Phuket, Thailand, May 4: The Singha Laguna Phuket Open will celebrate its second edition on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) when it gets underway at the holiday isle of Phuket, Thailand, next week.

Laguna Phuket, who returns as the host venue as well as the new joint title sponsor this year, has set sights for the two million baht (approx. US$64,000) ADT event to eventually become as renowned and inclusive as its highly-acclaimed annual triathlon and marathon events.

Laguna Phuket’s Managing Director Ravit Chandran and Assistant Vice President Paul Wilson, have bigger long-range plans for the tournament. In particular, they want to develop the professional tournament into a week-long celebration of golf that involves amateur players of all levels and abilities.

This will mean extending the current program of a pro-am on the Wednesday before the tournament and a “play like the pros” round on the day after its conclusion to a range of individual and team golf events for amateurs, spread over a week.

“The Laguna Phuket triathlon, which this year celebrated 25 years, and the marathon, being held in June for the 13th year, are highly-recognised events that attract thousands of participants and spectators from around the world,” Ravi Chandran explains.

“They have helped make Phuket an international sporting hub, with Laguna Phuket as the centrepiece. We believe the Singha Laguna Phuket Open can become equally well-known among golfers and be the third mantle in the island’s and resort’s sporting calendar.

“Many people remember the 2009 Thailand Open held at Laguna Phuket. Last year we successfully recaptured the interest from that event and this year, as Phuket’s only professional golf tournament, we aim to build on it further. The relationship with Singha as joint title sponsor is an excellent fit and we hope this also extends long into the future.”

Paul Wilson says the golf tournament can be expanded in coming years to include individual amateur and team events, similar to those organised around the triathlon and marathon.

“There are numerous short-distance, team and other activities associated with the triathlon and marathon,” he explains. “The full distance of both events attracts elite contestants and serious competitors from all over the world. But there are other shorter and less intense variations for people of all ages and abilities and we believe the golf tournament can be extended in a similar way.”

He says last year’s tournament resulted in increased tee-time bookings among locals and golfers from Thailand and the region and he expects the 2018 event will produce a similar uplift.

“The professional tournament is definitely raising our profile,” he adds. “We believe we can capitalise on this growing interest in many ways, both around the time of the event and at other times during the year.”

The inaugural Singha Laguna Phuket Open welcomed a worthy winner in Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol of Thailand, who emerged triumphant with a winning total of 27-under-par 253, last season.

A record first 59, lowest round ever on both the ADT and the premier Asian Tour, was also recorded by Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan in the final round of the tournament last year.

A total of 156 players, split between the ADT and the All Thailand Golf Tour, will tee up for the 2018 Singha Laguna Phuket Open from May 10 to 13.

The ADT was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the premier Asian Tour. All ADT events are afforded with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner receives a minimum of six points and the leading six players and ties earn points based on a sliding scale.

The top five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.

Ends.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.