World No.1 Ariya Jutanugarn and sister Moriya will lead the Thai charge at the 13th Honda LPGA Thailand which will be held at the Siam Country Club Pattaya, Old Course, in Chon Buri on Feb 21-24.
The Jutanugarn sisters have had a long history of playing and honing their skills at the tournament since their amateur years and both are now among the game's elite players on the LPGA Tour.
Ariya, who is back at No.1 this week, was crowned the LPGA Tour player of the year on Tuesday with three events remaining while the 17th-ranked Moriya claimed her breakthrough title at the Hugel-JTBC LA Open in April.
The US$1.6 million (approximately 53 million baht) tournament, which is being organised by Honda Automobile (Thailand) and IMG, will feature 70 female golfers, including 58 professionals from the 2019 LPGA Priority List, the winners from the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic 2019 and 2019 ISPS Honda Women's Australian Open, as well as nine invited players and the winner from the Honda LPGA Thailand National Qualifiers to be held in January.
"This tournament is like my home. It was the gateway to my golf career and an instrumental step forward into the professional arena for many other Thai women," said the 24-year-old Moriya, who just returned home from the Taiwan Championship where she finished tied 20th in Taoyuan City on Sunday.
"As a Thai golfer, I feel so proud that the event gives the opportunity to more Thai golfers to chase their dreams and achieve their goals. Competing with professional golfers is the best way for us to learn and develop our skills. I kindly invite all Thai fans to follow and cheer on all Thai golfers during the tournament in February next year."
Honda Automobile (Thailand) COO Pitak Pruittisarikorn said: "The Honda LPGA Thailand 2019 is being held for the 13th consecutive year.
"This year, the tournament will carry the tagline 'Dream Big', a concept that aims to inspire interest in golf and build passion among professionals, enthusiasts and junior players from all backgrounds and at all levels. We want to encourage them to pursue and realise their dreams, and have always believed that anyone can achieve great success if they are determined.
"We also aim to continue supporting the sport of golf in Thailand, as well as to raise the standards of golf, continuing to enhance Thailand's status as a world-class golf destination."
American Jessica Korda won the 2018 title with a record-breaking 25-under 263 total. Moriya finished tied second, four shots back, alongside the 2016 champion Lexi Thompson of the United States. Ariya, who is competing at the Japan Classic this week, finished tied fifth.
Early Bird tickets at a 25 percent discount are available now at www.hondalpgathailand.com until Dec 16.
