Chen Min-Jou (陳敏柔) occupies the top position after the first half of the SUNCITY Golf Camp Heritage Tour. She holds a dominant 3-stroke lead with a 4-under 68. Defending champion Hsieh Yu-Ling (謝瑀玲) is sitting in a tie for second with Lee Chia-Pei (李佳霈) and Lai Yi-Ting (賴怡廷).

Chen, going in the late wave on Tuesday, shot five birdies, against a lone bogey from the third hole. “This week at the Suncity Golf Club, the greens play slower, especially compared to last week at the Taifong Golf Club,” said Chen. “I was extremely careful to where to put my ball on the green and I think I was keeping a great focus on my putting, which is why I had a pretty good round.” Chen needed just 25 putts after some impressive saves.

Lai Yi-Ting, who started from the back nine, used a string of three birdies on Hole 14, 16, and 17, offset by just one bogey, to take the lead. She went on to collect her fourth birdie right after the turn on the 1st, but she could not take any steps forward after that, instead, she made a three-putt bogey on the 3rd and then another bogey on the 5th to drop back to 1-under and equal second. “It is not like your usual tournaments in a Heritage Tour event. It’s a unique experience that we are playing alongside the junior players, for them as well. As the oldest girl in the group, I wanted to make sure the kids all felt cared and supported,” Lai said.

The Heritage Tour system plays a two-round, 36-hole format in which the pros are paired in the same group with junior players so the young ones can closely interact with the elites and pick up some valuable experiences.

Lee Chia-Pei also registered a 71 on the first day. “My putting wasn’t as sharp as I would have hoped,” said Lee, who committed two three-putts and three bogeys, but was fortunately productive, making four birdies along the way to stay in red number.

Defending champion Hsieh lost her solo second place after dropping a shot on the par-5 final hole, where she needed a sand save. “I felt like the greens are faster than last year, that’s what I need to be better prepared for,” said Hsieh, who is among the three-player group that is three shots off the pace.

“We are proud to bring to you this special pro-junior events for the fifth year in a row, in an aim to create better learning opportunities for our junior players and to encourage more local children to engage in the sport,” said Kao B.C., Vice President of the Suncity Golf Club, who developed a Suncity Golf Camp idea since 2017.

The TLPGA Pro Test is held concurrently this week at the Suncity. Players who can make themselves 12-over or better after 54 holes will gain their memberships. An Ho-Yu (安禾佑), who emerged victorious last summer at the GRIN Cup Charity Open as an amateur, is the only player out of nine to card under-par. She turned in a 70. An was just back from a mini tour of amateur events in the U.S.. She is scheduled to play in the second round of the LPGA Qualifying Test next month.