2016 TLPGA Tour KENDA Tire TLPGA Open, total prize money NT 4,000,000. First round was set on September 28th at Taipei GCC, but due to the intrusion of typhoon Megi, the committee has postponed the first round to September 29th. Rulings and tee times will be determined according to the recovery of the golf course.

This tournament was set to be held on September 28th-30th, three rounds total 54 holes. There are players from 4 countries total 87 professional players and 15 amateur teenagers, competing for the trophy and champion prize-money NT 720,000, second place NT 384,000. Liang Yi-Lin is back in the role of defending champion.

This year, we have Taiwan players attend the game on purpose, including Hsu Wei-Ling and Cheng Ssu-chia at LPGA; Hsieh Yu-Ling and Wei Yun-Jye at JLPGA. This has added a lot anticipation to the tournament.

The tournament is mainly sponsored by TLPGA, joint by Taipei GCC, Kenda Rubber Industrial Company is the titled sponsored which has continuously sponsored for 4 years. The prize-money from NT 3,000,000 in 2013, raised to NT 3,600,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 raised to NT 4,000,000.

Due to typhoon Megi, the press conference and Pro-Am has been cancelled.

Yang Chi-Jen, the vice-president of Kenda Rubber Industrial Company, pointed out with the leading of TLPGA chairman Liu Yi-Chen, players has remarkable results during these years. “It is Kenda’s honor to be a part of supporting ladies golf, which maintain the tournament numbers and prize-money, in order to gain more world ranking points. We try to create more opportunities for players and hope to step up internationally.” Said Yang Chi-Jen.

Kenda has earned great image to their company and promise to keep supporting in the future; the tournament days was decided one week before Fubon LPGA, which is a good warm up game for Taiwan players coming back from LPGA and JLPGA. Hopefully we will have a remarkable year.

In addition, he would also like to thank the co-sponsors, which is business partners of Kenda Tire.

Yang Chi-Jen also indicated Kenda Tire is also one of the sponsor of two NBA teams, Cleveland and New York Net. Since Kenda is a global company, their products market to all around the world. “As long as there’s sun, there’s Kenda!” said Yang. The most famous slogan for Kenda is “World brands comes from Taiwan!”

Chairman of TLPGA Liu Yi-Chen represented Kenda as one of the top leading global company, devoted so much in sports. In golf, they sponsored LPGA Candie Kung, JLPGA Teresa Lu and TLPGA Kuo Ai-Chen in a long-term. Most importantly, Kenda titled-sponsor for Kenda Open since 2013. We believe with Kenda’s effort will attract more and more enterprise to support golf.

TLPGA with the support from all walks of life, total prize-money for whole year tournaments has reached to top 5 scale among all countries, right after USA, Japan, Europe and Korea. This year we have players keep performing great results internationally, including 10 players receive full cards of LPGA, JLPGA and Ladies European tour; first time with 52 players on the world ranking lists; receive the eligibility to play International Crown Cup for the second time, players composed by Teresa Lu, Candie Kung, Yani Tseng and Cheng Ssu-chia, end up as the third place this year; for 2016 Olympics at Rio, we have Teresa Lu and Candie Kung fighting for national honor.

“Must thank to Taipei GCC former Chairman Huang Yun-Sheng, new on board Chairman Lin Yu-bao and the excellent team who support a lot on the golf course. Hope to see fans cheering at the course for the players, I believe this year will have a splendid tournament.” Liu Yi-Chen said.

Players’ nationalities including Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan; which Taiwan has 53 professional players, the other 36 foreign players were composed by 28 Thailand players, which is the most.

Foreign players including last year champion of CTBC Bank Shanghai Open Malaysian player Michelle Koh; this year champion of Hitachi Ladies Classic Thai player Kanphanitnan MUANGKHUMSAKUL; this year champion of CHUNGYUET GROUP LADIES Open Thai player Chorphaka JAENGKIT.

Regardless of Taiwan players at LPGA and JLPGA, we also have Chen I-wen who just won Party Golfers Ladies Open champion; TLPGA & Royal Open champion Lin Tzu-Chi; Yeh Hsin-ning and Chang Hsuan-ping with first win at the Heritage Tour. There’s also Taiwan OOM players current position 1st place Lin Tzu-Chi, 2nd place Cheng Ssu-chia, 4th place Chen I-wen, 5th place Chen Yu-ju, 8th place Yu Pei-lin, 9th place Yeh Hsin-ning, 10th place Chang Hsuan-ping, 11th place Chen Hanna; last year OOM winner Kuo Ai-Chen also has great opportunity to win the crown.

After two rounds, the committee will decide top 50 players for the final rounds. The tournament will be played at Taipei GCC section C and D, total 6119 yards.

In addition, the committee also provides three hole- in- one prize:

The 8th hole, Klight Industrial Co., Ltd. provides MASI EVOLUZIONE TEAM + Ultegra bicycle, valued NT 100,000.

The 11th hole, Yi Juang Ltd. provides SEVENFRIDAY twin watch, valued NT 100,000.

The 18th hole, Klight Industrial Co., Ltd. provides MASI VIVO Tre + Carbon bicycle set, valued NT 100,000

Current sponsored players by Kenda Industry as follow: Teresa Lu(Since 2008), Candie Kung, Yeh Hsin-ning and Kuo Ai-Chen.