The first-ever LPGA Tour event in China received a nice boost when organisers were able to confirm the participation of world number four Suzann Pettersen and Morgan Pressel.
In a press release on Wednesday, it was announced that the pair will join already-confirmed Annika Sorenstam and Tseng Yani in the line-up for the October 24-26 tournanet at the Hainan West Coast Golf Club in Haikou, the capital of Hainan island.
Pettersen became the first Norwegian to win on the LPGA Tour when she won the Michelob ULTRA Open in Kingsmill in 2007. That was one of five victories last season, which helped her finish second on the money list. She was quoted as saying in the release:
“All of us on Tour are getting more and more excited about the LPGA visiting China for the first time. It is not often you get the chance to be a part of something that is so significant for the game, such as playing an elite event in a new country for the first time, and that is a very special privilege for all of us.â€
Pressel became the youngest major winner in April last year when she triumphed at the Kraft Nabisco Championship at 18 years, 10 months and nine days.
The tournament is open to the leading 51 available players on the LPGA money list as of September 28, 2008, plus eight Chinese professionals and four invitations.
China is seen as the last great golfing frontier to be exploited. The men’s game is well established in the country, having already established their own professional tour.
