JAMIE Morrison, a knockabout bloke from Perth, is no stranger to Singapore. He’s been there a dozen times and, last year, his annual holiday coincided with the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa.
Morrison contacted tournament organisers and offered his services as a volunteer. They accepted and allocated him the task of carrying a portable scoreboard alerting spectators to the performance of the players they were watching.
He joined up with another Aussie volunteer, Sydney-based Matt Hadfield, who worked as a scorer, enjoyed the experience and couldn’t wait to volunteer again this year.
“I got a good deal because I booked my airfare really early,” he said. “Before the dates for the tournament were announced, in fact – I just worked it out when they’d probably be playing and took a punt.”
The HSBC event in Singapore was an enjoyable ‘working holiday’ of sorts for Perth’s Jamie Morrison.
Morrison, a member of the nine-hole Sea View Golf Club at Cottesloe, loves being involved in such a significant tournament.
“They gave me this shirt,” he said, indicating the bright red golf shirt worn by all volunteers, “and I get free food and drink. It’s terrific and, best of all, you get to walk inside the ropes with these great players.
“Most of them are really nice – chatty and friendly and good to be around. It’s healthy, too – walking in the fresh air.”
Morrison said he’d made friends with the woman who decided which groups the volunteers would be working with. “I’ve got the last group today,” he said with a grin, before heading off with Lydia Ko and tournament leader A Lim Kim.
“I’m hoping for a good group again tomorrow,” he said. Morrison got his wish and strode proudly down the first fairway with the third-last group on the final day, which included Hannah Green and Gaby Lopez.
Tournament over, he packed his bag and caught the midnight flight to Manila, where he planned to surf for a fortnight in the Philippines.
