The TLPGA Tour will head South to Changhua’s Taifong Golf Club, the backdrop for the 6th edition of the KENDA Tire TLPGA Open, which will be staged through Wednesday to Friday. Defending champion Saranporn Langkulgasettrin from Thailand and LPGA Tour campaigner Candie Kung (龔怡萍) will be among the star attractions in an international 103-player field from eight countries.

The purse of this year’s event remains NT$4 million. The winner will pocket NT$720,000 while the runner-up bags NT$384,000. The TLPGA-organized event is title-sponsored by KENDA Rubber for the sixth consecutive year and has been moved to the current venue since last year following a reconstruction of the old venue, the Taipei Golf Club.

With Super Typhoon Trami expected to meander north, the threat it might cause to Southern Taiwan and the Taifong Golf Course is now greatly reduced. “We’ve been a little worried about the weather this week but luckily, the forecast looks bright now. We’re happy that we can again have this event back at KENDA’s hometown, and where our principal factory is located,” said KENDA Rubber president Yang.

“One of the biggest golf stories this week is that Tiger Woods just made the super emotional win at the Tour Championship, his 80th career victory, after five years of wait. It feels hard to even imagine what he has been through. The remarkable scene as thousands engulfed him when he walked onto the final 18th green, cheering his name, is a thing of pure beauty and inspiration, and just reminds us again of why our hearts beat for the sport. I wish these professional women coming this week the best in the future, that they’ll continue to get close to fulfilling their dreams, that one day they’ll be in the center of spotlight at the grandest stage in the world of golf,” Yang added.

“And as a Taiwanese, I’ll give the Taiwanese ladies my best wishes that they’ll tough through such a competitive field with some of the best players from around the world, and get a good boost from this week into their upcoming 2018 LPGA International Crown and 2020 Tokyo campaigns.”

Candie Kung, one of the tournament favorites, has long been competing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour since 2002 and has held four LPGA Tour titles (three in 2003, and one in 2008). This will be her virgin outing on the TLPGA Tour.

The Chinese-Taipei representative in the golf event at the Rio Olympics will help her home nation, for the third attempt next week, to try to win the 2018 LPGA International Crown team event.

Kung’s had a total 58 top-10 finishes in her career, having collected over $7.5 million in prize money. She finished 29th on the money list in 2015, 25th in 2016, 55th in 2017, and currently at no.122 in 2018. She has held the full card to play on the main LPGA Tour for 17 straight years.

Kung was just one shot away from winning the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open where she was tied for first until the ultimate champion Ji Eun-Hee dropped a final-hole birdie putt to clinch the victory.

The KENDA ambassador will lead a group of home hopefuls to secure the title on their own soil, such as the current money leader on the 2018 list, Chen Yu-Ju (陳宇茹), who is looking to gain her third triumph this season after wins at the CTBC Ladies Classic and the TLPGA & Royal Open.

This year’s ICTSI Champion Tour - Tagaytay Midlands winner Hung Ching (黃靖), and Liang Yi-Ling (梁宜羚), the 2015 champion in this event, as well as teenage sensation Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔), who captured her maiden win as an amateur at the TLPGA Ladies Open – Nan Pao in May, will be hoping to add a second title to their name. Ranked 2nd and 3rd on the TLPGA Tour 2018 money list, Lee Hsin (李欣) and Chen Szu-Han (陳思涵) are also ready to tee it up on Friday.

Wu Chia-Yen (吳佳晏), the youngest player ever, at age 13, to reach the semifinals at the U.S. Amateur Championship in California last August, will also be swinging at the Taifong Golf Club this weekend. She was fresh off a T3 finish at last week’s TLPGA & Royal Open.

Some other title contenders include Thailand native Chonlada Chayanun, the recent CTBC Ladies Open winner, the 2018 ICTSI Champion Tour - Manila Southwood winner Ploychompoo Wirairungreung, as well as their Thai compatriot Supamas Sangchan, champion of the 2018 Hitachi Ladies Classic.

A traditional Pro-Am was held today under 18-hole Texas Scramble format. The quartet led by pro player Chen Szu-Han conquered the field with an 11-under-par 61. The official first-round action will begin on Wednesday at 8:00 in the morning from both first and tenth tees. A cut will be made to the low 50 and ties after Round 2.

A hole-in-one prize of a carbon road bike (Masi CX Blue) will be up for grabs on the 15th, provided by Klight Sport Marketing. The competition layout is set at 6,257 yards.