TLPGA Tour member, Thailand’s Nook Sukapan delivered a commanding performance on Thursday, carding a 7-under 65 to seize the first-round lead at the TLPGA and JLPGA Tour co-sanctioned 2026 Taiwan Foxconn Ladies Golf Tournament. 

Sukapan’s score card was highlighted by five birdies on the front nine, making the turn at 5-under 31, and a spectacular eagle on the par-4 12th hole. She finished the day with a total of seven birdies and two bogeys, which saw her record her personal best round at Orient Golf & Country Club.

"The wind was quite strong today, making things rather difficult," said Sukapan. After carding her first bogey of the day on the 11th hole, Sukapan bounced back right away on the 12th. “I was left with 150 yards after my tee shot. I talked to my caddie and decided on a 7-iron. We aim to keep the ball below the hole to give myself a chance. I never expected it to jump right in. It felt incredible!" 

"The green speed and pin positions were very challenging today," Sukapan added. "However, I really enjoyed playing alongside Yuka (Yasuda) and Yu-Ai (Ji), and I tried my best to maintain a positive mindset to these challenges".

Shina Kanazawa of the JLPGA Tour, who secured a victory at the Sony JLPGA Championship last September and tied for 12th at last week’s Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament, carried her momentum into this week. Kanazawa carded a 67 today to sit in solo second place.

"The greens were very fast today with a lot of slope, so I was very careful with the breaks in my lines," Kanazawa said. "Over the past couple of years, I feel like my physical fitness has really improved. And I think that has taken my game to a new level." In the 2025 season, Kanazawa recorded a total of 36 tournament appearances.

Yani Tseng (曾雅妮) made her first appearance of the season since competing in the LET’s PIF Saudi Ladies International earlier this year. "I didn’t expect the wind to be this strong, and the green speed was tricky, so my strategy today was a bit more conservative," she said, with green speeds reaching 11 feet today. "It has been a long time since I’ve played in a JLPGA Tour event. It’s feels special.”

After finishing in a tie for fourth at the year-end Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open last December, Chen Min-Jou is looking for a strong start to her new season at this week’s Taiwan Foxconn Ladies Golf Tournament. 

“My irons were working well today. I hit a lot of greens,” said Chen. "I’m looking to stay just as steady tomorrow. If I can leave myself with more uphill putts, I’ll definitely have some good scoring chances."

Tying with Tseng, Chen, and ten more player on 1-over, Hou Yu-Sang also noted the difficult conditions of the course. "The back nine at Orient plays quite long, but fortunately my driving was solid today and I hit a lot of fairways," said Hou Yu-Sang. "The key moving forward will be giving myself better looks on the greens. With the speeds being so fast and the slopes so heavy this week, keeping the putt count down is a massive challenge".

Hon Hai ambassador Wu Chia-Yen (吳佳晏) finished her opening round with a 76, with two birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey, leaving her in a tie for 42nd place.

"I struggled to find my rhythm on the front nine today," Wu said. "While my ball-striking started to feel better on the back nine, I just couldn’t get a handle on the greens. I had three three-putts during the round, so I’m really hoping to turn that around tomorrow."

The 2026 Taiwan Foxconn Ladies Golf Tournament, title-sponsored by Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology Group) and co-organized by the TLPGA and JLPGA, kicked off its four-round competition on Thursday at the Orient Golf & Country Club.

The competition layout this year is set at 6,720 yards, with green speeds reaching 11 feet on the opening day. A total of 108 players from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and Malaysia have gathered in Taiwan to compete for a winner’s check of US$360,000.

The Taiwan Foxconn Ladies Golf Tournament is set to take place from Mar 12 to 15 at the Orient Golf & Country Club in Taiwan.

This 72-hole, four-round competition marks a significant milestone as the only overseas event on the 2026 JLPGA Tour, featuring a total prize pool of US$2 million.

The international field is led by Japanese standout Ayaka Furue, currently ranked 30th in the world with success across both the LPGA and JLPGA Tours. The 25-year-old is joined by fellow top-5 JLPGA stars Shuri Sakuma, Sora Kamiya, Yui Kawamoto, Fuka Suga, and Sayaka Takahashi. Also in the star-studded list is former World No. 1 Jiyai Shin from Korea.

Representing the home nation is young talent Wu Chia-Yen (吳佳晏), a Foxconn ambassador currently competing on the JLPGA Tour, alongside the legendary Yani Tseng (曾雅妮), who boasts five LPGA major titles. They are joined by a formidable group of TLPGA players, including all of the top-5 players, Lee Min (李旻), Tsai Pei-Ying (蔡佩穎), Chen Chih-Min (陳之敏), and Huang Ching (黃靖).

"I am so excited to return to Taiwan and play in such a familiar environment with the support of the home fans," Hon Hai roster player Wu Chia-Yen told the press.

"It is a tremendous honor for us to bring the highest level of Asian competition to the local stage as we host the JLPGA Tour’s first co-sanctioned event in Taiwan in 46 years," said James Wu, Vice President of Hon Hai Technology Group. "We also want to extend our special gratitude to SoftBank Corp. for their collaborative support in making this historic partnership a reality."

"This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to see world-class golf up close," said TLPGA Chairwoman Huang Bie-Shyun. "I’m expecting a very crowded leaderboard and plenty of excitement as the week unfolds".

"The JLPGA deeply values this collaboration, and we have invested significant resources in enhancing both hardware and software for our only overseas stop in 2026 ," said JLPGA Vice President Takako Matsuo. "Our goal is to attract the best talent from both circuits while deepening the cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan."

JLPGA Tour top-5 Shuri Sakuma noted that the course’s windy conditions will be a key factor this week. "Taiwanese players are really strong in these conditions. But I’m looking forward to the challenge, and hopefully I’m going to show my best game and keep the Japanese flag flying in the wind," Sakuma said.

The 2026 Taiwan Foxconn Ladies Golf Tournament sees its total prize climb from US$1.5 million to US$2 million. Foxconn (Hon Hai Technology Group) has been a driving force behind the local game’s development since 2024. 

This Taiwan-Japan partnership represents a landmark moment, ending a 48-year wait for a JLPGA Main Tour stop in Taiwan. The event features the second-largest purse on the 2026 JLPGA Tour.