Asia’s top container ship players recently took time out to enjoy one of shipping’s most popular golf tournaments — the Bengal Tiger Line Golf Masters.
Hosted by industry veteran and Bengal chief executive Bill Smart, the annual event is now in its 35th year and took place at its regular home of Sentosa’s New Tanjong golf course.
Smart retires next year after more than 40 years in shipping, with 30 years spent in Singapore.
The event took place on 8 August — an auspicious date in China — and on the eve of Singapore’s National Day, so there was plenty of time to recover for those who overindulged.
“Of the full house 144 pax shot-gun competition, there were 50 overseas players who graced the event including many long-term supporters from India, the Middle and Far East as well as Malaysian and Indonesian locally based players,” Smart told TradeWinds.
“BTL, the ‘golfing’ common feeder as some refer, has actively pursued its commercial promotion of the game to thank customers and partners for their support — and the BTL Masters has become a highlight in the industry calendar.
“When we hosted our first event 35 years ago, never in our wildest dreams did we ever think such would continue for over three decades or become such a popular shipping date, but it’s only our client’s participation that makes the day,” added Smart, who has played in all 34 events — Covid-19 accounting for the one missed year.
More than 30 CEOs attended the event, including locally-based Ocean Network Express’ Jeremy Nixon and Pacific International Lines’ Lars Kastrup, as well as terminal representatives and “competitor partners”.
Smart’s retirement raises the question of whether the golf tournament will continue.
Tim and Chris Hartnoll, representing BTL’s relatively new HICO Investment Group ownership, said the BTL Golf show “must go on” much to the delight of the crowd.
