Synonymous with hosting the men’s European Tour’s annual flagship gathering, Wentworth could also become the venue for a high-profile professional women’s event.
A senior executive of the Reignwood Group has indicated that the Surrey club’s new owners are considering a variety of opportunities.
Among the possibilities being mooted are additional women’s tournaments to complement the Reignwood LPGA Classic, the second edition of which took place at the company’s Pine Valley Golf Club in Beijing last week.
Spearheading the field there was world number one Stacy Lewis along with Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and Koreans Park In-bee and Ryu So-yeon.
It was, however, a less heralded Korean, Mirim Lee, who emerged victorious in the US$2.1 million tournament which is the richest of the LPGA Tour’s seven events in Asia.
Talking exclusively with Golf Business News, Alex Ho, Vice President, Reignwood Group, said the company is in the process of putting together a strategy for the staging of professional tournaments at its three world-class golfing properties – Wentworth, Pine Valley and Princeville in Hawaii.
“We’re dedicated to both ladies and men’s tournaments,” said Ho. “Because we have acquired Wentworth in London and also Princeville in Hawaii we are having a bigger global golf map now so we have a bigger choice globally.”
Asked specifically if the Reignwood Group would support further professional women’s events, Ho said: “At Princeville in Hawaii it is something we are considering … and also at Wentworth. They [the tournaments] should fit into our overall global strategy of developing golf. It’s possible we will have three LPGA events at the three properties. Maybe. Why not?”
Pine Valley Golf Club www.reignwood.com/pine_valley.asp