Rae Vadee T. Suwan the driving force behind the Queen Sirikit Cup

One of the Thailand Golf Association’s founders. Rae Vadee came up with the idea to launch a National team Championship in view of the fact that no international Ladies event existed in the region at that time.

She felt that lady golfers with great potential but insufficient financial resources could not go very far in their game.

It was timely for them to be given a chance to play at a higher level and accomplish more for themselves and their countries. Through the championship, a higher standard of the game could be raised and more friendship formed.

Hence the proposal was sent to the national golf association of 14 countries including Thailand, namely Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Burma, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand to send a team of 3 players to launch the National Team Championship in Bangkok Thailand. Of the 14 countries invited, nine countries participated in the inaugural event known as the “Amateur Ladies Asian Invitational Golf Team Championship”.

Mom Kobkaew Abharara was instrumental in the requesting the challenge trophy from Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand who graciously granted her permission to have the Trophy named in her honour as the “Queen Sirikit Cup”. The Queen Sirikit Cup is a beautifully handcrafted silver trophy and the exact replica is presented to the champion team each year.

At the first team captains meeting it was agreed that future hosting of the championship would be on a rotation basis among the member countries. Indonesian came forward to host the second event that welcomed in two more countries, Australia and Philippines, to make up 11 teams.

The 10th anniversary was celebrated in Thailand in 1988 with full participation of 12 member teams. Australia continued to maintain her top performance and won the Cup for the 6th time in the first decade.

The tournament’s theme song, The Women’s Spirit was launched on this occasion and the teams were granted an audience with H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakari Sirindhorn, who represented H.M. Queen Sirikit at Chitrlada Palace.

At the close of the 2nd decade in 1998 Korea celebrated her 7th title in India and became the team with the most wins.

Australia came second with 6, followed by Japan with 5 and New Zealand with 2 wins. The championship also welcomed its 14th member, Chinese Taipei to join at the 20th anniversary of the Queen Sirikit Cup in India.

The 3rd decade of the Queen Sirikit Cup began in New Zealand where the first ever playoff for the team title between host teams New Zealand and newcomer Chinese Taipei was witnessed when both were tied at score of 436.

It was also here that the biggest galleries of spectators turned up to support the event and their home team. After an exciting playoff New Zealand won while Chinese Taipei captured the best individual title.

The 25th Queen Sirikit Cup, which was the silver anniversary of the championship, was celebrated in Korea in 2003 and Singapore rejoined the tournament after 7 years withdrawal. Korea team braved the bad weather conditions and benefited from home advantage to win the 8th title by a wide margin from defending champion Japan.

When the 26th edition was hosted by China for the second time in 2004, the R&A came forward to give financial grant to help subsidize the team’s accommodation expenses.

The recognition given by the R&A was based on the achievements of the Queen Sirikit Cup Championship in promoting the standard of ladies golf in Asian pacific region and was the result of the recommendation made by the Executive Chairman of the Asia Pacific Golf Federation, Dato Thmas M.L. Lee.

In 2005 the championship returned to Thailand for the 27th Queen Sirikit Cup and was renamed “Asia Pacific Ladies Invitational Golf Team Championship” to reflect the geographic location of member countries that span from the pacific region to the southern part of Asia. Sri Lanka regained her membership after 3 years absence.

At the close of the 3rd decade Korea emerged the leading team with a record of 10 wins to her credit. Australia had 8, Japan 6, New Zealand 3 and Chinese Taipei 2 wins.

During the last 3 decades of the Queen Sirikit Cup, many former national players have turned professional and several of them are now world-class players on the various tours.

It is interesting to compare the winning scores from the first two decades to last year’s result as the scores kept going down lower each year. In the inaugural championship the winning team’s score was 459 in the 10th championship - 446, in the 20th championship - 433, and in the 29th championship - 414.

In the hosting of the championship have been rotating among the 14 member countries where countless number of people were involved in making every tournament a great and memorable success.

There will be no exception to the rule when the 30th anniversary of the Queen Sirikit Cup returns to Sri Lanka in 2008 for the second time since 1982. Every effort will be made to ensure its traditional objectives to promote friendship and sportsmanship, as well as the high standard of the game.

Golf’s Ruling Body the R&A Announces Grants for Queen Sirikit Cup 2008 to be staged in Sri Lanka. In a recent press conference the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrew’s - the R&A - announced a series of grants totaling œ1.3 million aimed at developing golf around the world.

The Queen Sirikit Cup will receive 15,000 pounds (Rs 3,300,000) as part of this development and it’s a significant grant for a relatively small golfing nation such as Sri Lanka.

“We feel the grant of some 3.3 million rupees is an endorsement of the Sri Lankan Golf Union’s policy of growing the game in Sri Lanka,” commented Mike Varney who sits on the Sri Lanka Golf Union committee as an observer.

“The support given by the game’s governing body is a clear statement that the Sri Lanka Golf Union’s efforts to stage such prestigious events as the Queen Sirikit Cup over the past decade have paid off.”

The R&A has long had a policy of encouraging the development of golf globally and these latest awards reflect that, with support being provided across men’s, women’s, boys’ and girls’ golf, and to both amateur and professional areas of the game.

Duncan Weir, The R&A’s Director of Golf Development, said: “In addition to financial support, The R&A will send referees and other officials to many of the championships and events listed here.

Meetings were held with 22 different countries at this year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie and this has led to an increase in the number of nations now in receipt of R&A support or being considered for assistance in the future.”