Former world No. 1 Ko Jin-young to defend title at HSBC Women’s World Championship

South Korean golfer Ko Jin-young will be back in Singapore to defend her title at the 2023 HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club from March 2 to 5.

Ko, who took the top spot in the Rolex World Ranking in January but lost it to Thai rookie Atthaya Thitikul in November, won last year by a two-shot margin over Minjee Lee and In Gee Chun after a thrilling final day.

The championship went down to the wire, with Lee tied with fellow South Korean Jeongeun Lee at 16-under par as they headed to the 18th. While Lee found the bunker, an ice-cool under pressure, Ko birdied the last to close for a 6-under par 66.

Ko had been struggling with a wrist injury recently, forcing her to miss two Ladies Professional Golf Association tournaments in August. But she was determined not to let it affect her for long, as she played through the pain at the CME Group Tour Championship in Nov.

“It was a big achievement for me to win the HSBC Women’s World Championship last year as it had been a goal of mine with so many great players having won it over the years. I am excited to return to Singapore to defend my title, but I am even more excited to hear that we will have fans back with us in 2023,” commented Ko, who is currently fifth in the women’s world ranking.

“We have all really missed having fans out there supporting us at Tanjong as they make the atmosphere so special. Singapore is a favourite destination of all the players, and I can’t wait to return and enjoy all the beautiful sights, the amazing food and definitely all the wonderful fans!”

The tournament has been held since 2008, and the inaugural edition was won by Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa. She retired from golf two years ago, having won two championships and was named LPGA’s Player of the Year for four consecutive years from 2006 to 2009. The former world number one golfer was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.

Past champions include 2021 – Hyo Joo Kim (South Korea), 2019 – Park Sung-hyun (South Korean), 2018 – Michelle Wie (USA), 2017 – Inbee Park (South Korea), and 2016 – Ha Na Jang (South Korean).

The 72-hole stroke play tournament will once again be played on the renowned Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, which hosts its tenth edition of the tournament. Sentosa Golf Club is a leading light in driving sustainability initiatives in golf around the world and was recently named the ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’ at the 2022 World Golf Awards.

Tickets to the tournament have gone on sale since Dec 16, with the first 100 tickets to be purchased entitled to a limited edition HWWC Goodie Bag to be redeemed on-site. For more information on ticket sales, visit www.hsbcgolf.com/womens/tickets.