LPGA adds tournament in Malaysia

Fans walk past posters of Natalie Gulbis, Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer and Juli Inkster at an LPGA event. The tour plans to showcase its top stars at a new tournament this fall in Malaysia.

The LPGA has filled a slot on its 2010 tournament calendar – initially reserved for an event in China – with an elite, limited-field competition in Malaysia.

The inaugural Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia is scheduled to be played Oct. 22-24 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, according to Zayra Calderon, the LPGA’s executive vice president, tournament development & worldwide sales.

The new event, to be held at least through 2012 according to the three-year agreement, is expected to feature the top 50 LPGA members from the Official Money List, plus 10 sponsor’s exemptions. The 54-hole stroke-play event will not have a cut.

Sime Darby Group is a leading multinational corporation in Malaysia.

The company’s sponsorship continues support for the LPGA’s swing through the Far East. The tour began this season with two tournaments in Asia: the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand and HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore. In addition, Hana Bank Financial committed to serving as title sponsor of an LPGA tournament for the next three years in Korea.

The Malaysian tournament is scheduled to be broadcast on Golf Channel in the U.S. from 12 noon to 2 p.m. EST during all three days of the tournament.