The purse has increased by 20% for the second annual KENDA Tires TLPGA Open. A group of 83 from 10 countries are set to do battle in the NT$3.6 million TLPGA Tour event at the Taipei Golf Club, presented by Kenda Rubber Ind., Co., Ltd., starting on May 28. The par-72, 6,348-yard course was conquered by Malaysian Ainil Johani Abu Bakar last year with a 4-under total after she carded a course-record 65 in the second round.

The prize money has grown from NT$3 million in the inaugural event in 2013, to this year’s NT$3.6 million, with the winner check boosted to NT$1 million from NT$600,000. “Kenda Rubber is honored to be joining TLPGA’s venture into one of the world’s best member tours and I hope that more sponsors would follow to set up an even bigger stage for the next champions after Yani Tseng and Teresa Lu,” said Yang Chi-Jen, Kenda Rubber’s vice president, in the pre-tournament press conference.

“The Taiwan LPGA Tour has come a long way with the supports from local and global business. I would like to thank all the sponsors and fans,” said Liu Yi-Chen, the chairwoman of TLPGA. “And we’re pleased to announce that the Tour has made the 5th largest professional golf tour and with a member field 7th strongest in the international circuit.”

Fresh off her second China LPGA Tour victory last week at the Bank of Qingdao Golden Mountain Challenge , Taiwan native Babe Liu (劉依貞) will look to keep her momentum and make another run at the winner’s trophy. Liu found herself in tears after a frustrating final-round showing at last year’s tournament, taking home the runner-up with a 2-under 214.

Liu will have to jostle her way as many of other contenders who are in hot form will also be in the field, including last week’s Yeangder TLPGA Open winner, Australian Tamie Durdin, runner-up Hsieh Yu-Ling (謝瑀玲). Chien Pei-Yun (錢珮芸), Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong of Thailand, and Thi Nhung Tang of Vietnam, who took up high spots on the Yeangder TLPGA Open leaderboard, are other names to watch out for.

Last year’s third-placed Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒), who finished in a tie for fifth at the recent Bank of Qingdao Golden Mountain Challenge on the China LPGA Tour, will be back in the hunt for the title on home soil.

There will be a cut in this week’s event after the second round finishes, and only top 50 and ties will continue on in the final round.