Two-time defending champion Nontaya Srisawang of Thailand captured four birdies en route to a bogey-free 4-under 68 in the first round of the 2016 TLPGA & Royal Open, which gives her a one-stroke lead over Taiwan’s Chen I-Wen (陳依妏).

A big six-way tie is forged at equal third as 2016 Hitachi Ladies Classic winner, 16-year-old Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul, Wichanee Meechai, Lee Jeong Hwa, Phoebe Yao (姚宣榆), Huang Ching (黃靖), and last week’s Yeangder TLPGA Open amateur winner Chen Ching-Tzu (陳靜慈) all shot matching 2-under 70s.

Although a cold wave with high chance of rain is expected to sweep across Taiwan nearing Sunday, the weather at the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club was rather calm on Thursday. There was even some sun overhead in the morning and only drizzles spraying down later in the round. Players, who were allowed to use the “preferred lies” rule, seized the chance to go aggressive for birdies in the nice conditions.

Srisawang, the 2015 and 2014 champion of this event, was still dealing with coughs and colds lasting from last week, but had her strategy and execution on point on a course that obviously suits her game.

“My strategy was to put it on the fairways as much as possible,” Srisawang said. “Because if we get to hit the fairways, we’re allowed to clean the ball a little and reset the lie, which are within the ‘preferred lies’ rule. So yeah I was concentrating on driving straight, and then I can be in great position to attack the green.” She has an astounding 100% success rate on hitting the green in regulation.

Srisawang spent a few more shots in the putting department, though, needing 32 in total, but she nailed four crucial birdies within six feet to score her four birdies, three of them on the back nine.

Finishing the first two TLPGA Tour tournaments of 2016 both inside top 10, Srisawang is hoping she will return to her peak form back on the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club and become the first player to complete a hat-trick in this event.

Bringing on an attacking style of play, Chen I-Wen made five birdies against just two bogeys to sit one shot off the pace. Putting, just 29 putts needed on the stats, is the key. “I took some longer time to take my aim before putting. There were a few well-played middle range putts which gave me great confidence. I think the longest one I made was on the 10th. It was about 30 feet long.”

Chen notched her first career win at the 2015 Lunch Club TPC Classic last August, “it kind of let go of all the pressure on my shoulder. I feel more loosened up and less nervous in tournaments,” said Chen. “That victory gave me the confidence I need so I would not be doubting or thinking about winning too much. I can actually just relax and feel it in what I should do in each shot even when I’m not playing as well as I want.”

“I was hitting quite aggressively, too, I’m happy with that. It was surprisingly a nice weather, great scoring conditions. You simply cannot let the chances slip,” Chen added.

Chen Ching-Tzu, a promising local teenager, is currently in a tie for third at 70 after three birdies and one bogey. She came up especially sharp in the early morning sun on her short game and was hitting a lot of greens which contributed to a 2-under 34 on the front nine and set the tone of a solid round.

17-year-old Chen impressed with the low-amateur honor last week at the Yeangder TLPGA Open. The score could put her at solo fourth in the overall standings.

Also not yet 20, fourth-year Tour member Huang Ching had and opposite path to Chen as she parred all first nine holes, only starting to make some move through the back nine. Huang made a beautiful chip-in birdie on the 16th and another hole-out from nine feet right on the next hole before wrapping up at 70.

Last week’s Yeangder TLPGA Open conqueror Tsai Pei-Ying (蔡佩穎) is another shot behind at 71 in a tie for ninth with seven other players.

Huang Pei-Wen (黃珮雯) carded the only eagle of the day, winning a bonus eagle prize of NT$20,000. Leader Srisawang’s low-round score also earned her NT$50,000 additional money. Both prizes were provided by tournament partner United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), who had announced four special awards to be offered to golfers,

‧ Earning the low-round score (NT$50,000 for each round);
‧  Scoring an eagle (NT$20,000 for each eagle made);
‧ Scoring three birdies in a single round (NT$10,000 for each player achieving the record);
‧ Scoring one of the last twenty birdies made of the tournament (NT$5,000 for each birdie made).

Provided by the Royal Kuan-His Golf Club, a NT$30,000 bonus cash prize will also be up for grabs for players who can break the course low-round of 8-under 64 set by Yani Tseng (曾雅妮), a five-time LPGA Tour major champion and the event’s 2008 winner.

The purse of the 2016 TLPGA & Royal Open reaches NT$6 million. The 104-player field, for the first time in tournament history, includes fifteen special invitation entries of the members on the China LPGA Tour.

A cut will be made after 36 holes to the low 50 and ties for the final round on Sunday. Set at 6,334 yards, the rolling greens on the Kuan-His Golf Course, one of the largest golf resorts in Taiwan, could provide plenty of challenges for the pro athletes in the coming weekend.