The second-annual Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open will commence at the Tong Hwa Golf Club on Wednesday. An international field gathering from seven countries will be competing over three rounds for a NT$5 million prize purse, a 67% increase from last year. Thailand’s Ploychompoo Wirairungrueng will be back to defend her title.

Fast forward a year, Wirairungrueng and Taiwan’s Phoebe Yao (姚宣榆) completed the regular 54 holes both at 10-under in the final day. Wirairungrueng needed three play-off holes to finally use a birdie to fend off the local star, capturing the victory at the inaugural Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open.

Yao won’t be able to come back this year because the schedule clashes with a Japan LPGA tournament. However, Wirairungrueng will still need to stay at the top of her game to contend for the victory with a group of local elites who have been in promising form. Babe Liu (劉依貞), who just vaulted to her first TLPGA Tour title in four years last week at the Tainan Professional Ladies Open, recording a Tour new low of 10-under 62 in the second round, will be hoping to continue the winning ways. The low amateur honor winner in Tainan, teenager Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔), as well as 2017 TLPGA Tour money winner Lee Min (李旻) will also be in the field, along with top golfers from Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, United States, China, and Singapore.

Led by Wirairungrueng, there is a 27-player Thai squad to be teeing up tomorrow, including this year’s EFG Hong Kong Ladies Open and 2017 KENDA Tires TLPGA Open winner Saranporn Langkulgasettrin, and 2018 CTBC Ladies Open winner Chonlada Chayanun.

“We feel very proud and honored to support the TLPGA Tour and witness these talented golfers swinging as they go after their dreams. Taiwan Mobile would like to build this dream platform at the Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open to help them further elevate their professional careers,” Taiwan Mobile general manager Cheng C.C. said on the pre-event press conference. “This year, we push a prize money increase from 3 million to 5 million dollars, hoping this would make a better and more substantial support for the players.”

Taiwan Mobile ambassador, LPGA Tour member Hsu Wei-Ling (徐薇淩) appeared in a pre-recorded video to wish the tournament a full success. “I’m in preparation of the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship so I’m really sorry and disappointed that I won’t be able to play at Tong Hwa,” said Hsu. “Tong Hwa is definitely one of my favorite courses. It’s fun and challenging at the same time. I hope all the players will enjoy playing this event. Thank you Taiwan Mobile for inviting me.”

Hsu concluded the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship in October tied at sixth place. Her sponsor Taiwan Mobile awarded her with a cash prize and a new iPhone XS for her encouraging achievement.

“I would like to thank Taiwan Mobile again for putting up the great tournament and establishing the Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open as one of the major events on the TLPGA Tour with its grand 5-million purse,” said TLPGA chairwoman Cheng Mei-Chi.

There will be a cut to be made after 36 holes, sending just players with the low 50 scores into the final round on Friday.