The 2014 TLPGA season tees off on the 10th January at the Hitachi Ladies Classic presented by Hitachi Ltd. and Taiwan Hitachi Co., Ltd.. The Orient Golf & Country Club will be the backdrop of this season-opening event in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Headlining the field is a duo who have tasted victory here and go on to have a breakthrough year in 2013, Thailand native Pornanong Phatlum and Taiwan’s Teresa Lu (盧曉晴).

Two-time winner in 2011 and 2013, Pornanong Phatlum, who capped off her stunning 2013 season with a win at the Dubai Ladies Masters last week, has confirmed her participation in the NT$10 million event.

Phatlum won in last year’s Hitachi Ladies Classic with scores of 67-72-71 at 210, edging out compatriot Patcharajuta Kongkraphan.

The 24-year-old Thai currently sits at world no.38 after rounding off her season nicely with three top-5 finishes, including T5 at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, third place at the year-end CME Group Titleholders, and finally the hard fought victory in Dubai on the LET that saw her narrowly ward off American Stacey Lewis with a birdie on the closing hole to clinch the title by one shot.

2012 winner Teresa Lu will also return as the highest ranked local representative with her first LPGA success at the recent 2013 Mizuno Classic co-sanctioned by the JLPGA. The Taiwanese rose to no.3 on the JLPGA Money List after the win.

Lu finished last year in a tie for third at 213 with Phoebe Yao (姚宣瑜).

Also included in the star-packed entry list are JLPGA’s Yuki Sakurai, TLPGA no.1 on the Money List Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠), two-time TLPGA winning amateur Cheng Ssu-Chia (程思嘉), and the Credit Union Challenge winner on the Symetra Tour, Hsu Wei-Ling (徐薇淩), who will all be chasing a lucrative NT$2.5 million winning prize purse over the three-day event.

Annual proceeds from the tournament will be used to endow local charities. Over the last five years, the tournament has raised donation exceeding NT$20 millions.

Book your tickets at http://www.ticket.com.tw/dm.asp?P1=7000000318. And find out more of the 2014 Hitachi Ladies Classic at Tournament Website http://www.taiwan-hitachi.com.tw/ladiesclassic2014/index.html.