Next year’s women’s Asia-Pacific will be in Japan

Atthaya Thitikul

Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation chairman Kei Muratsu believes the next year’s women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship will build on the success of the inaugural event which was held in Singapore in February.
Thai teenage sensation Atthaya Thitikul secured a dramatic wire-to-wire victory by winning a four-way play-off at Sentosa Golf Club. Included in the play-off was Wenyung Keh of New Zealand.
As a result the 15-year-old earned invitations to this year’s ANA Inspiration (March 29-April 1) at Mission Hills Country Club in California and the Women’s British Open (August 2-5) at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England, as well as last month’s 11th HSBC Women’s World Championship, also at Sentosa Golf Club.
“The inaugural edition of the women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific was a great success, providing a spectacular venue, top quality golf, an exciting finale and a worthy champion in Atthaya Thitikul,’’ Muratsu said.
``We are already looking forward to the second edition in Japan in 2019.”
The Royal Golf Club in Japan will host the second edition of the women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship from April 25-28 next year. The winner will again earn invitations to the ANA Inspiration and the Women’s British Open.
The Royal Golf Club, which reopened in March 2017 after major renovations, is located in Hokota in the Ibaraki prefecture northeast of Tokyo. The course will be set up to about 6500 yards, similar to the 6456-yard New Tanjong Course at Sentosa.
The Royal Golf Club is owned by Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings Inc, one of the sponsors of the first women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, and in late May will host the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open, a Japan Golf Tour event that offers four places to The 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie in Scotland in July.
Nippon Kabaya Ohayo chief executive Motohiro Nozu said: “I’d like to thank The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation for their decision to award the staging of the 2019 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific to The Royal Golf Club in Japan.
“One of the aims of our club is to nurture elite young players to enable them to compete at a world-class level which is consistent with the objectives for the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.
“We are both proud and honoured to host the 2019 edition and are excited to be part of such a special championship.”
Dominic Wall, director-Asia-Pacific at The R&A, said: “We are delighted that Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings was one of our patrons for the first Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific and will be with us at The Royal Golf Club next year.
“I have been fortunate enough to visit The Royal Golf Club on two occasions and it is a spectacular golf course in a wonderful, natural environment. The players and spectators will have a fantastic time next year and it promises to be another outstanding championship.
“The Royal Golf Club has all the required infrastructure including one of the best practice facilities I have seen, a fantastic clubhouse and accommodation on-site. We look forward to building on the success of the inaugural edition in Singapore and to showcasing one of the truly great courses in Japan and this region.”