El DP World Tour revives one of Asian golf’s classics. The Singapore Open will return to its calendar in 2027, fifteen years after its last appearance, and it will do so with a new title sponsor: Deutsche Bank. The event will be staged from 15 to 18 April on the Serapong course at Sentosa Golf Club
The deal with the German bank runs through 2029. The tournament, which will be renamed the Deutsche Bank Singapore Open, will be co-sanctioned by both the DP World Tour and the Asian Tour and will form part of the Asian Swing of the Race to Dubai. It will thus return to the format it had between 2009 and 2012
For Spanish golf, Singapore holds two particularly fond memories. The first belongs to Gonzalo Fernández Castaño, who won the title in 2011 after a week disrupted by the weather. The tournament was reduced to 54 holes and the Madrid native finished tied with the Filipino Juvic Pagunsan on 199 strokes, fourteen under par
Not even the play-off was spared from the storms. They had to wait until Monday to settle it, and Gonzalo prevailed with a birdie at the second extra hole, thanks to a putt of around three metres
Sergio García added his name to the roll of honour in 2018, when the championship was already off the European circuit. The Castellón native, then the reigning Masters champion, won convincingly: he carded rounds of 66, 70, 66 and 68 to finish on a total of 270, fourteen under par. He finished five strokes ahead of Satoshi Kodaira and Shaun Norris. That week was also affected by rain and thunderstorms, although all four rounds were completed. Storms are always a fixture at these South‑East Asian events
The two Spaniards share the roll of honour with names such as Adam Scott, winner in 2005, 2006 and 2010; Ángel Cabrera, champion in 2007; and Ian Poulter, winner in 2009. A distinguished list
Its return also demonstrates how the new alliance between the Asian Tour, the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR will operate. The deal provides for the reinstatement of co-sanctioned tournaments in Asia and for opening access routes to the European circuit for leading players from the Asian Tour from the 2027 season
Guy Kinnings, chief executive of the DP World Tour, described the return of Singapore as “a significant milestone in our new alliance with the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour”. The calendar regains a historic title and Spanish golf regains a venue for success
