A diverse, world-class field has teed off in the first round of the SGF67 World Ladies Championship with SBS in Hainan Island, China.
The event has returned to the Mission Hills Haikou Blackstone Course where it was played the first four years from 2012-2015 before being played at Mission Hills Dongguan last year, when Korean Lee Jung-min won by a stroke.
The defending champion withdrew this morning after complaining of a shoulder injury during yesterday’s practice round and has been replaced in the first group from the 10th tee at 7.20am by the first reserve Kim Ji Min. Shortly afterwards, at 8.10am, Boontaksasat Thanuttra withdrew with a finger injury.
With the 560,000 euro event tri-sanctioned between the China LPGA Tour, LET and the LPGA Tour of Korea (KLPGA), the 126-player field includes 40 players from each Tour plus six sponsor invites.
Europe’s top hopes include England’s Florentyna Parker and Georgia Hall, France’s Isabelle Boineau and Gwladys Nocera, Holland’s Anne Van Dam, Spaniard Nuria Iturrios, Danish trio Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Emily Kristine Pedersen and Nicole Broch Larsen and Noora Tamminen of Finland (pictured above). Also in the field is the recent Sanya Ladies Open winner Supamas Sangchan from Thailand and Australian Rebecca Artis.
