The R&A and Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation announced that the first ever Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific golf championship will be played at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore from Feb. 21-24. The inaugural event will take place at the New Tanjong course and will provide women's amateur golfers in the region with the opportunity to earn an invitation to play in two major championships: the Women's British Open and the ANA Inspiration. The winner of the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific will be invited by HSBC to play in the 11th staging of the HSBC Women’s Championship the following week on the same course at Sentosa next year. It was also announced that the Royal Golf Club in Japan will be the venue for the championship in '19 and '20 (R&A). In Singapore, Ho Cai Jun reported the championship will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play. Participants, who must be part of member countries of the APGC, will be invited based on their World Amateur Golf Ranking. Currently, there are 20 players who are part of the APGC ranked in the top 100. A total of 86 players from about 20 countries "are set to challenge for the title." While each country can only enter a maximum of six contestants, Singapore "is allowed four more entries as the hosts" (STRAITS TIMES, 8/3).
