Golf: Queen’s Cup to tee off from June 16

Koh Samui, Thailand, May 26 (IANS) Taking the total number of Asian Tour tournaments to 25 this golf season, the eighth edition of the $300,000 Queen's Cup will tee off from June 16 at the Santiburi Samui Country Club here.

The tournament, supported by Bangkok Airways, Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), Thailand PGA and Asian Tour, will also give ample opportunity to the golfers across Asia, who are still battling for a berth in the Rio Olympics, slated to be held from August 5 to 21.

"We are delighted to continue our association with the Queen's Cup, which is truly a prestigious event held in honour of our beloved Queen Sirikit," Bangkok Airways vice president Chanthip Thongkanya said in a statement on Thursday.

"The media exposure generated from the Queen's Cup will go a very long way in promoting Samui and Thailand as a leading holiday and tourism destination. We look forward to another great week of golf in June," Chanthip added.

Since making its debut on the Asian Tour in 2009, the Queen's Cup has been dominated by local golfers, with the likes of Prayad Marksaeng and Thaworn Wiratchant winning it twice besides one-time winners -- Chinnarat Phadungsil and Chawalit Plaphol.

The only international golfer who has triumphed in Samui is Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka.

The tournament is expected to attract many leading players from the Asian Tour, including Bangladeshi star Siddikur Rahman and Singapore's Mardan Mamat, who have contended for the title on numerous occasions here. Both are also fighting to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Asian Tour commissioner Kyi Hla Han said, "The Queen's Cup is one of our most popular tournaments on the Asian Tour as it is hosted on a truly fantastic destination and golf course. Every year, our players look forward to competing at Santiburi Samui which is a challenging test and at the same, they get to enjoy the many attractions on the world-famous holiday isle."

The addition of the Queen's Cup also means that Thailand will now stage three Asian Tour events this season, namely the True Thailand Classic and the King's Cup.