The organizers of the HSBC Women’s World Championship (renowned as ‘Asia’s Major’ as well) can relax at least until 2020 as HSBC decided to remain the title sponsor of the event.
This comes in a very good moment as the HSBC Women’s World Championship returns to the New Tanjong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore next March.
The 11th HSBC Women’s World Championship that was held in March 2018, was renamed the HSBC Women’s World Championship after ten years as the HSBC Women’s Champions.
Qualification criteria for the HSBC Women’s World Championship 2019 cater for a maximum number of 63 players. There will be no cut, so all will play the full 72 holes. The prize purse is US$ 1.5 million.
In contrary to beliefs LPGA Tour events are gaining a decent number of viewers:
- The total broadcast hours on the Golf Channel and network TV in the United States were at a record high in 2017, at more than 415 hours, nearly double the figure from 2011, with nearly 22 million viewers tuning in (source: LPGA). Coverage drew an average of 221,000 viewers per telecast, and 1.8 million unique viewers saw each weekly tournament on Golf Channel. There was a 24 percent rise in TV viewership in 2017, and there has been a 100 percent increase since 2011.
- The 2018 season will offer an overall record purse of $68.75 million (up to $5.8 million since 2016, when there were 33 official money events). In 2017, the total purse was $65.55 million (also 33 events).
- Last year’s Women’s PGA Championship (840,000) and Evian Championship (551,000) on NBC and this year’s ANA Inspiration (437,000) on Golf Channel.