asia-Pacific.
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