The EFG International Golf Challenge 2024 (EFG IGC), held at TMCC’s championship-ready Tampines Course on 21st to 22nd August, saw top junior golfers from Asia and Europe compete in an exhilarating two-day friendly event.
In this second edition of the tournament, Team Asia emerged victorious against Team Europe, showcasing outstanding talent and sportsmanship. Beyond the excitement of the competition, the event also served a greater purpose, with all funds raised supporting high-performance golf development for the EFG Young Athletes Foundation in Hong Kong, the Singapore Golf Association, and the Luxembourg Golf Federation.
The opening ceremony and welcome dinner hosted at Tampines Banquet Room on 21 August were attended by a distinguished group of ministers, ambassadors, and dignitaries from the participating countries. Guest-of-Honour Mr. Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, graced the event.
Among the distinguished guests at the event were:
- Ms. Michelle Liem, Honorary Consul of Luxembourg in Singapore
- Mr. Marc Schmidt, President of the Luxembourg Golf Federation
- Mr. Emmanuel Markianos, First Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Greek Embassy in Singapore
- Mr. Patrick Ramsey, Head of Continental Europe and the Middle East at EFG International
- Her Excellency Iwona Piórko, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Singapore
- Mr. Owin Fung, Director of the Hong Kong Trade & Economic Office in Singapore
- Mr. Kitjawat Tachareon, Counsellor at the Royal Thai Embassy
- Mr. Ivan Chua, Vice President of the Singapore Golf Association
- Joshua Ho, General Manager of the Singapore Golf Association
- Dr. Goh Hoon Pur, Club Captain of Tanah Merah Country Club
- Mr. Mel Choo, Vice Captain of Tanah Merah Country Club
Building on the success of the 2023 EFG International Golf Challenge (EFG IGC), this year’s event heightened the excitement with a remarkable lineup of young talent from both continents. Over two action-packed days, top junior golfers from Asia and Europe faced off in dynamic formats, including foursomes, four-ball, and singles matches. Each team comprised 10 junior players:
Team Asia:
- Arianna Lau (Hong Kong)
- Isaac Lee (Hong Kong)
- Anson Yeo (Malaysia)
- Winnie Ng (Malaysia)
- Parin Sarasmut (Thailand)
- Parat Sukanant (Thailand)
- Brayden Lee (Singapore)
- Ryan Ang (Singapore)
- Chen Xingtong (Singapore)
- Troy Storm (Singapore)
Team Europe:
- Emma Lahaije (Luxembourg)
- Ella Miserini (Luxembourg)
- Marie Baertz (Luxembourg)
- Domitille Das Merces (France)
- Alexandre Dorier (Luxembourg)
- Maxime Morn (Luxembourg)
- Arnaud Castellana (Luxembourg)
- Emilios Philippos Tsiridis (Greece)
- Konstantinos Tsantsarakis (Greece)
- Gabriel Guerreiro (Portugal)
On day one, Team Asia dominated the morning foursomes, winning all five matches. Chen Xingtong and Arianna Lau made a notable impact with an even-par 72, delivering a decisive win over Domitille Das Merces and Ella Miserini. Team Asia maintained their impressive performance in the afternoon four-ball matches, where Winnie Ng and Arianna Lau achieved victory against Domitille Das Merces and Marie Baertz, concluding with a remarkable score of 6-under-par 66.
On day two, Team Asia preserved their advantage with a clean sweep in the morning’s men’s and women’s singles matches. Chen Xingtong delivered the standout performance of the day, achieving a decisive victory over Domitille Das Merces.
Team Asia secured victory with 184 points, defeating Team Europe, who earned 104 points. Team Asia was awarded the winner’s trophy, while Team Europe received the runners-up trophy. At the awards ceremony, Thai Parat Sukanant was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for Team Asia, recognised for her exceptional performance and positive sportsmanship. Luxembourg Arnaud Castellana earned the Most Valuable Player title for Team Europe for his notable leadership throughout the tournament. The overall MVP award, given to the highest individual points scorer, went to Hong Kong Arianna Lau, who amassed an impressive 41.5 points during the event.