Singapore: The 2023 International Series Singapore will return to Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC), one of the Lion City’s pre-eminent golfing venues.

TMCC’s Tampines Course, scene of Nitithorn Thippong’s dramatic victory last year in the inaugural edition of the tournament, will stage the event from October 5-8 with a purse of US$2 million, up from US$1.5 million. 

“Tanah Merah Country Club is once again proud to play our part in helping to bring world-class golf to Singapore,” said Ronald Ong, President of Tanah Merah Country Club, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

He added: “The International Series Singapore was a resounding success last year and, like this year, it is an important addition to Singapore’s increasingly busy sporting calendar.

“Tanah Merah is one of the region’s foremost golfing facilities and we have always felt it important to host major international tournaments.”

The Tampines Course regularly receives rave reviews from the Asian Tour membership and in an effort to deliver even greater playability the club has made enhancements over the past five months to the fourth, sixth, ninth, 14th and 18th greens with the objective of creating more variety for pin positions.

Rahul Singh, Head of the International Series, said: “Singapore is an essential destination for The International Series as the impressive island nation boasts everything needed to stage elite-level sporting competitions.

“And with Tanah Merah Country Club again hosting the International Series Singapore we could not have asked for a better host venue. We thank everyone at the club for helping to share our vision and we look forward to returning there later in the season.”   

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “The Asian Tour is headquartered in Singapore, so it is always special to stage tournaments on our home patch. The fact that the country is now a regular stop on the International Series adds even greater importance and is an outstanding opportunity for everyone.

“We had the pleasure of hosting two tournaments at Tanah Merah Country Club last year and it was an absolute pleasure to work with them. They are consummate professionals, and the Tour is excited to be returning in October.”

TMCC played an important role in the return to action on the Asian Tour in January of 2022 when it hosted The Singapore International, the penultimate event of the 2020-2022 season.

It proved to be a week of great significance as Tom Kim Joo-hyung beat Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan in a gripping sudden-death play-off on the Tampines Course.

The victory helped Kim win the Asian Tour Order of Merit to mark the start of a brilliant breakthrough year by the teenager that would see him win twice on the PGA Tour. 

And when Thai Nitithorn won in August it was equally as thrilling. He holed a pressure-packed 15-foot par-saving putt on the daunting par-five 18th to take the clubhouse lead on 16-under. Because of a weather delay, he then had to wait for an hour to see if anyone in the final group playing 18 could catch him.

The International Series, launched to much fanfare last year by the Asian Tour and LIV Golf, will stage 10 International Series events this year, with the winner of the International Series Order of Merit earning a place on the LIV Golf League in 2024.

Last weekend the fourth International Series event of the season was completed, with Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent, young brother of Scott Vincent, winning the International Series Vietnam.