Thailand’s Pakin Kawinpakorn delivered a flawless, bogey-free performance on Wednesday, carding a 6-under 66, highlighted by an eagle on the 15th hole and four birdies, to share the opening-round lead with compatriot Wannasiri Sirisampant at the NT$6-million Friends of TLPGA & Royal Open. 

Amateur talent Olivia Hung (洪阡瑋) led the local charge, turning in a sparkling 68 with five birdies and a lone bogey to secure solo third heading into the second round.

Three other Taiwanese hopefuls, Yu Han-Hsuan (俞涵軒), Phoebe Yao (姚宣榆), and Lee Hsin (李欣) are in equal sixth at 2-under 70, sitting in a seven-way tie alongside Thailand’s Kanyanat Saithip, Pear Pooratanaopa, Kornkamol Sukaree, and Japan’s Senno Yasufuku.

Battling through an intense heatwave at the Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club, Kawinpakorn showcased stellar ball-striking, a stark contrast to last year when she missed the cut. The highlight of her day came on the 15th hole, where her second shot left her 87 yards out, before she holed it out directly using a 54-degree wedge for a spectacular eagle. “It felt amazing out there today,” Kawinpakorn said. “My driving really set up the round. I hit a lot of fairways, and it gave me great angles to attack the pins. I had plenty of close birdie chances. With the heat being so intense, I just kept reminding myself to stay hydrated, keep my energy up, and take it one calm shot at a time.”

Sirisampant, who matched her compatriot with a 66, started her round on the back nine and held the solo lead for most of the day. However, a late misstep on the par-4 9th, her final hole of the day, led to her only bogey and dropped her back into a share of the lead. “I felt really good out there, with the only real blemish coming on my very last hole,” Sirisampant reflected. “I didn’t hit my second shot cleanly and pulled it left. It managed to clear the pond but still found the bunker, which cost me an extra shot. Still, coming back to Royal Kuan-His Club this time, my game feels much sharper than it did last year, and I have a lot more confidence and focus. I hope I will keep it up.”

Playing on her home course, amateur Olivia Hung proved she can handle the big-stage pressure, sitting just two strokes off the pace. “The grain on the greens was quite heavy today, making distance control a bit tricky, but I was happy to keep my total putts down to 29,” Hung said. “My irons were dialed in. I hit a lot of greens, which made putting a lot easier.”

Hung, who recently secured a full athletic scholarship to the University of Arizona, is set to head to the U.S. this August to hone her game, with her short-term sights set on competing in the NCAA National Championships.

The second round of the TLPGA Tour top-tier tournament resumes on Thursday. After the second round finishes, the field will be cut to the top 50 players and ties for Friday’s finale.

A field of 102 professionals and amateurs from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Singapore are in action this week in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The ultimate champion will walk away with a winner’s check of NT$1,080,000.

The title-sponsoring social club, "Friends of TLPGA," was founded in 2021 by a group of passionate, golf-loving local entrepreneurs. They believe that high-level competition and the global success of local players are key to sparking interest among sports fans and junior golfers, which is vital for the growth of the sport in Taiwan. 

Through the "Friends of TLPGA" sponsorship program, funded by member donations, the organization provides monthly financial aid and tournament sponsor exemptions to promising, up-and-coming TLPGA Tour talents.

Co-title-sponsor Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club has been a cornerstone of support for the TLPGA Tour over the years, having also hosted seventeen editions of the TLPGA & Royal Open since 2002 itself. By joining forces with the Friends of TLPGA this year to push the prize money to an all-time high, the club once again demonstrates its deep, long-term commitment to the women’s golfing environment and its proactive dedication to building a premier competitive stage for local players.