Newly-crowned Women's Australian Open champion Haru Nomura has joined the army of stars who will be gunning for this year's Honda LPGA Thailand 2016 top honours this week.
Haru Nomura during the Women's Australian Open.
The 10th edition of the tournament starts on Thursday at Siam Country Club, Old Course in Pattaya with a total purse of US$1.6 million (about 59 million baht).
According to the organisers, the last available spot in the 70-strong field has gone to Nomura, who on Sunday took her maiden title on the LPGA Tour with a win at the Women's Australian Open.
"I couldn't play in the events in Thailand or Singapore last year, but now that I have won the Australian Open, I can play in these tournaments," said Nomura, who had finished in 13th place in the first two events of the new season.
With her victory on Sunday, Nomura has climbed from 67th to 48th place in the world rankings and is now in second spot on the money list with total earnings of $240,444.
In her fifth season on the tour, she is hoping to build on her success and try to become the second Japanese to win the Honda LPGA Thailand after Ai Miyazato in 2010. She is expected to attract more Japanese fans to the venue.
The other two late confirmations for the Pattaya event have been Wei Ling Hsu of Taiwan and German Caroline Masson.
Reigning champion Amy Yang of South Korea is hoping to become the only second player to successfully defend her title after Taiwan's Tseng Yani (2011 and 2012).
"It is going to be tough and it is always challenging to defend a title," said the 26-year-old Yang, who carded a 15-under-par total to record a two-shot victory last year.
The world No.12 Korean, who has two titles under her belt, started the year with a tie for 29th at the Coates Golf Championship in Florida.
Yang added: "Apart from winning the title here, one of my goals this year is to represent my country at the Olympics. I know these are both uphill tasks."
Meanwhile, US Women's Open champion Chun In-Gee of South Korea, who is in her rookie year on the LPGA Tour, said that she was ready for the tournament.
"After taking two weeks off to practise, I am ready for the Honda LPGA Thailand," tweeted Chun, who is ranked 10th in the world.
The Honda LPGA Thailand will be her second event this year after tying for third at the Coates Golf Championship.
Meanwhile, world No.36 Michelle Wie of the US and Japan LPGA Tour No.1 Lee Bo-Mee of South Korea arrived in Thailand yesterday.
Wie was a runner-up in the 2011 edition when she finished five strokes behind champion Tseng. She then came in fourth in 2014 and was tied for 34th last year.
The 27-year-old Lee has been invited by the organisers to make her debut at the tournament, thanks to her impressive run in the Japan LPGA Tour where she clinched seven titles last year.
Seven Thais will be in the tournament including Ariya Jutanugarn, who finished second in 2013, and Pornanong Phatlum.