Tournament Chairman Bob Tuohy believes the 27th RACV Ladies Masters will mark the start of a new era when the event is played on the redeveloped 18-hole course layout at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from 25-28 February 2016.
Mr Tuohy paid tribute to RACV, the title sponsor and event host; Tourism and Events Queensland and the City of Gold Coast, who have supported the event since inception in 1990. “The RACV Ladies Masters has a proud history spanning three decades at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast and during this period it has seen many of the world’s best female golfers and rising stars contest the coveted Ladies Masters title. The players in next year’s Ladies Masters will for the first time experience the highly acclaimed, redeveloped 18-hole course layout at RACV Royal Pines establishing a new era for the event.”
The Graham Marsh designed course, which was unveiled in early December for the Men’s Australian PGA Championship, will provide a totally new playing experience for the field in the Ladies European Tour (LET) and Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) co-sanctioned RACV Ladies Masters. This event is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and promoted as part of the It’s Live! in Queensland calendar of events. The event will again be broadcast live in Australia by ABC TV Sport and will be broadcast internationally providing valuable destination branding for the Gold Coast and generating millions of dollars in economic benefit to the region. RACV Executive General Manager, Sue Blake, said that RACV was delighted to be continuing its major sponsorship and the hosting of this prestigious ladies golf event at RACV Royal Pines Resort. “The RACV Ladies Masters has proven to be a platform for many of the world’s best and emerging players to showcase their exceptional talent and this event provides our members, guests and visitors to the Gold Coast with a fantastic opportunity to enjoy world-class golf right on their doorstep.”
Mayor Tate of the Gold Coast City Council says “We’re proud to support this event since it first began in 1990, because it’s events like these that motivate our young people to participate in sport,” he said. “As part of our Sport Plan, we’re actively working towards growing participation in sport to make the Gold Coast Australia’s most active city. I hope we see plenty of families coming to watch the golf and that the next generation of young female golfers will be inspired by the field of talented players.”
Australia’s Su Oh will return to the RACV Royal Pines Resort as the defending champion having won her maiden title 12 months ago, aged 18. In only her second tournament as a professional, Oh finished at seven-under-par and three clear of Florentyna Parker, Charley Hull and Katherine Kirk, the 2009 event champion, also from Australia.
