Tseng arrives with hat-trick in her sights

Yani Tseng waves to her fans after getting into a car at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The world's elite women golfers, including world No 1 Yani Tseng, have begun to arrive for the much-anticipated Honda LPGA Thailand 2013, which tees off on Thursday at the Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course.

Fresh from a solid finish in the Women's Australian Open on Sunday where she fired a dazzling 66 to land second behind winner Shin Ji-yai by two strokes, Tseng will be eyeing her hat-trick at the beach resort, after stealing the limelight for the past two years.

Among other strong contenders is another former title-holder, Ai Miyazato, runner-up by just one stroke to Tseng last year.

Miyazato, who won the event in 2010, will be keen to add another win to her impressive nine LPGA titles. The world No 9 from Japan knows the Siam Country Club Course well and is among the favourites to win the US$1.5-million event.

Another early arrival is the exciting world No 2, Choi Na-yeon, from South Korea. Choi is coming off an excellent year in which she notched her first major, the US Women's Open, and collected her seventh LPGA Tour victory.

Other players already here are Shanshan Feng, the first Chinese player to win on the LPGA Tour when she triumphed in the LPGA Championship last year, American Paula Creamer (sporting a new blonde look), Cristie Kerr, winner of 14 LPGA titles, Germany's Sandra Gal, Michelle Wie, and Koreans Kim "IK'' In-kyung and Park Hee-young.

Five locals, led by Thai No 1 Pornanong Phatlum, will be strutting their stuff against the marquee players. The one to watch will undoubtedly be in-form Moriya Jutanugarn, who finished fourth at the Australian Open on Sunday in her professional debut. Also competing are Thidapa Suwannapura (who finished eighth ion Australia), Numa Gulyanamitta, and 16-year-old amateur Supamas Sangchan, who was granted a sponsor's invitation on Sunday. "I'm so excited to be given this opportunity, which will serve as good experience for me in the future," said Supamas, who has won three titles this year including the Philippines Ladies Open. "I'll try to learn as much as possible from these pro golfers and use what I learn in [December's] SEA Games in Myanmar."

The Honda Thailand has attracted an elite field of 60 LPGA stars, including the world top 10, plus 10 sponsors' invitees.

The par-72 Siam Country Club Old Course is in prime condition and should provide a worthy challenge for the world's top golfers.

Channel 7 will broadcast all four days of the tournament live. Tickets are available at ThaiTicketMajor outlets, with free entry to under-18s and over-60s.

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/02/19/tseng-arrives-with-hat-trick-in-her-sights/