Rookie surprise Lee Chia-Pei (李佳霈), along with Babe Liu (劉依貞), Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒), and Huang Hsien-Wen (黃賢雯) are the headliners after the first round of the thirteenth-annual TLPGA & Royal Open at 3-under-par 69, who will have a share of the low-round bonus of NT$50,000. Defending champion, Thailand’s Nontaya Srisawang shot a 2-under 70 and sit in a tie for fifth with Tang Thi Nhung of Vietnam and Taiwanese amateur Chen Chih-Min (陳之敏).

Making up for a limited distance, with her drives reaching at just around 225 yards, Lee Chia-Pei hit 78% fairways, 72% greens in regulation, and used 28 putts to finish bogey-free with a font-nine 35 and a back-nine 34. Her third and the final birdie of the day came at the par-4 16th after she drained a curling 30 footer which was the highlight of the TLPGA Tour rookie, who turned pro not until last month.

Showing signs of a breakthrough season was Huang Hsien-Wen, finishing in the top-10 in the first two events of the year, Hitachi Ladies Classic and Taifong Ladies Open. And if not for some final-round lapses, she probably could have taken a first win. She continued her good form, especially with her sharp irons, this week to post yet another round in the 60s.

“I’m definitely feeling more and more confident with myself this year. I got to be patient, though, that’s what I’ve been telling myself and I believe the scores will take care of themselves,” said Huang, who had the highest percentage placing the ball on the fairways at 82%.

Huang made her second hole-in-one of career, unfortunately however, not in official play. She aced the 145-yard 17th yesterday in the Pro-Am, which left no special hole-in-one prize.

Also atop the leaderboard were Lin Tzu-Chi and Babe Liu, who thanked a Korean swing coach she worked with during the off-season. “We’ve been working on a lot of things and the consistency of my irons saw particularly a great improvement,” said Liu. “It allows be to go for my shots more without the unnecessary worries about missing.” Liu’s score of 69 consists of four birdies and one bogey, while Lin had an impressive six birdies but three bogeys.

Reigning Taifong Ladies Open champion Kuo Ai-Chen (郭艾榛) and runner-up Cheng Ssu-Chia (程思嘉) both carded a 1-under 71, sitting in a tie for eighth with 2015 rookie Lee Hsin (李欣), Lynn Chou (邱齡緹), and Liang Yi-Lin (梁宜羚).

The backdrop of this week’s event is Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club, which will be commemorating its 20 year anniversary this year. A field of 103 golfers from around the world will come to Hsinchu, Taiwan, to vie for the NT$6 million purse and a winner prize check of NT$1.2 million.

Other than the prize money, there will be a NT$30,000 special award up for grabs, provided by the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club, for players who can break course low-round of 64, set by former World No.1 and a TLPGA member, Yani Tseng (曾雅妮).

A cut will be made after tomorrow’s second round, with only the top-50 and ties advancing to the battle of the final 18 holes on Sunday.