Hsu Wei-Ling (徐薇淩), a CTBC Bank player and a rookie pro on the LPGA tour, will be among the star-studded 108-golfer field at the 2015 CTBC Ladies Open presented by the CTBC Bank and the CTBC Charity Foundation. The TLPGA and China LPGA co-sanctioned tournament will be played over 54-hole stroke play at the Orient Golf & Country Club scheduled for Sep 24-26 with a NT$5 million purse.

Hsu, who finished last year at solo third, hopes her recent experiences gained from playing on the LPGA Tour would give that extra boost she needs to win. Currently ranked 59 on the 2015 LPGA Tour Official Money list, the 21-year-old Taiwanese is high on confidence with a T8 finish at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic just three weeks ago, where she rewrote her personal low-tournament score at 11-under.

“It’s been eight months since I last played here at home. Last year, I was leading in the first round but couldn’t really keep up the pace in the last rounds,” said Hsu. “It’s been a big year for me with a lot of firsts. I look forward to seeing how much I’ve improved and hopefully I can take my first victory in Taiwan this weekend.”

Cheng Ssu-Chia (程思嘉), another Taiwanese pro rookie striving to make a name on the LET (Ladies European Tour), will give another shot to securing the title for local fans. She lost to Thailand’s Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro last year after three play-off holes and it was the closest a Taiwanese representative can get to the trophy in the tournament’s three year history.

Currently highest ranked Taiwanese player Teresa Lu (盧曉晴) and top Chinese golfer Feng Shanshan (馮姍姍) both appeared on Monday’s pre-tournament press conference to voice their support to the grand event which strengthens the cross-strait bonds. However, unfortunately because of their personal schedules, the only chance for the fans to get close up and to watch them perform will be at the Pro-Am event on Tuesday, where each hole played by any player with par or better scores will mean a cash donation up to 1 million from the CTBC Bank in support of the charitable causes of the CTBC Charity Foundation for education in rural Taiwan.

With the TLPGA event co-sponsored with the China LPGA, a total of 50 Taiwanese athletes including CTBC faces Hsu, Cheng, Yeh Hsin-Ning (葉欣寧), Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒), Hsieh Yu Ling (謝瑀玲), alongside LPGA rookie Lee Min (李旻), 2015 TLPGA Tour money leader Kuo Ai-Chen (郭艾榛), and tour titlists this season, Babe Liu (劉依貞), Shih Huei-Ju (石惠如), Chen Meng-Chu (陳孟竺), Chen I-Wen (陳依妏), and Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠), will be competing against the CLPGA’s best with names like 17-year-old rising star Shi Yu-Ting(石昱婷), Yan Panpan (閻盼盼), and this year’s CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic conqueror Michelle Koh from Malaysia.

Defending champion Sangkagaro will also lead a strong group of tour winners from Thailand such as Nontaya Srisawang (2014 & 2015 TLPGA & Royal Open) and Wichanee Meechai (2015 Yeangder TLPGA Open) chasing the NT$1 million top prize.

Adding to the intrigue, there will be two hole-in-one prizes-- a LEXUS ES200 car on the 16th provided by Lexus Taiwan, and a Harry Winston Excenter luxury timepiece on the 13th, sponsored by WTE advertising.

A cut will be made after two rounds of action to the low 50 scores and ties.