All set for the big time

WHEN the inaugural The Dàlat at 1200 Ladies Championship tees off in March in Vietnam, it will be the first professional international ladies tournament to be held in the country.

The venue will be the magnificent The Dàlat at 1200 Country Club and Private Estate's (The Dàlat at 1200) 18-hole championship golf course. A total of 120 professional female golfers from Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam will compete for the US$420,000 prize money following a two-day Pro-Am.

While no player names have yet been released for the tournament, it is expected that some of the top 100 Rolex Women's World Ranking players will attend, according to Tang Kay Hwa, executive director of Centurion Singapore. The field will also include professional players and amateurs from Vietnam.

Mr Tang notes that the tournament came about when the club saw an opportunity to have the KLPGA (Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association) season-opening games outside of Korea. "We pitched to host the competition at The Dàlat at 1200. Additionally, the cold weather in Korea during March is unsuitable for play thus providing us with the opportune moment to host the KLPGA."

Not only will it be the first professional international ladies event held in Vietnam, it is also the property's premier official golf tournament. The three-year agreement to host the tournament was signed on Jan 16, 2016 between Kang Choon Ja, vice-chairman of the KLPGA; Kim Yoo Serk, CEO of SBS Golf; Nguyen Viet Quy, general director of The Dàlat at 1200; and Mr Tang.

The championship golf course, which was designed by former professional golfer and current Asian Tour interim tour commissioner Kyi Hla Han, has been open for play since November 2015. Located 15 minutes from Dà Lat's Lien Khuong Airport, the 800-hectare property is set in the South Central Highlands of Vietnam and is named after the location's altitude at 1,200 metres above sea level.

As the first Asian Tour destination and only private golf course in South Central Vietnam, The Dàlat at 1200 will also be looking to host more golf tournaments in the future. But for now, the club's attention is on the KLPGA tournament.

"We are focusing on making the KLPGA tournament a success and ensuring that everyone has the most memorable experience. With the signing of a three-year agreement, you can also expect to see the KLPGA tournament returning to The Dàlat at 1200," explains Mr Tang.

Adds David Hill, general manager of The Dàlat at 1200: "Our course will be in top condition and ready to meet the standards and expectations of the championship players."