Last year’s TLPGA Tour Money Winner, Taiwan’s Chang Ya-Chun (張雅淳) fired a first-round 65 to take the lead in the first round of the WPG Ladies Open.

Shih Cheng-Hsuan (石澄璇) is sitting just one shot off the pace at 66; while Thai player P.K. Kongkraphan racked up nine birdies but also committed four bogeys to sit solo third at 67.

Wu Chia-Yen (吳佳晏), who has a stellar record in this tournament holding one win in 2020 and two runner-up finishes in recent editions, registered a 1-over 73 to sit in T22. In yesterday’s pro-am event, Wu created a rare scene on the par-5 9th hole scoring an Albatross, an unprecedented achievement in her young career.

This week on the TLPGA Tour is the fourth annual WPG Ladies Open, featuring a new 72-hole format and a lucrative NT$10 million grand total purse.

WPG Holdings, title-sponsor of the event, offered an increased purse from NT$6 million in 2021 to $10 million in 2022 and 2023, more than doubled when it was first held in 2020 (NT$4.5 million), making it one of the highest-paying TLPGA Tour events.

The Sunrise Golf & Country Club, for the fourth year in a row, plays host to 100 pros and 8 amateur players from Wednesday to Saturday. The layout is set at 6,383 yards.

Chang Ya-Chun needed just 26 putts in an almost faultless first-round, picking up eight birdies and making just one bogey on the par-3 11th where her tee shot was trapped in the greenside bunker.

On the par-5 9th hole, Chang pulled herself through a small crisis with an important par save from 25 feet. She recorded a rare Albatross on the same hole during the Tuesday Pro-Am.

“I felt great on the greens, actually I felt pretty comfortable in every part of the game today. I think playing with Chia-Yen and P.K. helped. They are both incredible players, and there was such a competitive vibe going on. I knew I had to bring my best game in front of them,” Chang said. “One thing I’ve been trying to work on was the approach. I needed to play so many difficult putts last week at the Orient. I need to be very careful on where the ball lands on the greens. And today, I was able to do that, creating many easy chances.” The 2022 TLPGA Tour Money Winner currently sits in seventh place on the 2023 Leaderboard.

Shih credited her iron game today, which gave her many opportunities on the greens, for the low putt count. She needed just 26 as well. “There was not much wind. So I told myself that I really needed to pick up my game and earn as many shots as I could,” said Shih, who finished as the runner-up last year. “I always feel great on the greens here at the Sunrise. The speed is perfect for me.”

P.K. Kongkraphan, who was fresh off a victory two weeks ago on her home tour, has more than nine years of experience on the LPGA circuits in the U.S.. Today, she showed moments of her very best on the greens, needing just 23 attempts and converting nine birdies to settle for a 5-under 67. “I really like this layout. My first time playing at the Sunrise. Very challenging but exciting,” said Kongkraphan. Her precision from the tee was very strong as well; she only missed two fairways.

The Thai player has one victory under her belt on the LPGA’s Symetra Tour in 2013, and now she holds memberships on the TLPGA Tour as well as circuits in China and the Philippines.

Defending champion Lee Hsin (李欣) and 2020 winner Wu Chia-Yen both carded 73 to sit in a tie for 22nd.

Liao Hsin-Chun (廖信淳) led the amateur race at T7 after Day 1 on the full leaderboard. She posted a Wednesday 2-under 70.

WPG, an ESG-friendly, global-leading distributor of semiconductor components, is hoping the raise in prize money and the extended four-round schedule will help local players to get a feel of taking part in a global event of the highest prestige, and better prepare themselves for their future pursuit into higher calibre.

Second-round play is scheduled to start at 6:30 on Thursday morning.