Development program to strengthen local challenge at Sime Darby LPGA

Participants of second Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Development Program with trainers

Kuala Lumpur: The Sime Darby LPGA Development Program will return for the second year running in a bid to prepare local hopefuls ahead of the national and regional qualfiers of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2011.

The program will also prepare the local players who qualify for the tournament proper at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club’s East Course, which is set to feature the top 62 LPGA members from the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List.

Event sponsor Sime Darby Berhad and IMG, the organisers of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia, will continue to support the programme in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club Golf Academy with the hope that the program will ultimately propel some of these young lady golfers into world-class players.

The program is open to Malaysian female golfers who have a handicap of two and below, with 16 players roped in for the initial ten-week course, which will encompass 50 hours of training a week. An extra two weeks of training awaits the winners of the qualifiers to further strengthen their game ahead of the four-day US$1.9 million tournament.

KLGCC Golf Academy coaches Dean Hartmann and Koe Lai Yin will conduct a variety of specialised classes across both physical and mental disciplines to help these golfers qualify and play in the second edition of the prestigious event set for October 13-16.

Guest trainer Ian Triggs will make a welcome return to further hone the trainees skill and abilities. “I am delighted to be part of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Development Program and to offer these promising young golfers training advice in order to develop them both on and off the course,” said Triggs.

“Preparation is integral part of any athlete’s training program. In the first four weeks of the Program, these players have already been exposed to specialist advice and training to prepare them for the professional game. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with players and wish each and every one of them the best of luck with their golfing career,” he added.

Utilising a mixture of on-and-off the course sessions, the program is aimed at imparting psychological, physiological and physical knowledge of the game on the trainees.

Classroom sessions cover topics such as physical preparation, physiotherapy, diet and nutrition, strengthening and stretching, and cardiovascular understanding. The intensive golf practice sessions, meanwhile, will focus on improving the trainees’ short game, putting and driving, among others.

Special sessions aimed at building the psychological strength of trainees will also be conducted during the Program. It will touch on the need to train in focus, mental toughness, self-confidence, dominance, and other traits possessed by the best players in the world.