FILA makes it fashionable to support women's golf

Chinese golfers are welcoming the launch of "The FILA GOLF Role Model Program", which will provide much-needed financial support to young players to compete in the LPGA qualifying tournament in the United States.

Following the hosting of the inaugural Women's Classic last weekend in Shanghai, FILA GOLF announced it will select 10 outstanding players from the tournament and provide them with funding to travel to the Qualifying School, or Q-School for short, a strenuous multistage program that determines which golfers earn entry to the LPGA Tour.

Speaking at PGA GOLF Club Anying, host venue for the Women's Classic, Shi Yuli, a FILA GOLF elite team member, said the program would go a long way to easing the financial burden faced by nearly all players trying to elevate their game to the highest level of the sport.

Shi provided some insight into how expensive it can be to earn a living as a professional golfer.

The 22-year-old lives in Japan with her family and has played regularly on the CLPGA Tour since 2018 in the hunt for her maiden pro title.

She had her best season last year, finishing third at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Championships, in addition to posting two equal-third finishes.

"The reason my older sister (Shi Yuting, a three-time winner on the CLPGA Tour) and I now compete in the JLPGA is mainly because we live in Japan and are familiar with the environment there. Additionally, we don't need a translator. This helps us save a significant amount of money when participating in the qualifying tournaments, which is not the case for many Chinese golfers," said Shi, currently placed 764th in the world ranking.

"The FILA GOLF Role Model Program will definitely be a great help to us golfers. I also plan to participate in the US LPGA qualifying tournaments, and having such a program makes us feel much more at ease."

Liu Ruotong has recently graduated from Shanghai University of Sport and plans to earn her living from playing professional golf.

A pro since 2019, the Henan native said that playing on the US LPGA Tour is her dream, but admits she has to significantly improve her game first if it is to become a reality.

Her best result as a pro was a tie for 19th at the 2021 Lanhai Ladies Challenge, achieved while juggling her studies and playing sporadically on the CLPGA Tour.

"Currently, my level is not sufficient, so I didn't apply for the Q-school this year, but it's definitely a plan over the next three to five years," said the 24-year-old. "My plan is to start by playing in the JLPGA, and then move on to the LPGA Tour, taking it step-by-step. The launch of the program will definitely help alleviate our financial concerns."

Feng Shanshan, the former world No 1 who won the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said she was grateful to companies like FILA, which are willing to throw their financial support behind the development of women's golf.

Now retired and serving as a global promotional ambassador for the CLPGA Tour, the Guangdong native noted that "the growth of players cannot be achieved without support from all sides". In addition, she said, the attraction of the lifestyle that golf projects will also help to fuel the growth of the game.

"In my view, there is no age limit for professional golfers; as long as one is qualified, everyone can compete on the same platform," said Feng, who was the first Chinese player to win a golf major when she triumphed in the 2012 Women's PGA Championship.

"I chose to retire because I saw that the excellent players behind me had grown up and were capable of competing. I felt it was time to pass the baton," she said. "I am very optimistic about the future development of female golfers in China."