CLPGA adding to its allure

Young pros are finding lots to like about China's rising women's tour

From its humble beginnings in 2008, the China LPGA has become an increasingly attractive prospect for golfers from home and abroad.

The final round of the CTBC Ladies Classic, which was co-sanctioned by the CLPGA and the Taiwan LPGA, at Guangdong Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou on Saturday bore witness to the tour's international appeal, with players from 14 regions and countries teeing up to compete for a share of the 800,000 yuan ($116,800) in prize money.

Thai teenager Saranporn Langkulgasettrin, who finished tied for seventh on Saturday, has captured three CLPGA wins to earn 500,000 yuan in prize money (around $80,000). But it's not just the cash that keeps her coming back for more.

"The CLPGA is a global tour which runs professional events with good golf course conditions, nice staff and many talented players, not just from Asia but also Australia and the United States," said the 19-year-old when asked why she chose the tour, adding that China is a country with similar cuisine and people to her homeland.

After graduating from Mississippi State University last year, Peng Chieh, 25, decided on the CLPGA instead of trying to qualify for the more lucrative US-based LPGA or play on the LPGA of Korea Tour.

"The costs here are relatively low compared to playing in other countries," said the Chinese Taipei player. "And the organizer of the events also provides us with a shuttle service between golf clubs and hotels or airports, which is really convenient.

"Then I can focus more on the competition itself rather than other distractions."

Before Peng went to Mississippi in 2013, she used to play in the amateur tour on the Chinese mainland, where she says the standard has risen dramatically in recent years.

"Of course I was progressing by playing the NCAA tournaments in the US, but my peers in the CLPGA were progressing at a faster pace," she said.

Feng Liyuan, head judge of the Guangzhou tournament, said the CLPGA has been further boosted by a Women's World Golf Rankings decision to lift the tour's minimum points from zero to six this year.

"For example, Indian golfer Sharmila Nicollet used to play in the Ladies European Tour before she got injuries and lost her card. Now she is playing as many events as possible in the CLPGA to gain more points and get back to the form that once made her India's top pro," said Feng, adding that players from the Philippines and New Zealand can also benefit from the rankings boost in order to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Li Hong, chairwoman of the CLPGA, believes some young pros join the PGA or LPGA of Korea too early and, therefore, end up struggling.

"They need to get more experience before heading for these highly competitive tours," Li said.

And with the prize money and the quality of players on the up, Li is confident the CLPGA is rapidly catching up with its rival tours.

"More and more excellent players from Southeast Asia choose to join the events, and domestic pros and amateurs are improving with the evolution of our tournaments. We are ready to embrace a bright future," she said.