Windy Shao

    windysjf@hotmail.com

    A TOTAL of 200 female golf players participated in an event at Mission Hills Dongguan on Tuesday to mark the inaugural International Women’s Golf Day (WGD), which was also celebrated in more than 400 golf facilities in 25 countries.

    Among them, 100 competed in an 18-hole tournament, another 100 attended a golfing clinic conducted by coaches with competitions for putting, chipping and driving.

    Mission Hills also announced the creation of the Ladies Amateur Golf Association (LAGA), aimed at further developing women’s golf.

    Female golf legend Annika Sorenstam will act as honorary president of the LAGA, which is supported by China Golf Association, Guangdong Golf Association and Hong Kong Golf Association.

    The mission of the association is to build a platform for all female golfers to compete, communicate and share a happy and healthy lifestyle, said Tenniel Chu, Mission Hills Group vice chairman, at a news conference Tuesday. The association’s goal is to organize more than 100 amateur tournaments and 100 golf clinics annually, Chu said.

    “Of the 60 million golfers globally, only 18 percent are ladies. I believe we will see this figure rise in the coming years,” he said.

    Headed by Elisa Gaudet, WGD was started by a group of golf industry veterans working together to deliver an introductory golf experience to women and girls around the world.

    The Mission Hills event was staged at the course designed by Sorenstam, one of the finest female golfers in the game’s history and a respected ambassador for the sport.

    Gaudet said: “The main reason we are doing this is to unite girls and women and let them experience golf in a safe, fun environment. For some women it will be the first time and others are active golfers.”

    Steve Mona, chief rxecutive officer of the World Golf Foundation, said: “Women play a critical role in the success of the golf industry. Nearly 23 percent of all golfers in the U.S. are female and the creation of Women’s Golf Day is an opportunity to increase awareness, participation, and showcase golf as a fun activity for people of all ages.”