24 hours earlier, when a heat-exhausted Liang Yi-Lin (梁宜羚) was forced to go to the doctor for a nutrition injection following a long, high temperatured Pro-Am day, the question would hardly be if the 2015 KENDA Tires Open champion from Taiwan can bag another win, but rather if she could even recover soon enough to go down to the tee box on Wednesday morning as the Party Golfers Ladies Open kicked off. But now through to the first 18 holes, Liang carded a career low-round 66, using just 23 putts, also her low career record, to take the lead at the National Garden Golf and Country Club in Miaoli.

18-year-old amateur Lai Yi-Ting (賴怡廷) shot a 5-under 67 to sit at solo second. Thailand’s Titiya Plucksataporn and Taiwan’s Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠), both TLPGA Tour titlists, finished with a 68 and a 69 respectively and both within striking distance to overtake the lead anytime.

On the 5th hole, 17-year-old Wu Hsiao-Ling (吳曉玲) took out a 6-iron from her bag and hit a beautiful curve into the cup from 148 yards. It was her third lifetime hole-in-one, and the second in official record, and helped her sit in a tie for 14th along with ten players. Wu has trained at the Hsin Yi Golf Club in Kaohsiung.

Liang Yi-Lin, who had just tallied her first career victory at the KENDA Tires TLPGA Open two months ago, was worried yesterday that the ill feeling she caught from the heat during the Pro-Am play could be carried overnight and she might have to make a hard decision.

Fortunately, despite a slow start, Liang was fit to open her quest. She made pars on the first five holes and dumped the ball into the bunker on the sixth to walk off the green with a bogey, which was enough a wake-up call as she went on to score three birdies through 7th to 9th. Liang picked up another four birdies on her way in, closing out with a 66. Out of her seven birdies made, six were from over 12 feet and three were from over 24 feet.

“Not the best day with my iron but the putter was definitely catching some fire,” said Liang, whose 23 putts and a first-round 66 are both career low. It is actually the very first time she has broken 70. “I have gained tremendous confidence with my win in June. I hope I can keep it up with more good runs.”

A freshman in Taipei’s TPCU this summer, Lai Yi-Ting hit 14 greens, taking 27 putts in a remarkable bogey-free 67, which was also her career best round, thanks to the fine weather conditions and a great mindset. “I’ve been learning to play with more ease and fun, which is what golf should be like,” said Lai. “Wherever the ball goes, I’ll just try to stay relaxed and prepare for my next routine.” Lai had trained at the Old Tamsui Golf Course before moving to the Taipei Golf Course.

Thailand’s Plucksataporn was the top-finishing international TLPGA Tour member. Putting was a stand-out part in her first-round 68 as she took just 25. Lu Ya-Huei wasted a few short putts but would “rarely miss on the long ones” in her round of 69. Amateur Tsai Hsin-En (蔡欣恩)’s total of 70 put her after Plucksataporn and Lu at solo fifth.

This is the second annual Party Golfers Ladies Open, with an international field of 90 players vying for a total purse of NT$3 million. A cutline will be set after 36 holes with the top 50 and ties moving on. The winner will earn a NT$600,000 check and the runner-up takes NT$300,000.

The title sponsor, the Party Golfers, is an amateur golf team comprised of local businessmen, who share the passion for the golf sport and align with the vision of the TLPGA. They collected donation among team members to cover up 80% of the expenses to push the launch of the Party Golfers Ladies Open, in hope of creating a platform for local female golfers to further excel in the game and to help propel them into the Rio Olympics in 2016.