The LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA) is putting up a roster of players armed with skills and talent ready to take on the best of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) in the $80,000 ICTSI Pradera Ladies Classic which gets going tomorrow (Wednesday, July 17) at the sprawling Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga.
Three of the top 10 in the current TLPGA Order of Merit ranking head the 57-player strong field from one of the region’s premier circuits, including No. 3 Chen Hsuan, who placed second in the Sampo Ladies Open last April, No. 6 Tzu Chi Liu and No. 8 Ching Huang, who actually reigned at LPGT-TLPGA Champion Tour at Midlands last year.
Some of the leading players from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Korea who have the TLPGA their base are also in the fold, including Thai veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who has piled up a number of wins in the country’s premier circuit put up by ICTSI, including in this event which she ruled by two over compatriot Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro last December.
Focus will also be on Thanutra Boonraksasat and Arpichaya Yubol, back-to-back winners of LPGT events at Manila Southwoods and Manila Golf last March and April, respectively, along with Sock Hwee Koh of Singapore, Mayumi Chinzei, Yuri Onishi and Kotona Tateura of Japan, and Yeseul Lee and Jin Hee Park of South Korea.
The TLPGA cast will join 35 LPGT campaigners in the 54-hole championship, led by Filipina aces and former LPGT OOM titlists Pauline del Rosario and Princess Superal, along with recent LPGT Midlands champion Chihiro Ikeda, Daniella Uy, Marvin Monsalve, Alex Etter, Pamela Mariano and Gretchen Villecencio.
Comebacking Ye Nah Hwang of Korea also joins the title hunt, hoping to recall the form that netted her victories at Southlinks in 2015 and at Mt. Malarayat in 2017 along with former LPGT leg winners Onkanok Soisuwan and Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang of Thailand.
The event, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., also features six local amateurs hoping to spring a surprise or two, including Nicole Abelar, Sam Martirez, Chanelle Avaricio, Diana Araneta, Tomi Arejola and Sam Bruce.
Meanwhile, a select number of pros test the flat but long and well-maintained layout in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am where they will be paired with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc.