Overnight co-leader Juliana Hung (洪玉霖) fired a second-round 66 to bring her total score to 13-under 131, and she will carry a four-shot advantage into Thursday’s final round at the second annual Jing-Mao Ladies Open, title sponsored by Jing-Mao Construction.

Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔) used a career low-round of 64 (with the Preferred Lies rules in place) to rise into solo second at 9-under 135.

The weather on Wednesday was better than expected, despite a typhoon closing in on Southern Taiwan, with bright skies, gray clouds and just some light rains taking turns.

Juliana Hung kept her cool on the greens, needing only 24 putts to compensate for a somewhat loose play from the tees, where she found the fairways just eight times today. However, out of the 12 greens Hung managed to hit in regulation, she converted seven birdies, which includes a 40-footer on the 18th. She committed an only bogey early on the first hole.

“I think the key for my performance this week is how I managed to keep my emotions under control,” said Hung. “Of course, there were moments when you get mad for bad shots, but I was able to leave the emotions behind quickly and look forward.”

Hou Yu-Chiang used an impressive back-nine 30 with one eagle, five birdies, and one bogey to return with an 8-under 64, which matched her career best round (albeit under the Preferred Lies regulations). She rose from T18 to solo second.

“I went back (to Taiwan) in April to get treatments on my left wrist,” said Hou, who is now playing regularly on the LPGA’s Epson Tour. “The recovering went well, and with the rehab and strength training I’ve had this past three months, I feel even stronger right now. I’m playing really well this week.” She needed just 23 putts in the second-round.


Hou will be looking to get her first TLPGA Tour title tomorrow.

First-round co-leader Liang Yi-Ling (梁宜羚) drained a 40-foot putt for a birdie on the first hole, but then struggled to really run many mid-rangers in. She made three birdies and two bogeys in the end to settle with a 1-under 71, which brought her down to solos third at 136.

Tseng Tsai-Ching (曾彩晴), who recently claimed her second TLPGA Tour title at the Island Resort Championship last month (which is co-sanctioned by the EPSON Tour), shot a 68 to move two spots up into solo fourth at 137.

Tseng needed 29 putts, five more putts than yesterday. “I missed a lot of chances on the front nine,” said Tseng, with nine straight pars to start the day. “Fortunately, after the turn, the putts started to go in.” She finished with four birdies, bogey free.

Babe Liu (劉嬿) carded a 70 to sit in solo fifth at 6-under 138.

52 players at 2-over 146 or better advanced to the final round. Winner emerging from the international 100-player field tomorrow takes away a NT$540,000 cash prize.

Final-round play begins at 6:30 tomorrow. Hole-in-one prizes from Departure, SAMPO, EAGLE Golf, and BESV E-Bike are still up for grabs on Hole 3, 7, 12, 17 for the first ace on each hole.

The Jing-Mao Ladies Open is the ninth leg of the 2023 TLPGA Tour. Set at 6,203 yards long, the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club is the backdrop for this week’s event.