Singapore Open could see more big guns next year
Organisers already looking forward to 2017 and the big guns
The dust has yet to settle, but initial signs suggest the 2016 SMBC Singapore Open has been a success.
Certainly, world No. 1 Jordan Spieth didn't disappoint, fighting until the end to win the trophy on his debut here.
Organisers have promised to do their best to ensure the recently-concluded tournament is only the tip of the iceberg.
Following a three-year hiatus, the Singapore Open returned last week at Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong Course to much fanfare and more than 22,000 spectators turned up over the five days of competition.
There was the issue of the weather wreaking havoc on three of the four scheduled days, forcing play to be completed only yesterday morning when South Korea's Song Young Han pipped Spieth by one shot to win the title.
Apart from the delays, the tournament otherwise ran without a hitch and Lagardère Sports, who are signed on to manage the competition until 2018, are looking forward to bringing in more big names next year.
"With the SMBC Singapore Open, the plan each year is that we want to bring players who are going to excite the fans and players who have not been here before," said Patrick Feizal Joyce, vice-president, golf, at Lagardère Sports.
"Jordan had never played here before and now he has… Phil (Mickelson) and Ernie (Els) have all come before, so who hasn't?
"Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson - these are all players that we're looking at and will be talking to seriously, to see how we can make it work.
"We want people to continue to be excited about the event and come out to see players they haven't seen before."
While he did acknowledge that the weather had been one thing they were unhappy about, Joyce ruled out significantly changing the date of the tournament.
Chuckling, said: "I'm starting to think it doesn't matter when you hold the Singapore Open... It will rain.
"What the title sponsor SMBC wants is an event in the first three months, so we have all agreed that it should be a season-opening event.
"It's gone from being at year's end to being the first event for the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour season, it's now an event everyone is looking forward to and that's why we got such a strong field.
"We already have a date for next year and it's pretty much going to be around the same time."
Although it was a week of golf to forget for someone like Y E Yang, the 2009 PGA Championship winner, who finished tied in 49th spot with a final score of three-over 287, he was full of praise over the way the tournament was run.
"Everything was very good," he told TNP.
"Anytime I come to Singapore to play, I'm happy. I normally like the hot weather and the green conditions was good… I like this course."
Likewise, second runner-up Liang Wenchong (far left) revealed he would once again be leaving the country with fond memories.
"I'm very happy that the Singapore Open is back," said the 37-year-old.
"I'm always happy to come to such a beautiful course and Singapore is like my lucky ground, where I've done pretty well over the years.
"I hope to be back."
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