Paradise Island (Bahamas), Jan 18 (IANS/CMC) 

Bahamas says it is preparing to host the world’s leading female golfers in a tournament which is expected to provide extensive international exposure to the country.

The Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic has attracted defending champion Ilhee Lee, two World Golf Hall-of-Famers and five of the top 10 players in the world rankings.

They are among a number of top players taking part in the event signalling the start of the 2014 women’s professional season Jan 20-26 at the Ocean Club Golf Course here.

“We are all looking forward to helping to showcase this event, the Islands and our sponsors to all the viewers live on the Golf Channel,” said Jeff Raedle, president of Global Golf Management, which will oversee the event again in 2014.

The Golf Channel will provide 10 hours of live coverage of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, which is in its second season.

“Nothing could be better than to start the LPGA season in Paradise,” said Michael Whan, LPGA commissioner.

Suzann Pettersen, Stacy Lewis and Lydia Ko are in the field, as are nine different winners of last year’s events.

One of those winners was Lee, who navigated the weather-altered event in the Bahamas last May to earn her first LPGA victory.

Pettersen won four times in 2013 to lift her to 14 career victories while Lewis won three times and Ko won the Canadian Women’s Open as a teenage amateur.

By:IANS