P. K. Kongkraphan looked poised to repeat her recent success of the ICTSI Luisita Ladies International as well as her victory right here last year at the WPG Ladies Open. The Thai star fired a first-round 5-under 67 today at the Sunrise Golf & Country Club to sit in solo lead in the 72-hole TLPGA Tour event.

Taiwan’s Chou Yi-Tsen (周怡岑), who started from the 10th hole, made a late surge to score four birdies on her back nine to card a 4-under 68, which puts her in solo second.

Huang Ching (黃靖), Tseng Chen (曾楨), Pakin Kawinpakorn, and Harumi Yoshikuwa were in a four-way tie for third at 3-under 69.

“The wind was unpredictable at times but I was hitting very solid,” said Kongkraphan, who the defending champion this week. “I’ll just try to keep having fun out there.” The recent ICTSI Luisita Ladies International winner pocketed six birdies, offset by an only bogey on the par-5 2nd hole, to set the pace at 5-under.

Chou Yi-Chen missed just one fairway, made 13 greens, and needed just 28 putts in an almost flawless first-round. She committed her only bogey for the day on her last hole on the 9th. “I didn’t start very well, I was so nervous, which I didn’t know exactly why. My hands were shaking. I had to save pars from some difficult positions, but I did well to save all of them, which gave me lots of confidence going forward,” Chou said. “When I settled down, I was trying to be more aggressive on the back nine, and everything was suddenly all going my way. It almost felt effortless. It was a strong round.”

Huang Ching also made it efficient on the greens, needing only 26 putts. “I have to say I didn’t hit very well off the tee, my irons weren’t very clean, but I played a really good round of golf, with a little bit of luck with the wind,” Huang said, who shot 69. “I wasn’t hitting my irons great, but strange enough, the wind seemed to often carry the ball towards the flag and gave me a lot of short putts, which made things easier.”

Although she didn’t quite capitalize on the par-5s, Tseng Chen maintained a sharp short game to put herself in contention in a tie for third at 69.

Japan’s Harumi Yoshikuwa made an only bogey on the 175-yard Hole 2, but she hit 14 greens and needed just 29 putts throughout the first-round to see herself in the top-3 as well.

Thai player Pakin Kawinpakorn dropped into the crowded tie for third after a late bogey on the 17th. “This is probably the best round I had in a long time. I believe I still could’ve done better around the greens with the chippers. So I really look forward to seeing what I can do the next few days,” said Kawinpakorn.

The TLPGA Tour travels to the Sunrise Golf & Country Club this week for the 2024 WPG Ladies Open. The event features a 72-hole format with a NT$12 million total prize which sees a 20% increase from the 2023 edition. Winner on Saturday will pocket NT$2,400,000 and will have her name etched alongside the other four previous champions onto the iconic 3D-printed trophy.

WPG Holdings, title-sponsor of the event, offered an increased purse from NT$4.5 million to NT$6 million in 2021, $10 million in 2022 and 2023, and now the stakes have increased yet again, making it one of the richest TLPGA Tour events on the calendar.

WPG is an ESG-friendly, global-leading distributor of semiconductor components. A new “Birdies for Trees” project is running this week---for every birdie/eagle/albatross scored during the four rounds, 1/10/100 new trees will be planted by WPG to preserve the local environments.

A cut is scheduled after tomorrow’s second-round, sending only the top-50 and ties into the second half of competition.