Number of participating Taiwanese players boosted to 20

Fubon Financial Holdings, Taiwan’s second largest listed financial holding company, today announced that it will become the title sponsor of the most high-profile ladies golf tournament  the Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship. The prestigious annual event, hosted by Taiwan Mobile Basketball Corporation Limited and TLPGA, will be played over New Taipei City’s Miramar Golf and Country Club championship course from October 30 to November 2.  A record 20 Taiwanese golfers will be in the field, twice as many as the 2013 edition, and they will be competing for a share of the US$2 million prize purse, the most lucrative prize money on offer in any sport in Taiwan.



Daniel Tsai, Chairman of Fubon Financial Holdings commented: “Promoting sports and health is consistent with Fubon’s brand spirit of “positive energy” and Fubon is extremely proud to become the title sponsor of Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship.  Now in its fourth year, the tournament is the only official LPGA sanctioned event in Taiwan.  It features a very strong field and offer highest prize money among all sporting events held in Taiwan”

Tsai concluded by saying: “By staging large sporting events such as the Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship, we hope to play a role in improving Taiwan’s golfing environment.  Such quality events provide an ideal learning platform for Taiwanese players to hone their game before graduating to high profile international tournaments on Tour. The Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship also offers the perfect stage for Taiwanese golfers playing overseas to come home and showcase their talent to their local fans. In this way we hope that Fubon can help instill more positive energy into Taiwan’s booming ladies golf scene.”

Vice Chairman of Fubon Financial Holdings Richard Tsai added’ “Fubon Group will pull no punches in supporting the event using all the resources at our disposal to make the event a huge success.   We will also invite corporations in Taiwan to work closely with us and the TLPGA to help further develop women’s golf in Taiwan making it a match for any of the elite tours in the world.”

Liu yi-chen, Chairperson for TLPGA which co-sanctions the event, thanked Fubon for sponsoring the event: “As a co-host and co-sanctioning tour, we feel great responsibilities for golf in Taiwan. The game is growing but we must continue to strive for improvement. I am happy to say that as many as 20 players from Taiwan will compete in the event. That’s twice as many as 2013 and a real breakthrough for us.”

The LPGA Tour has long been recognized as the benchmark for ladies golf in the world. The Tour has grown to 32 official events globally, with the world’s best women golfers playing for over US$50 million in total prize-money. The Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship is the only LPGA-sanctioned event in Taiwan, offering local fans the chance to view the world’s elite lady golfers in action.

Sean Pyun, LPGA Managing Director of International Business Affairs attending the announcement press conference on behalf of Commissioner Michael Whan, said; “For the past three years, the LPGA Taiwan Championship has really made a name for itself, as it has become a mainstay event in our annual calendar. I am thrilled that one of the most respectable businesses in Taiwan, Fubon, is coming on board.”
 
Carol Su of tournament promoters IMG stressed that as the Fubon 2014 LPGA Taiwan Championship is in the heart of a series of six, back-to-back Asian events on the LPGA calendar in 2014, the  tournament is sure to attract a strong field giving the fans much to look forward to.

Over the three years of the event, two of the leading names in women’s golf have been etched on the trophy; Yani Tseng of Taiwan winning in 2011 and current World number four, Suzann Pettersen of Norway claiming the title in 2012 and 2013.