Top women golfers set to entertain on and off course at Serapong
Park, Ko and company set to entertain on and off course
COMMENT
Where golf meets entertainment.
That was the theme of the inaugural Ho Tram Open in Vietnam two months ago and, alongside the prowess of Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke, was pitched the rock, roll and rap of some of the most talented local singing troupes.
Added to that was a marquee appearance by Brian McFadden, the Irish singer-songwriter and television presenter who rose to fame in 1998 as a member of the Irish boyband Westlife as one of the lead singers and frontman at the hotel that housed the golfing fraternity.
Surprisingly, McFadden did not draw many golfing people, but the expansive banquet room - it looked bigger than it was as all furniture was removed allowing the crowd only standing room - was filled with yuppies and teens.
As I was making my way into a congested corner, one golfer thrust an entrance ticket to me, adding that he was not interested in McFadden.
The HSBC Women's Champions, starting today at the Sentosa Golf Club, has a parallel with top players Lydia Ko, Park Inbee, Lexi Thompson and Feng Shanshan playing along to Take That's comeback anthem "Rule The World", which the famous British pop act will perform at their concert on Saturday at the same venue.
It was a welcome change to see the Fab Four letting their hair down as Ko took the microphone on lead singer duties, Park playing keyboard, Thompson on bass and Feng on drums.
Golf meets another form of entertainment for the next four days from today, when 63 of the world's top women players - including eight of the top 10 - do battle for the coveted HSBC Trophy for the biggest share of the US$1.5 million ($2.1m) prize.
So whether they exhibit their musical talents, whether Ko shows her karaoke talents or whether Singapore's Koh Sock Hwee muddles her mind thinking of the backlog of her maths tuition lessons after Sunday, from today, the players will do what they know best as professional golfers.
World No. 1 Ko has already laid down the gauntlet ("drive for show and putt for dough"), defending champion Park has rebutted ("I love this golf course, and I know I can do it") and rookie pro Koh has talked about a different mission ("I want to enjoy the experience").
No doubt, Ko, who was beaten to second place last year by two shots, will be going all out to deny Park a repeat win, something which has never been done in an event inaugurated in 2008.
Ko has had a phenomenal season, climbing to the top of the world rankings and claiming her first Major last year.
And she is prepared to pack a bigger punch off the Serapong tee with a game built around accuracy and consistency.
Contrastingly, Park is still searching for consistency after suffering a back injury.
LUCKY CHARM
But she said: "This tournament was a lucky charm last year, so I would like to get that going this week as well.
"Even if I don't end up holding the trophy, I would like to take something from this tournament."
Among the other leading players on what is expected to be a windy four days, keep an eye out for Paula Creamer, Stacy Lewis, Choi Na Yeon, Suzann Pettersen, Ai Miyazato, Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford, Karrie Webb and Michelle Wie.
It would be good to see Koh, who is competing for the third time, not finish bottom of the pile again (as the other Singapore qualifiers - all amateurs though - had done previously).
She has worked extra hard over the past 12 months, playing in the United States, around the region and mostly at Sentosa, making Serapong almost like her second home.
The club has supported her to the hilt, allowing her many practice rounds, and she knows the course like the back of her palm.
I watched her caddying for Singapore's amateur Joshua Ho at the SMBC Singapore Open last month and she was adept at reading the lines on the same course.
On the back of making the cut in a men's SPGA event two weeks ago at Laguna National's World Classic course, Koh is ready to take on a world-class professional challenge.
An entertaining four days await the spectators, both off the course - and surely on it.
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