The 28th annual edition of the event will be hosted between Oct 25 to Nov 2 at Blue Canyon Country Club Lakes Course, Blue Canyon Country Club Canyon Course, Red Mountain Golf Club and Laguna Phuket Golf Club.
The announcement was made at an official press release at Provincial Hall yesterday overseen by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, who was joined by Vice Governor Ronsak Suksumpum, WAGC representatives and selected officials from public and private sector organisations.
More than 600 golfers from all over the world are expected to participate in the event, widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious amateur golf tournament, where awards, cash prizes and bragging rights will all be up for grabs.
Angsana Laguna Phuket serves as the official hotel partner of the event and will host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as daily themed events throughout competition.
The World Amateur Golfers Championship (WAGC) was founded in 1995 by Swedish sports icon Sven Tumba and has served ever since as an inspiring tournament for amateur players, who represent their respective countries and compete on an individual and team basis.
The worldgolfers.com wesbite explains that “World Amateur Golfers Championship (WAGC) inspires amateur golfers from around the world to take on the challenge of competing within their own skill levels by receiving the same status as the professionals and elite do with the proud feeling of representing their country in a world championship final.”
Competition is structured to emulate a professional PGA tournament, whereby 72 holes of stroke play are contested over the course of the finals at four of Phuket’s finest courses, while handicaps will be adjusted between each round.
A full overview of the event and breakdown of the rules for competition can be found at worldgolfers.com.
Since its inception almost 30 years ago, the WAGC has been held in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, the United States, South Africa and Malaysia. Having made its debut in Pattaya in 2004, the tournament returned to Thailand last year when 490 players from 33 countries competed in the competition held at Laguna Phuket Golf Club, Red Mountain Golf Club, Blue Canyon and Aquella Golf and Country Club.
Several celebrities competed as part of the field, including former Liverpool and Real Madrid goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, most remembered for helping the Reds comeback against AC Milan in the 1995 Champions League Final where he performed herocially in the penalty shoot out.
Aside from the prestige of actually hosting the event itself, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase Phuket as a world-leading tourist and sports destination, Governor Sophon stated. The hundreds of overseas vistors that the tournament will attract will have ample opportunity to explore the island and enjoy many of its offerings, which will also provide a welcome boost to local businesses and the economy, he added.
It was also announced at yesterday’s press conference that the organisers are looking to stage a Blue Canyon Ladies Championship at the Blue Canyon Country Club Phuket Golf Course next year, designed to attract professional female golfers from all over the world. More details on this project will be released in due course, officials confirmed.