Buick Shanghai Start One-Month 'Asian Swing'
Already Played 3 Tournaments in Asia Earlier This Year
Lagging Behind Even Senior Tour in the US
Using Popular Women's Tour Regions as a Launchpad to Global Market
The U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour is turning its attention to Asia.
Over the next month, the tour will visit four Asian countries to hold tournaments. This is the so-called "second Asian swing." Starting with the Buick LPGA Shanghai (total prize money of $2.1 million) which opened on the 10th in Shanghai, China, the tour will proceed with the BMW Ladies Championship (Korea, total prize money of $2.2 million) on the 17th, the Maybank Championship (Malaysia, total prize money of $3 million) on the 24th, and the Toto Japan Classic (Japan, total prize money of $2 million) on the 31st. About 70 to 80 players will compete without a cut to determine the winner.
The LPGA Tour also held a "first Asian swing" earlier in the season. In February, the Honda LPGA Thailand (Thailand, total prize money of $1.7 million) and the HSBC Women’s World Championship (Singapore, total prize money of $1.8 million), followed by the Blue Bay LPGA (China, total prize money of $2.2 million) in March, were held consecutively in Asia.
The 2024 LPGA Tour season features a total of 33 tournaments. Among these, seven are held in Asia. Additionally, there are tournaments sponsored by Asian countries. These include the Pure Silk Championship (total prize money of $2 million) and the Ford Championship by KCC (total prize money of $2.25 million) in March, and the Lotte Championship (total prize money of $3 million) in November. In total, 10 of the 33 tournaments are connected to Asian countries, with total prize money amounting to $22.25 million (approximately 30 billion KRW). This is a significant amount. After completing these four Asian tournaments, the tour will conclude the year with three tournaments held again in the U.S. in November: the Lotte Championship (Hawaii), the Annika Driven by Gainbridge, and the CME Group Tour Championship.
The reason the LPGA Tour is focusing on the Asian region is to expand its territory. The LPGA Tour is growing with the help of the U.S. Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour and the United States Golf Association (USGA). This year, the number of tournaments with prize money exceeding $5 million has increased to six. These include the Chevron Championship ($7.9 million), the U.S. Women’s Open ($12 million), the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship ($10.4 million), the Amundi Evian Championship ($8 million), the AIG Women’s Open ($9.5 million), and the CME Group Tour Championship ($11 million).
However, interest in the LPGA Tour remains minimal. The PGA Tour, featuring players like Scottie Scheffler (USA) and Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), records overwhelming viewership ratings. The LPGA Tour is even less popular than the PGA Tour Champions (Senior Tour), which features players over 50 years old. It is a stark reality that the LPGA Tour is often scheduled later in broadcast lineups.
On the other hand, women’s golf is a "trend" in the Asian region. Female players from Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China are leading the tour. LPGA Tour results are also strong. This year, players such as Hee-young Yang and Haeran Ryu (both from Korea), Patty Tavatanakit, Jin-young Tithikun, Chanettee Wannasaen, Moriya Jutanugarn, Jasmine Suwannapura (all from Thailand), Yuka Saso, Ayaka Furue (both from Japan), and Lin Xiyu (China) have all tasted victory.
Asian players have collectively won nine tournaments on the LPGA Tour this year. Expanding the region to include New Zealand and Australia (Lydia Ko with 3 wins, Hannah Green with 2 wins), the total number of wins by players from this broader region rises to 14, representing a winning probability of 53.85%. In particular, the LPGA Tour is putting effort into targeting the Chinese market. The plan is to spark a golf boom in China and expand the market beyond Asia to the entire world.
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