Wu Yi Fountain Palm Golf Club—

The background and current status of the Ladies Golf Tour
in South East Asia
(Jan 17, 2005)

　　Since 1983 the ladies golf tour in Asia Pacific region had been conducted as the Ladies Asia Golf Circuit under the auspices of Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and was called as "Kosaido Ladies Asia Golf Circuit" from 1987 when Japan's Kosaido Company was the main title sponsor till 2003.

　　The HISTORY is as follows.

　　The Ladies Asia Golf Circuit was launched informally in 1983 in such countries as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong by Japanese Mr. Koichi Kato and his English colleague. Taiwan and Philippines joined afterward.

　　In 1987 it was officially sanctioned by Asia Pacific Golf Confederation as the "Kosaido Ladies Asia Golf Circuit" through the joint efforts of Mr. Koichi Kato and Thailand's Mrs. Rae-Vadee T. Suwan who is currently the President of Thailand Ladies Golf Association, under the guidance of the late Mr. Edmund Yong, a Malaysian who served as APGC's Secretary-General and Kosaido Group of Companies of Japan joined the Circuit as the Main Sponsor with Japan Airlines as the Circuit Co-sponsor.

　　The LAGC was formed with Mr. Koichi Kato as the Coordinator, Mrs. Rae Vadee T. Suwan as the senior advisor, Mr. Tomy Lee of Executive of APGC as the chairman of LAGC forum, and the delegates from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan. The liaison office was based in Toyohashi, Japan.

　　When it was launched the prize moneys offered was only US$ 30,000 per venue. Through the years the figures went up between US$ 80,000 - $120,000 in purse prizes.Four tournaments were regularly held in Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.Lady golfers from all over the world, almost 20 nationalities, especially those who have just turned professionals, join this Asian tour before the start of the Japanese, European and
American tours at the end of the winter season.

　　Unlike the tournaments in Japan, Europe and the USA, the championship in Asia are organized by volunteer members of the respective national golf associations as the National Open. Over the years many new stars were born and they went on to play in the bigger events.

　　Asian local top amateurs have been given the chance to take part along side with the
professionals and by doing so, they are improving their playing skills.No doubt the Ladies Asia Golf Circuit has opened up a new career path for top local amateurs as well as the international professional players.
　
　　In 2003, Kosaido Company terminated the sponsorship after 15 years' financial support and Ladies Asia Golf Circuit had a one year break in 2004 while only two tournaments in Taiwan were launched as the "Taiwan Ladies Golf Tour" under the co-ordination of Mr. Koichi Kato of Ladies Asia Golf Circuit.

　　In Asian region there are two well-established tours in Japan and Korea. However those tours are rarely open to foreign players. Under the umbrella of Asia Pacific Golf Confederation there are almost 23 countries and the Ladies Asia Golf Circuit was the sole international ladies golf tour to cover the Asian countries besides Japan and Korea.

　　Now in 2004, the Ladies Asia Golf Circuit was renamed as the Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT), under the auspices of Asia Pacific Golf Confederation in Malaysia where Mr. Thomas Lee is the Executive Chairman and shall be relaunched in 2005 with the co-sanction of the Ladies European Tour (LET), where Mr. Ian Randell is Chief Executive. It is fortunate that the whole project shall be marketed by the Singapore based Parallel Media Group where Mr. Keld Kristiansen is Managing Director.Mr. Koichi Kato is still appointed as the LAGT coordinator and the liaison office was remained as is.

　　Thailand Ladies Golf Association whose president, Mrs. Rae Vadee T. Suwan and who is the executive tournament director of historical Queen Sirikit Cup , is a leader in ladies golf in Asian region will start again Thailand Ladies Open in 2005 as a leg of Ladies Asian Golf Tour together with APGC, LET and PMG.

　　The Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT), as the sole international ladies golf tour in Asian region shall endeavour to improve the tour and would appreciate if all the other women's golf bodies in the world would extend their support and recognition to the Asian Tour as well.

　　Ladies Golf in China is also attractive region and now interested to link with Ladies Asian Golf Tour. Mr Aylwin Tai, GM of Wuyi Fountain Palm Golf Club, Jiangmen, Guandong is cooperating LAGT for the development of ladies golf in China. 20 years ago when LAGC was started in Asia, there were no ladies pro golfers in Thailand, Malaysia Philippines, Indonesia and a small number in Korea and Taiwan. However now there are so many ladies pro golfers in Asia and the number is growing. Especially the growth in Korea is amazing, as you are aware. It is no doubt that a lot of ladies golfers would be born in China soon and LAGT shall sufficiently contribute its development.

　　As such, the newly established Ladies Asian Golf Tour has a very bright future and a firm structure with Japan's Mr. Koichi Kato, Thailand's Mrs. Rae Vadee T. Suwan, Malaysia's Mr. Tomas Lee. And China's Mr Aylwin Tai. They are devoting themselves in the development of ladies golf in Asian region not only for ladies pro golfers but also ladies or junior golfers.

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