The NT$6 million TLPGA & Royal Open will be teeing off this Friday at the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club where 101 players from eight countries will vie to become the 16th winner of the TLPGA Tour “Premier” event and a winner prize of NT$1,080,000 (runner-up takes away NT$540,000). The tournament will be played through three rounds with an elimination to be made after 36 holes which will allow only the top 60 and ties to move on.

Pauline del Rosario from the Philippines will be defending her 2017 title. Former champion, home girl Lin Tzu-Chi (林子麒) is also returning to the field. Thailand native Chonlada Chayanun, the recent CTBC Ladies Open winner, will seek her second title in a row.

The Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club will host for 90 international pro women and 11 amateurs gathering from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and hosting nation Taiwan.

Thailand has sent 22 players into this year’s event, with many already having a taste of a TLPGA Tour victory. The 2018 ICTSI Champion Tour - Manila Southwood winner Ploychompoo Wirairungreung, as well as EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open winner Saranporn Langkulgasettrin, are all looking to winning their second TLPGA Tour title this season.

CTBC Ladies Classic winner Chen Yu-Ju (陳宇茹), who currently sits atop the 2018 TLPGA Tour Money List, will be headlining the local campaigners which include every of the TLPGA Tour top 6 – no.2 Lee Hsin (李欣), no.3 Chen Szu-Han (陳思涵), no.4 Chen Min-Jou (陳敏柔), no.5 Babe Liu (劉依貞), and no.6 Huang Ching (黃靖).

Besides Huang and Lee, this year’s ICTSI Champion Tour - Tagaytay Midlands and the YTS & SUNCITY Heritage Tour winners, teenage sensation Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔) is also aiming for a second title after her maiden win as an amateur at the TLPGA Ladies Open – Nan Pao in May. Hou finished second at the CTBC Ladies Open a fortnight ago.

Lu Yun-Ping (盧芸屏) and Hung Yun-Hsuan (洪芸萱), two of Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club’s six home players, will be making their debut. “We’re currently working with six promising talents, four girls and two boys, all under eighteen,” President of the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club, Liao N.C. said. “One of the main criteria they have to meet before being chosen as a Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club player is their multi-language ability. I hope our players are able to possess a high sense of international awareness and responsibility.”

A traditional 18-hole pro-am took place on Thursday under clear sky. The four-player team led by JLPGA Tour member Babe Liu emerged victorious with a winning score of 8-under 63.

Friday’s first-round play will begin at 8:00 in the morning on the first and tenth tee.

The rolling greens on the Kuan-His Golf Course, one of the largest golf resorts in Taiwan, could provide plenty of challenges to the pro athletes this weekend. The 2018 event is set at 6,308 yards long.

The tournament will be giving away sponsor prizes to the spectators through a lucky draw on the final day; entry will be free in all three rounds.