Tournaments
ISPS Handa Singapore Classic
5 April - 8 April
ISPS Handa Singapore Classic returns
The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic will make a welcome return to the Asian Tour 2012 Schedule with the region’s best players teeing up at Orchid Country Club again from April 5-8 to vie for top honours and compete for a prize pot of US$400,000.
Last year’s tournament at the Lion City will be best remembered for its enthralling final day play-off action where five players, the most in Asian Tour history, delighted the crowd with world-class golfing action.
India’s Himmat Rai eventually emerged victorious when he holed a glorious 25-foot birdie putt on the sixth extra hole to secure his maiden Asian Tour title.
The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic will mark an exciting run of top events in April that will keep up the strong interest in the game in Asia.
Following the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic, the Asian Tour will head to Malaysia for the Maybank Malaysian Open, followed by the Indonesian Masters presented by PNTS and Ballantine’s Championship in Korea.
Dr Haruhisa Handa, Chairman of International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS), the event’s title sponsor, has been highly impressed with the quality and organisation of the event following the success of the last two editions of the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic.
He has also decided to extend his sponsorship of the game by committing to another brand new event, HANDA FALDO CAMBODIAN CLASSIC on the Asian Tour Schedule.
“ISPS is delighted to announce its involvement in the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic for the third consecutive year. Although only two years in existence, the tournament has already brought much excitement to the golfing world, showcasing highly competitive performances from Asian Tour golfers,” said Dr. Handa.
“This tournament will be an excellent platform to further promote ISPS’s work with blind and disabled golf, which our organisation has supported for the last 25 years. The quality of world class players involved in this tournament will further enhance this great event on the Asian Tour,” added Dr Handa, who is a Japanese philanthropist and businessman.
Asian Tour’s Executive Chairman, Kyi Hla Han is delighted that the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic has enjoyed growing support since its inaugural event in 2010 and is confident that the event will develop into another permanent fixture on the Asian Tour Schedule.
“The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic has given the local fans in Singapore the opportunity to watch the region’s best players in action. The quality and strength of the field provided everyone with lots of cheers and we can only look forward to more of such top-notch action this year,” said Han.
The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Singapore PGA, has enjoyed strong support from players and fans, where the crowd numbers totaled to close to 7,000 over four days last year.
It also unearthed Singapore’s latest rising star, Lam Zhiqun who emerged as the leading Singaporean at last year’s event in tied-eighth position.
Lam, who recently turned professional, will be making his first attempt at earning an Asian Tour card at the Final stage of Qualifying School next week.
The 22-year-old has also inked a sponsorship deal with ISPS to set himself well for his professional career.
“I am thrilled to be playing in this tournament on my home soil as a professional on the Asian Tour. The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic is one of the most competitive tournaments out there and it will be an exciting and challenging event,” said Lam.
“I finished tied-eighth last year as an amateur so it is a privilege to be taking part again this year as a professional. ISPS do such valuable work with blind and disabled golfers around the world and I am honoured to be representing them as an ambassador on the Asian Tour,” added the Singaporean.
Singapore PGA President M. Murugiah is looking forward to the return of the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic as the full field Asian Tour event will give Singaporean professionals another opportunity to compete against Asia’s best.
“The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic has provided our local professionals with the opportunity to test their game and compete against the region’s leading players. This is indeed a good development for golf in Singapore and we hope to witness more of our local players earning their breakthrough at this prestigious event,” said Murugiah
