And as part of its efforts to boost this segment of tourism, Tourism Fiji will be supporting top local golfer, Mr Sam Lee for the Starwood Golf Classic 2015 International Pro-Am & Teams Tournament that will be held at the Natadola Bay Golf Course & Denarau Golf & Racquet Club next week, from 9-13 June.
With over $130,000 on offer in prize money, the tournament will be contested over four rounds and all players will be playing two rounds each at the Natadola and Denarau golf courses.
“With an estimated 80 million golfers worldwide and more than 40,000 golf courses around the world, golf events are said to be worth 2 billion dollars a year and the golf tourism market something more than 1 billion dollars,” Tourism Fiji Director of Events, Ms Sally Cooper Says.
Ms Cooper says Mr Lee, as a Tourism Fiji Brand ambassador has some series potential with global reach in the golf tourism sector.
“The daily spend of a golf tourist whilst on holiday is normally twice that of your general leisure tourists. Golf is a sport that can extend the high season for tourism in Fiji. Tourism Fiji is a major sponsor of the Fiji International and the development of sports and sports events in Fiji as a way of attracting a broader international clientele with diverse interests,” MS Cooper adds.
Mr Lee has recently represented Fiji in the New Zealand PGA event and has been a representative for Fiji for some time. In 2013, he was in the Fiji Nomura Cup team, finishing third in the Fiji Open and was the lower amateur.
Last year, he won the Ba, Nadi, Pacific Harbour and Suva Opens, and represented Fiji in the World Amateur Teams Championship in Japan, and won the Fiji PGA Presidents Cup and National Golfs Champion versus Champion event. He also got to compete in the Fiji Invitational as an amateur.
Following that he decided to try his hand as a professional and venture off to the Australian Tour School, he was successful on his first attempt and returned with his ticket for the Australasian Tour.
Mr Lee found the transition to professional golfing a little tough playing in both the New Zealand Open and New Zealand PGA but failing to make the cut and returned to Fiji to work on his game in the lead up to the Fijian events – which has proven to be a wise choice as he has won the Fiji Premium Pro-Am and the Air New Zealand Airpoints Event, both in play-offs. Mr Lee says his game is in good shape and he has taken some confidence from both of these events.
He is thankful to Tourism Fiji for granting him a start in the Starwood Classic, “the Starwood Classic is the largest tournament outside the Fiji International for Fiji and without the support of Tourism Fiji getting start in the field would’ve been hard for me,” he adds.
Mr Lee will be flying the Fiji flag at the Fiji International and in major tournaments in Australia’s PGA summer golfing events later this year.
The Starwood Golf Classic is into its fifth year running after resounding successes from previous events.
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