Lexi Thompson claimed her first Major by winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April.
KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion Lexi Thompson has confirmed her participation in the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) from Oct 9 -12.
The 19-year-old American won the tournament by four strokes in October last season and it proved to be a turning point in her professional career. She went to win the Lorena Ochoa Invitational a month for her third LPGA Tour win. This season, Thompson claimed her first Major by winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April.
Thompson, whose first LPGA Tour win came at Navistar LPGA Classic in 2011, is again looking forward to retain her title at the KLGCC.
“Last year was such a fantastic tournament for me. I managed to keep in touch with the leaders for the first two days and then everything just came good in the last two rounds.
“I’ve got great memories of KLGCC and will be doing my best to go out there and enjoy it. Hopefully, I’ll pick up where I left off last year,” she said in a statement on Thursday.
Thompson, the world No. 5, will not be the only attraction come October. The organisers have lined up a series of exciting programmes to coincide with the tournament’s fifth year celebrations.
On top of that, six locals, all graduates of the tournament’s elite junior development programme, will also play in the tournament. Dubbed the Malaysian Angels, the six are Michelle Koh, Jean Chua, Kelly Tan, Aretha Pan, Ainil Johani Bakar and Michelle Low.
Said Sime Darby Berhad group chief operating officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahab Maskan: “We’ve a new slogan for this year’s tournament. It is called Women with Drive. This year marks an important milestone for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia as we celebrate five years of bringing the world’s best women golfers to Malaysia. It is an ongoing investment in the development of the women’s game in Malaysia and creating a truly world class sporting occasion and destination for everybody to enjoy.”
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