THE 43rd edition of the Queen Sirikit Cup—the official Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team Championship—tees off Tuesday with Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club chairman Robert John Sobrepeña expressing excitement over the four-day competition.
“On behalf of the Manila Southwoods Board, I am very happy to host the Queen Sirikit Cup,” said Sobrepeña as he also acknowledged the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines for choosing Manila Southwoods as host venue.
Sobrepeña on Monday led the opening ceremony that featured Queen Sirikit Cup secretary-general and co-founder Rae-Vadee Suwan, Thailand Amabassador to the Philippines Tull Traisora, R&A Asia Pacific Assistant Director Nick Shan and National Golf Association of the Philippines secretary-general Valeriano “Bones” Floro.
Sobrepeña said that now is the perfect time to have major tournaments for ladies and support women’s golf as a whole.
“Manila Southwoods has always been supportive of international amateur events,” he said. “Last year we had the Nomura Cup for men, now we have this. I believe that the Asian women have a lot of chance of competing at the highest level.”
Twelve teams are vying in the tournament with the Philippines facing challenges from China, Korea, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and defending champion Japan.
Mafy Singson, Lois Kaye Go and Rianne Malixi will try to nail the country’s first championship in the annual tournament that was shelved during the pandemic and played last year in Singapore.
The competition will be at Manila Southwoods’s premier layout Masters designed by Jack Nicklaus.