This week the TLPGA and the China LPGA will join forces for the second time after last year’s CTBC Ladies Open to operate the CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic, which begins on Friday, June 12, at the Tianma Country Club in Shanghai, China.

The 2015 CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic features an RMB800,000 purse and a RMB120,000 champion prize. A strong line-up representing six countries, China, Korea, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan, will compete over 54 holes of individual stroke play for the final prizes as well as Rolex World Golf Rankings points, giving players an early edge in the race to the Rio Olympics.

It is the eleventh annual Shanghai Ladies Classic and the first time CTBC Bank comes in as the title sponsor. The CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic also marks Taiwan LPGA Tour’s fourth stop overseas in the 2015 season, and its first foray into China.

Pan Yanhong (潘艷紅), current no.3 on the 2015 CLPGA Tour money list who just captured her first oversea title at the inaugural Australia Classic in April and another CLPGA win last week at the Beijing Challenge, is in great form to take a seventh victory on the China Tour.

“I’m very excited to witness this historic moment,” Pan said of the TLPGA Tour’s first travel to Shanghai. “We were the guests last year when we play in Taipei. The Taiwanese players made a great host for us. Those local snacks and dishes were so memorable. They made it such a pleasant memory and it is our turn this time to show them around what’s the best in our city.”

Pan will lead a field of 62 CLPGA members, including 14 former champions such as Ye Liying (葉莉英), Yan Panpan (閻盼盼), Zhang Na (張娜), and Tian Hong (田紅).

Korea’s Kang Hyeon Seo, who finished as a surprise runner-up last month at the US$600,000 Buick Championship, has had a total of five runner-up showings on the Tour and will sure be hungry for a maiden trophy.

A 39-player field set to launch attacks representing the TLPGA includes CTBC Bank sponsored players Cheng Ssu-Chia (程思嘉), Yeh Hsin-Ning (葉欣寧), Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒), Hsieh Yu-Ling (謝瑀玲), and Japan LPGA Tour member Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠).

“I was so close last year at the CTBC Ladies Open,” said Cheng, who lost in the third play-off hole to Chiang Mai native Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro to finish second place. “I hope I can do better this time.” Cheng was the winner of the CLPGA Tour and LET (Ladies European Tour) co-sanctioned Xiamen Open in November, being the first amateur Taiwanese or Chinese to ever win on the LET.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our dedicated partners and sponsors for making all these possible,” said TLPGA Chairwoman Liu Yi-Chen on the pre-tournament press conference. “Our TLPGA golfers have captured 14 victories on the international tours in the 2014 season. And we feel extremely honored with another chance to work and share our experience with the China LPGA after last year. I believe we will continue to establish ourselves with this wonderful partnership as the breeding ground of future champions.”