Pattaya: Six past champions, led by world No.2 Park In-Bee, will be trying to win another title at the Honda LPGA Thailand which tees off today at Siam Country Club, Old Course.
Thai golfers, from left, Pornanong Phatlum, Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Thidapa Suwannapura, Budsabakorn Sukapan, Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras, and Paphangkorn Tavatanakit.
The 10th edition of the US$1.6 million tournament features 70 players including 17 of the top-20 players in the world rankings.
Among the contenders to grab the winner's cheque of $240,000 are those who have won in Pattaya -- Suzann Pettersen (2007), Ai Miyazato (2010), Tseng Yani (2011-12), Park (2013), Anna Nordqvist (2014), and Amy Yang (2015).
Fifteen-time LPGA Tour winner Tseng, the only multi-time winner of the tournament, said yesterday that the course setup suits long hitters but a good strategy is needed for the second shots because the greens are really tough.
"This course is good for long hitters but you need to place the ball at good spots on the greens,'' said the former top-ranked player.
"You need to be patient on this golf course. You have to stay patient and try to make a lot of birdies."
It will be the eighth time that the Old Course hosts the Honda LPGA Thailand.
The Taiwanese added that the last four holes are really difficult.
Park, who won the title in 2013 after Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn suffered a final-hole triple bogey, agreed that the greens are tough.
"The greens are a little bit tough. You've just got to work on hitting a lot of greens and the fairway bunkers have high lips, so you've got to avoid the bunkers," said the South Korean who is returning to action after a two-week break due to a back injury.
"Greens will become firmer when the tournament begins. I think the main thing for every golf course is the same -- you've got to hit it straight. It sounds easy -- but it is not."
Park said Siam Country Club is one of her favourite golf courses on the tour.
After winning the title here in 2013, she was a runner-up in 2014 and tied for seventh last year.
Compatriot and world No.12 Yang said she was excited to be here as defending champion and that she was better prepared for this year's tournament.
"I am a bit excited to come here as defending champion. I took a couple weeks off to prepare for this tournament," said the Korean who will be making her eighth appearance in the tournament.
She said she did not do anything special when she won the tournament last year.
"One shot at a time -- that's the key for each week and every tournament. That's what I am trying to do," Yang said.
World No.4 Lexi Thompson said that the second shots are very important because the greens are tricky.
"I think it's important to keep it in the fairway because the rough is up pretty thick," said the six-time LPGA Tour winner.
"But the second shots are also very important. You have to put yourself in the right area on the greens."
Pornanong Phatlum, one of the seven Thais in the event, said it was good to play in front of home fans but this sometimes gave her extra pressure.
She hopes to get another good result this week after sharing fifth in the season-opening event in Bahamas.
"I will try to be in the top 20 on the money list by the end of the year. That is my goal," said the world No.39.
The other six Thais are Ariya, Moriya Jutanugarn, Thidapa Suwannapura, Budsabakorn Sukapan, Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras, and Paphangkorn Tavatanakit.
In the first two rounds, there are two groups of former champions.
Pettersen, the 2007 champion who is the only player to have played in all previous nine editions, is scheduled to tee off at 11.39am along with Miyazato and Tseng, while Park is grouped with Yang and Nordqvist of Sweden.
Pornanong will tee off with Michelle Wie and Women's Australian Open winner Haru Nomura.
Ariya is in the same group with England's Charley Hull and world No.3 Stacy Lewis of the US, while Thompson will play alongside 18-year-old rookie Pannarat and Australian veteran Karrie Webb.
