The TLPGA Tour makes its way to Hsinchu this week for the twelfth-annual TLPGA & Royal Open, where 102 players will compete for an NT$6 million purse, an NT$1.2 million first-place prize and an NT$30,000 special award up for grabs for breaking the 18-hole record of 8-under 64 at the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club. 32-year-old Thai Titiya Plucksataporn will be back in action for her title defense.

Thailand’s Plucksataporn danced in sheer joy last year after she saw off her closest rival Teresa Lu (盧曉晴) not until the last hole, finishing at 6-under 210 and beating Lu by one-stroke edge. Joining her for the chase down the victory from her country includes Porani Chutichai, the 2007 champion at this event, and Nontaya Srisawang, following a T5 finish at last week’s NT$10 million Hitachi Ladies Classic.

One of the biggest golf forces in the world, Korea, will have two TLPGA winners in contention, 2013 CTBC Ladies Open winner Kim Do-Yeon and CLPGA no.1 Chung Ye-Na. Malaysia’s Ainil Johani Abu Bakar, the KENDA Tires TLPGA Open, will also be vying for her second professional win.

Last year’s runner-up, Taiwanese Teresa Lu won’t be showing up for this year. Leading a list of 58 local players (10 juniors and amateurs) will be another JLPGA-based phenom Phoebe Yao (姚宣榆), who triumphed at the 2013 Yeang Der TLPGA Ladies Open and finished the year at TLPGA no.5 and LPGA no.163.

Lu Ya-Huei (呂雅惠), who was presented the award for topping the 2013 TLPGA money list from TLPGA Chairwoman Liu Yi-Chen (劉依貞) at the pre-tournament press conference, looked to start her title hunt for 2014. Despite finishing on the learderboard in most of the events she played in, Lu wrapped up 2013 with just one victory.

Former winners Shih Huei-Ju (石惠如) (2012) and Huang Yu-Chen (黃玉珍) (2002, 2009) also return in hope for repeating the success.

The Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club where the TLPGA is playing this week has provided not only a beautiful golf course but also some world class hot-springs for the golfers to relax while in Hsinchu, Taiwan.