Singapore: Award-winning Laguna National Golf Resort Club is once more hosting top professional and amateur golfers as they look to play their way onto one of the golfing world’s biggest stages.

Via a qualifier, three golfers will earn the right to line up in the second edition of the DP World Tour’s Singapore Classic, the opening event on the Tour’s ‘Asian Swing’, at Laguna National from March 21-24, 2024.

The Singapore Classic 2024 – Qualifier will be played on Laguna National’s acclaimed Classic Course on February 27 with almost 100 players attempting to emulate the uplifting feats of Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, Thailand’s Amarin Kraivixien and Singaporean amateur Ryan Ang, last year’s qualifiers.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host this qualifier which will have three competitors winning coveted spots in the Singapore Classic,” said Kevin Kwee, Executive Director at Laguna National, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

“We are staunch supporters of developing golf talent in Singapore and are excited to give our local and regional golfers the chance to compete with some of the best players in the world,” he added.

After an official practice round on February 26, a total of 96 participants will take part in an 18-hole qualifier that will see the top two overall competitors and the top Singaporean amateur gaining entry into the US$2 million Singapore Classic.

Kwee said: “To encourage our local stable of talent, we are subsidising entry fees by 50% for all Singaporeans that enter the qualifier and will be allowing access to Laguna National to practice in the weeks leading up to the event.

“Qualifiers are the truest way to award invitations for a golf championship because the winners simply out-perform their fellow competitors. What the Singapore Classic is able to achieve here is not only guaranteeing Singapore representation in the championship, it also ensures we are have a field with the best performing talent.

“The most deserving golfers will relish this chance to play in a DP World Tour event and we feel it adds a great local flavour to what will be a very competitive field. A perfect scenario would see Singaporeans take all three of the qualifier positions.”

Last year, Hong Kong’s Kho topped the standings in the qualifier, posting a 68. Although he narrowly missed the Singapore Classic cut despite shooting back-to-back 71s in what was his first event as a professional, the experience proved invaluable.

A month after the Singapore Classic, Kho became the first Hong Kong golfer to win an Asian Tour event when he triumphed in the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club, his home club.

Later in the year, he produced a brilliant performance to see off the challenges of Korean PGA Tour stars Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo to win the individual gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Kho’s disappointment at failing to progress to the weekend at Laguna National was in stark contrast to the delight of Amarin and Ang, both of whom finished above the Singapore Classic cut-line.

Amarin made a remarkable late surge in round two to book his place at the weekend. Following an opening-day 72, the Thai was seemingly down and out after a 40 on the back nine in round two, his first nine. In an astonishing turnaround, Amarin then covered holes one through nine in six-under 29 to squeeze through. He finished in a share of 60th place on three-under 285.

Kudos also went to Ang, a member of the Singapore team that finished runners-up in the 2022 Asia-Pacific Men’s Amateur Team Championship for the Nomura Cup.

Thanks to a second-round 69, he made the cut on the mark. His solid play continued over the weekend with rounds of 73 and 74 securing him a tie for 67th on even-par 288.

Following that he went on to represent Singapore in the Southeast Asian Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games and the World Amateur Team Championships and was the leading Singaporean at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Australia, ending joint 19th. He’s currently 265th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Laguna National hosted the Singapore Masters from 2002 to 2007 and was the scene of the most memorable moment in the country’s golfing history, when home favourite Mardan Mamat lifted the trophy in 2006.

The Singapore Classic 2024 – Qualifier is open to all professional golfers and all amateur golfers with a handicap index of 2.0 or below. Participants must be 16 years of age or older as of February 26, 2024.