Swinging Skirts becomes presenting partner of Australian Amateur Championships

MELBOURNE, December 9: Golf Australia has forged a partnership with world-renowned Taiwanese body, Swinging Skirts Golf Foundation.

In a deal that will benefit young golfers in both countries, Swinging Skirts will help back GA’s elite amateur and junior events in exchange for exposure for Taiwan’s emerging talent in both tournaments and development.

Swinging Skirts chairman Johnson Wang said he was delighted to link with Golf Australia and support its high performance pathways, including becoming the presenting partner of the men’s and women’s Australian Amateur Championships, the nation’s premier amateur titles.

“Australia is a paradise for the development of golf. With wonderful condition of climate and environment, many outstanding golfers are thus cultivated,” Mr Wang said.

“Swinging Skirts is deeply honoured to participate in the young players’ championships to cultivate future leaders of golf with the assistance of Golf Australia.

“Being able to go to Australia to participate in the championships is also an important milestone for Taiwanese junior golfers on their way towards becoming great players.

“Only when they see how big the world is can they realise how much they need to improve and continue their efforts to progress.

“Swinging Skirts has also started planning future yearly co-operation with Australian golf institutions to facilitate training programs to support Taiwanese players to pursue their dreams and compete with outstanding players around the world.”

Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said the deal would help the world-renowned organisation in achieving its own goals, but also support the domestic high performance program.

“It’s a win-win. Swinging Skirts has a globally regarded mission to help develop golf in Taiwan and among its young players,” Mr Pitt said.

“If we can assist that goal while making our own elite tournaments stronger, then it’s a great partnership which we hope to foster for years.”

Swinging Skirts is dedicated to the development of Taiwanese women’s golf, in particular, and strengthening friendships among golfers worldwide.

The foundation holds monthly domestic tournaments to cultivate the young players’ competitiveness through training and tournament experience.

Elite professional tournaments backed by Swinging Skirts, recognised by both TLPGA and KLPGA tours, have been run since 2011 with great success.

Since 2014, the foundation has co-operated with the US LPGA Tour to hold the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in San Francisco and in 2015, the prizemoney reached $US2milion.

Mr Wang said these tournaments served as perfect chances for Taiwanese players to participate in professional American tournaments.

The Australian Amateur Championships have continued to expand their global impact in recent years and the winner of both men’s and women’s titles gains entry directly to the respective national open championships.

The Australian Amateur will be played from January 12-17 in Melbourne at Metropolitan and the Kingswood Course of the Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club.