By Rahul Banerji
The R&A and Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation have said the 2022 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship will be played at the Siam Country Club in Thailand from November 3 to 6.
The WAAP is a platform for future generations of women golfers and provides the winner with an entry to international golf through exemptions into multiple women’s major championships and other elite amateur championships.
The winner on the Waterside Course will be invited to compete in the AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship and, for the first time, the Chevron Championship, to be played in Texas in 2023.
In addition, they will also be invited to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Hana Financial Group Championship.
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers, said, “The WAAP championship is at the pinnacle of the women’s amateur game in the region and we are thrilled to be taking it to such an outstanding venue.
“We established this championship to give the top women’s players the chance to excel and progress toward the professional game.
Success story
“We have undoubtedly succeeded when you look at the success of Yuka Saso, Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul among others.
“We are looking forward to a fantastic championship as we visit Thailand and the Siam Country Club for the first time.”
APGC chairman Taimur Hassan Amin said that the WAAP, first played in 2018, had already become a feature on the international amateur calendar and showcases the best golfers and courses in the region.
“Our region continues to be at the forefront of giving amateur golfers extraordinary global opportunities,” he said.
“Thailand is continuing to produce so many talented golfers, including the inaugural WAAP champion Atthaya Thitikul, so it is fitting that the country will host the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship for the first time.”
Massive complex
The Waterside Course was opened in 2014, can play up to 7,400 yards. It is designed around the waterways and gentle topography of what is now a 63-hole complex belonging to the Siam Motor Company, approximately 130km south of Bangkok.
Siam Motors Company president, Dr. Phornthep Phornprapha, said he was extremely grateful that The R&A and APGC recognised his company’s golf vision.
“We take pride in presenting courses and experiences that are unique, challenging and memorable for our members and guests, it is not often that you can experience courses where all the greats have played before.
“Therefore, we are delighted to also give that opportunity to the best young female golfers in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Following the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, The R&A and the APGC can also confirm the championship is moving back to their preferred March slot in the calendar in 2023.
The WAAP was developed by The R&A and APGC to unearth emerging talent and provide a route for Asia’s elite female amateurs to the international stage.
The R&A is supported by championship event partners that share its commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific.
The WAAP is supported by Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Rolex, Samsung and Trust Golf.
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