The first annual Lunch Club TPC Classic has wrapped up its first day, having survived the scare that it could be cancelled due to the devastating typhoon that hit the backdrop this week, the Taiwan Golf Club in Tamsui, Taipei, last weekend. Taiwanese Chen Yi-Wen (陳依妏) registered an impressive 4-under 68 to set the early pace with a three-shot lead.

The Lunch Club TPC Classic is a 54-hole joint event organized by the Lunch Club and co-organized by the TLPGA, the TPGA, and the Taiwan Golf Club, with only the elite top 30 players on the 2015 money lists for the TLPGA Tour and the TPGA Tour invited. The total purse reaches NT$6 million, and a NT$600,000 first-place prize will be awarded to both the men’s and women’s champions on Friday.

CTBC sponsored player Yeh Hsin-Ning (葉欣寧), 2014 TLPGA Tour money winner Chien Pei-Yun (錢珮芸), Chen Szu-Han (陳思涵), and 15-year-old amateur Yu Han-Hsuan (俞涵軒) are in a four-way tie for second sitting at 1-under 71.

Last Saturday, Typhoon Soudelor scraped across the old Tamsui Taiwan Golf Course, ripping off grass and damaging trees. Crews took two full days to remove the fallen tree debris, but still there left a considerable number in the rough area as the tournament decided to use the “preferred lies” rule.

Taking advantage of the more friendly lies, Chen Yi-Wen made a total six birdies against just two bogeys during the first-round play on Wednesday. Setting off on the back nine, Chen scored consecutive birdies on Hole 12-14 and made the turn at 3-under. She dropped two strokes on the first couple of holes but bounced back quickly with birdies on 3rd and 4th, followed by a beautiful 40-foot birdie putt on the 6th which finally brought her 18-hole score to four under par.

Having 13 greens in regulation and enjoying a great putting day when she needed just 28, Chen sounded confident that she could keep the lead she created. “I felt I’ve grown so much, mental game wise. I can feel that I’m now more relaxed in the game and I can really bring up the best standard in me when it counts.”

Chen had just undergone some swinging changes in May under the tutelage of a Florida-based coach recommended by former no.1 LPGA golfer Yani Tseng (曾雅妮).

“Yani also gave me lots of great advice. It was great. My driving distance has improved from about 220, 230, to now around 250,” said Chen. “I didn’t actually play well when I came back on the TLPGA Tour in Hong Kong and Shanghai, but I’m feeling the improvement in the KENDA Tires TLPGA Open in June where I finished third-placed, and then it was an amazing week in the final round of the Japan LPGA Pro Test. I felt proud that I made it past!” She is currently representing and supported by Fubon Financial Holdings.

CTBC face Yeh Hsin-Ning, now at three strokes back of lead, felt like she could do so much worse with a strange allergy continuing from a few weeks ago. She even decided not make it to the practice session yesterday for a blood test in the hospital. “It feels really strange. It was kind of blurring my vision from time to time,” said Yeh. “Thanks to my caddie who did a great job for me on this challenging course. I’m pretty happy with how I managed it in this tough condition.” Yeh made three birdies and two bogeys.

Chen, Yeh, Chien, and Yu will be paired to tee off in the last group tomorrow morning at 8:48 a.m..

The 2015 Lunch Club TPC Classic marks only the third professional joint event in Taiwanese golf history after the TPGA Championship & TLPGA Invitational in 2005 and the Meridigen Technology Cup presented by High Tech Charity in 2014.

The Taiwan Golf Club is one of the oldest golf courses on the island. Set at 6,039 yards long, the tight fairways and the tiny greens of the historic course will require players with patience and precision under swirling wind.