Young Local Golfers Play with 4 Pro Champions at Sands Golf Day

Macau Junior Golf Association members learn from Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Minwoo Lee, and Collin Morikawa

(Macao, Oct 23, 2023) – Sands China hosted four renowned professional golfers at the Front Lawn (between The Parisian Macao and the Four Seasons Hotel Macao Cotai Strip) and at The Venetian^® Macao Monday for Sands Golf Day, where they led a skills challenge with 16 young local golfers aged 7-15 from the Macau Junior Golf Association.

The event offered the young participants a unique platform of interaction, inspiration, and mentorship with the four accomplished golf pros: Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Minwoo Lee, and Collin Morikawa.

• Minjee Lee is a ten-time LPGA Tour winner, including two Majors: the Evian Championship and the U.S. Women's Open. An Australian of Korean heritage, she is also the first female brand ambassador for Las Vegas Sands Corp.
  
• Lydia Ko is former Ladies Professional Golf World Number 1, and was the youngest player to reach that milestone. The Korean-born New Zealander is a 19-time LPGA Tour winner, including two Majors.
  
• Minwoo Lee is the 2023 Macao Open champion, winning by setting a new tournament record of a four-round aggregate of 30 under par. The brother of Minjee Lee, he is a star player in the European Tour and the Asian Tour.
  
• Collin Morikawa is a two-time Ryder Cup player for the U.S., a six-time PGA tour winner, and a two-time Major champion. An American of Chinese and Japanese descent, he became the first player in history to win on two Major championship debuts.
  

"At Sands China, we are committed to supporting the development of local sports talent and nurturing the growth of young athletes," said Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd. "With community events like this, we bring together accomplished sports professionals and aspiring athletes from our community. Our aim is to provide a unique platform for interaction and mentorship, motivating young athletes to pursue their goals with unwavering determination, and we hope to help them realise their full potential and contribute to the rich sporting legacy of our city. We are additionally delighted to use this opportunity to raise awareness of vulnerable groups with a donation to two local charitable associations – the Macau Deaf Association and Orbis Macau."

Minjee Lee said: "I am thrilled to be part of this event to inspire young people and ignite their passion for sports, while supporting two local charities. The opportunity to demonstrate and share my love for golf with junior players in Macao is a privilege on its own; seeing their enthusiasm and potential is doubly rewarding. I am grateful to Sands China for giving me this opportunity to spread joy through golf and make a positive impact on people's lives in the Macao community."

During the first part of Monday's event, the Front Lawn Challenge, the professional golfers demonstrated their accuracy at a lively skills challenge, where they attempted to hit long-distance shots at designated targets, with the participation of the amateur young golfers adding excitement to the event.

It was followed by the Long Putt Skills Challenge, where the 16 young golfers were divided into four groups, with each group led by a pro golfer. Each group played on behalf of either the Macau Deaf Association or Orbis Macau. At the end of the challenge, Sands China donated a total of MOP 100,000 to the two organisations, based on the results of the friendly competition.

Sands Golf Day is the latest example of Sands China's parent company, Las Vegas Sands, helping bring sporting events and professional athletes to Macao. Sands has demonstrated its commitment to increasing access to such opportunities for young people in Macao through its partnerships with ambassadors like British football icon David Beckham, and now Minjee Lee.

 

 

Photo caption: Professional golfers Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Minwoo Lee, and Collin Morikawa join local junior golfers from the Macau Junior Golf Association and guests of honour for the Sands Golf Day event Monday at The Venetian Macao.

Left to right (back row): Isabel da Silva, director of development of Orbis Macau; DeVonne Iao, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of resort marketing for Sands China Ltd.; Andy Kobel, senior vice president of table games and gaming optimization for Sands China Ltd.; Timothy Cheong Lok Tin, president of the Macau Junior Golf Association; Minwoo Lee; Collin Morikawa; Minjee Lee; Lydia Ko; Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs for Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Wong Kam Sun, president of Macau Deaf Association

Photo caption: Sands China presents a ceremonial donation cheque of MOP 60,000 to the Macau Deaf Association at The Venetian Macao Monday. The company donated a total of MOP 100,000 to two local charitable associations, as part of the Sands Golf Day event.

Left to right: DeVonne Iao, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of resort marketing for Sands China Ltd.; Collin Morikawa; Lydia Ko; Wong Kam Sun, president of Macau Deaf Association

Photo caption: Sands China presents a ceremonial donation cheque of MOP 40,000 to Orbis Macau at The Venetian Macao. The company donated a total of MOP 100,000 to two local charitable associations, as part of the Sands Golf Day event.

Left to right: Andy Kobel, senior vice president of table games and gaming optimization for Sands China Ltd.; Minwoo Lee; Minjee Lee; Isabel da Silva, director of development of Orbis Macau