Lydia and Hyo-joo’s Happy QSC Recollections

Singapore: Dreams of fairway fame and fortune will be uppermost in the minds of many of the ambitious contestants in the starting line-up for this week's 42nd Queen Sirikit Cup at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

And with good reason. The list of players who have graced the Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Team Championship over the past four decades reads like a Who’s Who of the women’s golf game.

Just consider that among those who featured in the 40th version of the Queen Sirikit Cup in Thailand in 2018 were Yuka Saso and Atthaya Thitikul, now among the elite players on the LPGA Tour.

You have to go back to 2012 when the championship was last held in Singapore, at Tanah Merah Country Club, on the opposite side of the road from this week’s venue.

On that occasion it proved to be a memorable showdown between Korean Kim Hyo-joo and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

Even at that early stage of their careers, both were widely tipped for a sparkling future in the game – which they have duly lived upto.

At Tanah Merah it was Kim who dominated, posting a 54-hole total of 12-under 204 to win the individual title by six shots from Ko and lead Korea to victory in the team event.

To this day, both retain fond memories of their Queen Sirikit Cup experiences.

Ko said: “Being from New Zealand and to be able to represent my country, it's always special to be kind of in that team environment.

“The Queen Sirkit Cup was one of the few events we could travel with teammates. It was pretty much the Asia Pacific championship. We had all those top players from different countries in Asia and from Australia and New Zealand as well. I met a lot of friends (through the Queen Sirikit), like Min Jee (Lee) and Hyo-joo.

“I remember with Hyo-joo every time we played the Queen Sirikit Cup, she would shoot one crazy low score, like nine-under one day, eight-under. I was like: ‘Oh, my gosh, you can't beat her.’

“The best Queen Sirikit Cup we had was back in New Zealand (Hamilton Golf Club in 2010). It was my first Queen Sirikit Cup, and even that year, Hyo-joo played and shot a really low score on the final day … and they beat us by miles.

“But it just shows the type of player she is. She's a Major champion. She had a successful amateur career and to kind of have some of those players that I played amateur golf with, and for all of us to be playing on the LPGA, it's great.

“For us to be playing on the LPGA now is great. At that time I think we motivated each other and made us strive to become a better player which is why I really enjoyed those times.”

Kim has equally fond recollections. She said: “I always enjoyed the Queen Sirikit Cup. It was a very good opportunity for amateurs to improve. I worked hard and have very happy memories of the event.

“To be honest I liked it very much because it actually gave a very good opportunity for all of the amateurs who wanted to turn pro. I worked very hard to play well in that event, so I have good memories.”