Nine Of The World's Top Ten To Compete In Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Nine of the world's current top-10 players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour Rolex World Rankings are here to compete in this year's Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. The competition which enters its sixth edition offers an even greater showcase with the star-studded line-up competing in the four-day no-cut play event. The star-studded cast will be headed by current world number one, Park Inbee of South Korea, Lydia Ko (2), Stacy Lewis (3), So Yeon Ryu (4), Lexi Thompson (5), Kim Hyo-Joo (6), Feng Shanshan (7), Amy Yang (9) and Suzann Pettersen (10). Other top class players who will be playing for this year's title include defending champion, Feng Shanshan of China. Lexi Thompson (2013), Park Inbee (2012) and Choi Na Yeon (2011) are also former champions, in 2013, 2012 and 2011 respectively. Fans will get to see a three-cornered fight between Inbee, Lydia and Stacy, as each of them want to add their trophy collection. For Inbee, who has won five tournaments this year, the rivalry does drive her to achieve better results. "It is definitely. The last few years it's been changing partners a little bit, but then I was always in the situation. So I feel actually really honored to be reaching for the number one spot every year. "I think it's just a very good motivation to play for. If you have good competitors, you only can improve your game. You can't stay where you are. You just got to get better and better and keep pushing," she said. The 2012 champion was glad that she could be back to Malaysia after missing it last year due to her wedding. "It feels great to be back since I missed this tournament because of my wedding last year...I had a win here in 2012. Except for that, I haven't really played well on this golf course. "This golf course (the East Course) can play very tough and can play very scorable at the same time," Inbee recalled. The competition which will be held at the East Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) starting Thursday until Sunday, offers a lucrative total prize purse of US$2 million (about RM8.7 million). The LPGA event will see top 63 available players from the LPGA Tour's official money list, seven sponsor's invitees and five Malaysian players. The Malaysian players are Kelly Tan, Ainil Johani Abu Bakar, Cindy Lee-Pridgen, Michelle Koh and Nur Durriyah Damian. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA