The LPGA is headed to Hong Kong next spring. The tour and SMK, an Asia-based sports and entertainment company, announced Wednesday the new Futu Ladies World Championship presented by Moomoo, which will feature a $3.4 million purse, the highest in Asia.
The event will take place March 4-7, 2027, during the tour’s spring Asian swing at The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club and feature a field of 78 players. The Hong Kong stop, the first on the LPGA since 1976, will follow events in Thailand and Singapore and replace China's Blue Bay LPGA event that debuted in 2014. This year's Blue Bay event, won by Mi Hyang Lee, featured a purse of $2.6 million.
In a statement to Golfweek, the LPGA said, "We appreciate all of Blue Bay’s support over the years
and thank them for their commitment to the LPGA. We had an incredible opportunity in Hong Kong at a world class golf course with the highest purse in Asia. As we’ve said, we’re focused on routing courses and purses and this checks all the boxes and we owe it to our membership to pursue opportunities like this when they arise."
Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club opened in 1982 and features a number of stunning views of the South China Sea from a dramatic cliff-top setting. The club once hosted a PGA Tour Series-China event.
“Our fans across Asia have always been some of the most passionate in the world and going to strong markets that match that energy matters to us – we couldn't be more excited to bring the tour to Hong Kong,” said LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler in a release.
“This event checks every box we look for – a championship-caliber course, a market ready for the tour, a perfect fit within our spring Asia swing, and partners who share our vision. We're very thankful for Futu, moomoo, and SMK, whose support made it possible to host an LPGA Tour event at a venue like The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, with a $3.4 million purse – the largest of any LPGA Tour event in Asia.”
Moomoo, a leading global investment and trading platform, has entered a multi-year partnership with the tour.
“At Moomoo, we believe in backing people who put in the work, who study, strategize and perform at the highest level. That is what we see in our investors, and it is exactly what we see in the world-class athletes of the LPGA,” said Neil McDonald, CEO of Moomoo U.S. “We are proud to partner with the LPGA and SMK to meaningfully invest in women’s sports, bring the very best of women’s golf to Hong Kong and help inspire the next generation of athletes across Asia.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA adds new Hong Kong stop to spring Asia swing in 2027
