Why Moutai and golf’s Singapore Ladies Masters are a natural fit

[SINGAPORE] Henry Kissinger, the former US secretary of state, made the Chinese spirit Kweichow Moutai famous in geopolitics when he cracked a joke at a state dinner in Beijing in 1974: “I think if we drink enough Moutai, we can solve anything.”

Moutai did solve a big problem for Lyn Yeo, the founder of LLD Sports and organiser of the 2026 Singapore Ladies Golf Tournament, when the brand agreed to sponsor this year’s event that will take place at Laguna National Golf Resort in June.

“When the opportunity (to work) with Moutai came up, it felt like a natural fit straight away,” said Yeo. “Over the past few years, I’ve personally come to enjoy Moutai, and it has become something of a post-golf ritual among friends after a round.”

The brand – by far the most famous distilled white spirit in China – has come on board for the third Singapore Ladies Masters. The event will tee off from Jun 12 to 14 at Laguna’s Masters Course.

At this year’s edition of the 54-hole event, the prize purse will go up by 20 per cent to US$120,000.

Shi Yunding, the director of Singapore Huashang Liquor, said the liquor brand is ready to expand its positioning beyond traditional banquet culture into the broader lifestyle and sports segment.

Singapore Huashang Liquor is the largest authorised distributor of Moutai in the city-state.

The partnership will involve Moutai featuring in selected tournament hospitality and event touch points. This is in line with efforts to enhance the premium experience of the tournament – which is sanctioned by the China Ladies Professional Golf (CLPG) Tour.

Yeo said that the collaboration reflects the growing appeal of women’s golf in Asia, as the sport attracts a wider audience of corporate partners and lifestyle brands seeking engagement in experiential and hospitality-driven settings.

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Moutai, Shi noted, was traditionally “perceived as part of a male-dominated consumer culture”.

“But women today are increasingly becoming strong supporters and consumers as well,” he said. “Supporting the Singapore Ladies Masters reflects that evolution, and allows us to engage a broader audience through sport and lifestyle experiences.”

Top talent in town

The main players in the 108-player field this year includes three-time CLPG Association Tour winner, 16-year-old Ying Xu.

She participates alongside rising rookie professional Ren Yijia, 17, who arrives fresh from her victory at the Li-Ning 1990 China Golf Women’s Legacy in Chengdu – as well as Order of Merit leader, 18-year-old Wang Zixuan.

Leading Singapore’s charge is Anne Fernandez, an undergraduate at Auburn University in the US, who has played well in her sophomore year on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I circuit. This will be her second appearance at the Singapore Ladies Masters.

The 20-year-old will be joined by Athena Ni, aged 18 – who plays college golf at Washington State University – as well as 17-year-old Guo Junxi and Tatiana Ang, aged 19, who are both heading to Boston for their studies soon.

The first edition of the Singapore Ladies Masters took place in 2023, with then-amateur 22-year-old Shannon Tan winning that year.

China’s Pang Runzhi, aged 19, won in 2024 and will return to Singapore to defend her title.

The tournament did not take place in 2025 due to difficulties in finding suitable dates.