Shih Cheng-Hsuan (石澄璇) shot a 5-under 67 at the Taifong Golf Club on Wednesday to lead by one stroke after the first round of the 2023 KENDA Tires TLPGA Open.

“To be honest, I did not feel so confident here during practice and yesterday’s pro-am, but I played really well today, which was a nice surprise,” said Shih, who tallied six birdies and committed only one bogey. She needed just 26 putts.

On her fifth visit to the Taifong Club, Shih felt the course played longer than anytime before. “I think the tees were moved back. The roughs are pretty thick. The tee shots are very important for how tight the fairways now are,” the 2020 Wistron Ladies Open champion added. “My iron game held up great today. I sent a lot of balls on where I wanted them on the greens, which made it easier for my putter.”

Hou Yu-Chiang (侯羽薔) sit currently solo second, after shooting a bogey-free 4-under 68. Highlights of her day include a chip-in birdie from 7 yards off the 15th green, and a successful 45 feet long birdie putt on the 13th. The U.S. based youngster needed 27 putts.

Tai Chia-Wen (戴嘉汶) needed only 27 attempts on the greens as well, converting six birdies, offset by three bogeys, to sit in equal third place at 3-under 69 with Chonlada Chayanun and Kotona Tateura.

“I was having a great time on the greens. I made plenty of long putts,” said Tai, whose best career finish has been a T8 at the 2022 Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open. “The goal for me is to break 67, which is my lowest official round, and hopefully I can finally break into the top-7 for the first time or even better on Friday.”

Chayanun is playing her sixth season on the TLPGA Tour. The 30-year-old Thai has held four titles on her home tour and one TLPGA Tour victory at the CTBC Ladies Open in 2018. She carded five birdies and two bogeys today in the first round to keep herself in contention for a second big title on the TLPGA Tour. Tateura also scored five birdies and dropped two shots along the way. The Japanese made an impressive 23-foot birdie on the fifth hole which makes the highlight of her round.

KENDA Tires TLPGA Open celebrates its 10th anniversary as the Taifong Golf Club hosts 93 pro players and 7 amateur players from five nations, who will be vying for a purse of NT$3 million and a champion cash prize of NT$540,000 this week.

Fresh off a BNP PARIBAS & TLPGA Heritage Tour victory this past week, Juliana Hung (洪玉霖) is looking for a historic three-peat at the KENDA Tires Open. She posted a 1-over 73 to currently sit in a tie for 23rd.

Teenager Lin Jie-En (林潔恩) found herself in equal sixth at the moment after a first-round 70, tying Thai players Nattagate Nimitpongkul and Preenaphan Poomklay. 2014 champion Babe Liu (劉嬿) shot a 71 to be among an eight-way tie for ninth.

Second-round action begins tomorrow at 7:30. A cut will be made at the end of to send the top-50 and ties into Friday’s final round.

The competition layout this week is set at 6,304 yards. Hole-in-one prizes from BESV E-Bike, EAGLE Golf, SAMPO, and Departure will be up for grabs for the first Ace on Hole 2, 8, 12, 15 respectively.

KENDA captures about 85% of the world’s market need for golf cart wheels. The Changhua-based company started to provide sponsorship supports to professional golfers in 2003. In KENDA’s 50th anniversary in 2013, the first KENDA Tires TLPGA Open was staged.