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Green tops elite HSBC field featuring Korean contenders

Published: 03 Mar. 2026, 14:22

Hannah Green poses with the trophy after winning the HSBC Women's World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on March 1. [AP/YONHAP]

SINGAPORE — The LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship ended Sunday with Hannah Green lifting the trophy in Singapore, wrapping up a key event on the Tour’s Asian swing that regularly draws many of the world’s top-ranked golfers outside the majors.

LPGA contenders often describe the event as one they particularly want to win.

“Singapore is a place where Eastern and Western cultures mix in an intriguing way,” Ko Jin-young said on Sunday after the tournament. “This is an Asian swing event, but contenders from the United States, Europe and Oceania readily compete as well. Many of them say, ‘I really want to win this tournament.’”

Korean LPGA veteran Ko has competed in numerous events in Korea and abroad, including two wins at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in 2022 and 2023. She tied for 47th at this year's tournament.

“I want to first mention Singapore’s geographic advantage," Ko said. "It’s easy to travel here from anywhere in the world. Because it is a city-state with lingering British cultural influences, players from Europe or the United States feel less out of place. The overall scale and environment of the tournament are also excellent.”

Ko Jin-young watches her tee shot on the ninth hole during the Pool B match against World Team at the LPGA International Crown at the New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on Oct. 24, 2025. [AP/YONHAP]

Held at Sentosa Golf Club, the tournament has built a reputation as Asia’s premier women’s golf event in terms of scale, setting and symbolism.

The event originally took place at Tanah Merah Country Club near Changi Airport before moving to Sentosa in 2013. Widely regarded as Singapore’s most prestigious golf club, Sentosa opened in 1974 at the direction of the late former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and keeps the course in good condition year-round.

The roster of the tournament every year also features top ranked golfers. This year, nine of the world’s top 10 ranked golfers competed, with world No. 2 Nelly Korda of the United States the only absentee. World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand headlined the field, which also saw No. 10 Kim Sei-young.

Korean golfers have also played a prominent role in the tournament’s history, winning eight of its 18 editions.

Shin Ji-yai captured the first Korean title in 2009. Park In-bee won in 2015 and 2017, with Jang Ha-na claiming victory in 2016. Park Sung-hyun grabbed the title in 2019, as did Kim Hyo-joo in 2021. Ko then secured back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]