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Asian rookies thrill at US LPGA season debut

Tseng Ya-ni of Taiwan tees off during her second round at the Australian Ladies Masters golf tournament on Australia's Gold Coast on Feb. 9. PHOTO: AP

Nine rookies from Asia are making their debut on the US LPGA Tour this season and their hopes are high of making a breakthrough on the toughest women's circuit in the world.

In all 25 players have been granted rookie status, including five from golfing powerhouse South Korea, and one each from Taiwan, China, Japan and Thailand.

Japan's Momoko Ueda, 21, is seen as the most promising.

She won the LPGA-sanctioned Mizuno Classic on home soil last year and became the youngest player in the history of the Japan Tour to end the season top of the money list.

And the budding starlet has got off to a great start to her debut US year, finishing tied fifth at the season-opening SBS Open and tied 25th at the Fields Open in Hawaii last weekend.

"I've been working on my physical training and my swing in the off-season. This is just the beginning," she said as she prepares to tee off at the HSBC Women's Champions tournament here this week.

Asked what her ambitions were for the year, she said: "A minimum of one win on the LPGA Tour."

Taiwan's Tseng Ya-ni (曾雅妮) is also making her debut this year, and has been going great guns, finishing tied eighth at the SBS Open and tied 25th alongside Ueda at the Fields Open in Hawaii.

"I'm the happiest person in the world," said Tseng, who has spent the off-season working on her English.

Like Ueda, teenager Feng Shanshan (馮珊珊) is carrying high expectations as the first Chinese woman ever to play at the elite level.

Feng said she is relishing the opportunity.

"I am very happy and excited," said Feng, who enjoyed a well-decorated amateur career that included nine wins in China. She qualified for the US Tour on her first attempt.

Feng, 18, missed the cut at her first two tournaments this year and doesn't play in Singapore but she remains optimistic, and said she would work on her long irons and short putts to help put her into contention.

Thailand regularly churns out quality golfers, both men and women, and Onnarin Sattayabanphot, a professional since 2006, is no exception.

She won her non-exempt US card by tying 34th in the final qualifying school and is thrilled at playing at the top level.

"It's pretty cool to be a part of the LPGA. It's always been my dream," she said.

The Korean rookies include Lee Hwan-hee, Sarah Oh, Yi Eun-jung, Lee Suk-jin, and Jeong Jimin.
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