Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson set for showdown at Sime Darby LGPA Malaysia
Two of the LPGA’s best golfers, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, and Canada’s Brooke Henderson, are set for a showdown at TPC Kuala Lumpur next month, as the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia once again demonstrates its reputation for attracting the best in the game.
Ko is no stranger to the Malaysian capital, having participated in the previous two editions of the showpiece tournament. The current world no. 1* has made steady progress over the past two years in Kuala Lumpur, finishing eighth in 2014 and narrowly missing out on the title last year as she finished tied second behind Jessica Korda.
2016 has been productive for the 19-year-old so far, with staggering tournament winnings this year of over US$2 million to date. She also wrote herself into the history books, winning a silver medal in the Rio Olympics as women’s golf returned to the Games for the first time in 116 years.
Photo Credit: stuff.nz
Speaking about her return to TPC Kuala Lumpur, Ko said: “It’s a thrill for me to return to the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. I really enjoy the golf course and the support from the fans in Kuala Lumpur. It’s a fantastic event and I hope to improve upon last year’s second place finish this fall.”
The sentiment is shared by Henderson, who will be making her Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia debut this year.
The 18-year-old has enjoyed a similarly stellar year thus far, picking up her first major win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The current world no. 3* had a dream tournament in Washington as she kicked off the week with a hole-in-one and edged out eventual runner-up Ko in a hard fought contest.
Henderson’s ascension has been nothing short of remarkable, with her tournament earnings this year amounting to over US$1.3 million.
Talking about her tournament debut in Kuala Lumpur, Henderson said: “I’m really looking forward to coming to Kuala Lumpur to play in this year’s Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. It’s going to be my first time around the course, so I’ll definitely need to take some time to familiarise myself with the surroundings. Aside from that, I’ve always been hearing loads of positive things about the tournament. There’s great food, good music, and plenty of activities off the green, so I’m excited about experiencing the event myself.”
Photo Credit: macleans.ca
Speaking about the confirmed attendance of the two star golfers, Steven Thielke, Chairman of Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Tournament Committee and Chief Executive Officer of TPC Kuala Lumpur, said, “We’re delighted to announce the participation of Lydia and Brooke. They are, of course, two of the world’s very best and their spectacular results this year speak for themselves. The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia prides itself on being a world-class tournament that attracts the best golfers in the world ever year, and we look forward to welcoming them for what will be a very exciting competition at the end of October.”
The seventh edition of the US$ 1.8 million purse Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia will take place on the East course at TPC Kuala Lumpur from 27 – 30 October 2016. 78 players, made up of 64 players from the LPGA tour and fourteen sponsor exemptions will compete in the 72-hole stroke play, no cut tournament.
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia will benefit from the newly branded Tournament Players Club Kuala Lumpur (TPC Kuala Lumpur) this year as it sets another milestone for the golf club with its successful acquisition of the licensing rights as Southeast Asia’s first golf facility to join the PGA TOUR’s prestigious Tournament Players Club (TPC) Network.
