LPGA Tour Heads to Hong Kong for Inaugural Futu Ladies World Championship
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The LPGA Tour announced Tuesday that Hong Kong will host its first-ever women's professional golf tournament, with the inaugural Futu Ladies World Championship scheduled for March 4-7 at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club. The event will feature a record US$3.4 million prize purse, establishing it as the richest LPGA Tour stop in Asia. The announcement was made in Boston ahead of this week's FM Championship, with Thai star Jeeno Thitikul and China's Yin Ruoning attending as guest representatives.
Key Points
- Tournament: Futu Ladies World Championship, debuting March 4-7 at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club
- Prize purse: US$3.4 million, the largest for any LPGA event in Asia
- Field: World-class 78-player roster competing as final leg of LPGA's spring Asia swing
- Partnership: Sponsored by Hong Kong fintech Futu Holdings and its global platform Moomoo, organized by SMK
- Duration: Initial five-year agreement with potential extension pending tournament success
- Itinerary position: Follows Honda LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore
- Replaces: Blue Bay LPGA tournament previously held in Hainan, China
Why It Matters
The tournament marks a significant milestone for Hong Kong's sporting landscape, bringing world-class women's golf to the city for the first time and positioning Hong Kong alongside established Asian golf destinations like Thailand and Singapore. The five-year commitment signals confidence in Hong Kong as a viable market for premium sporting events, while the substantial prize purse underscores the growing commercial appeal of women's professional golf in the region .
The tournament marks a significant milestone for Hong Kong's sporting landscape, bringing world-class women's golf to the city for the first time and positioning Hong Kong alongside established Asian golf destinations like Thailand and Singapore. The five-year commitment signals confidence in Hong Kong as a viable market for premium sporting events, while the substantial prize purse underscores the growing commercial appeal of women's professional golf in the region .