Pranavi Urs Eyes Another Strong Finish as Yani Tseng Returns to Defend Wistron Ladies Open Title

Indian golfer Pranavi Urs will look to extend her impressive run of form when she tees off at the $1.2 million Wistron Ladies Open, which gets underway at Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei, on Thursday. Defending champion and five-time Major winner Yani Tseng will headline the field as she seeks to retain her title on home soil.

Pranavi heads into the October 29-November 1 tournament on the back of consecutive top-four finishes at the Women’s Indian Open. The 23-year-old secured a tied-fourth finish at three-under 285 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, reinforcing her growing reputation as one of India’s promising golfers on the international circuit.

Her recent performances have followed a landmark achievement at the Asian Games in Japan, where she won individual gold. The Wistron Ladies Open presents another opportunity for Pranavi to measure herself against an experienced international field and maintain the consistency that has marked her recent outings.

The only Indian among the 108 competitors, Pranavi will compete in the 72-hole tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Taiwan Ladies Professional Golf Association (TLPGA). She is scheduled to play the opening round alongside Germany’s Alexandra Fosterling and Chinese Taipei’s Ching Huang.

Much of the attention will be on Tseng, who ended a title drought of 4,306 days with an emotional victory at last year’s tournament. The former world No. 1 and five-time Major champion will be keen to build on that success as she returns to defend her crown. Tseng also won the inaugural Hero Women’s Indian Open in 2007, establishing an early connection with Indian golf fans.

Her recent form suggests she remains a strong contender. Tseng finished tied third at the Aramco Korea Championship earlier this month, giving her additional momentum ahead of the home event.

Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum will also arrive in Taoyuan brimming with confidence after a historic triumph at the Hero Women’s Indian Open. The 36-year-old claimed the title for a record fourth time, producing a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 in the final round to finish at 11-under 277.

The victory, her third on the LET, came 14 years after her previous appearance at the Indian Open and demonstrated her continued ability to compete successfully against a younger generation of players.

“I can’t believe I won at DLF for the fourth time. I’m very happy. The win means a lot to me. It shows me I can still do it and play well,” Phatlum said.

Her success has also reinforced her role as an experienced figure for younger Thai golfers, many of whom have regarded her as an inspiration throughout her two decades on tour. She will now look to carry that confidence into the Wistron Ladies Open.

Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, the 2024 LET Order of Merit champion, is another notable contender. She finished tied ninth at the Women’s Indian Open and returns to a venue where she won the Wistron Ladies Open in 2024 and recorded a top-10 finish last year.

With Tseng seeking to retain her title, Phatlum arriving after a record-breaking victory and Tamburlini returning to a successful venue, the tournament promises a competitive test. For Pranavi, it offers another valuable opportunity to translate her recent consistency into a strong international result.