Shi aims for Taipei turnaround

TAIPEI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Fresh off her rookie season on the Japan LPGA Tour, Shi Yuting says she is looking for a strong finish to the year and more importantly a boost in confidence when the CTBC Ladies Open tees off in Taipei on Thursday.

As the China LPGA Tour players set to do battle in the annual tournament against their TLPGA Tour counterparts, Shi said Wednesday following her practice round at Orient (Taipei) Golf and Country Club that she had much to prove this week - mainly to herself.

"My condition in Japan this season is divided into two stages. The first half of the year has been the stage of ascension - my condition is getting better and better. It is good until mid-year and I am in the top 50 of the prize ranking," said the Beijing teenager, winner of the Le Coq Sportif Beijing Ladies Classic in June.

"In the second half of the year there is some decline, my performance is not particularly good, even missing the cut in some tournaments. I think it because the events are too close and I am not doing particularly well on the physical side of the game."

With her 15-year-old sister Yuli in the field for this week's tournament, Shi said she would enjoy her company but there would be no sibling rivalry as she had a job to do in improving on her third-place finish here last year when local star Teresa Lu won by two strokes.

"This is the second time I have come back to my CLPGA family this year and always it's very cordial. The title sponsor CTBC is also my sponsor. I will try to focus on every shot to get a good result but I have no specific aims," said the 19-year-old Shi.

"I have played this course four or five times and the tees have been moved back this year [to 6,381 yards] so the distance will be longer. The weather is also cold so it will be more difficult. It's a different feeling than before."

Also looking for a strong finish this week is Sui Xiang. The Guangdong teenager has been impressive this season with five top-10 finishes in nine starts and currently sits 24th on the CLPGA Tour Order of Merit.

"This is the first time to be in Taipei, the first time to play in an event sanctioned by the TLPGA, I feel excited. The condition of the course is quite similar with the Orient Golf Club in Xiamen. The greens are big, the distance of some of the holes is quite long and in general, the course presents a certain degree of challenge," said the 18-year-old.

"There are lots of top players here. I will hold a learning attitude to play in this event. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself."

One player the China LPGA Tour players will undoubtedly be able to learn from is defending champion Lu. With four wins on the Japan LPGA Tour this year, including last month's Tour Championship, the 29-year-old said she held no expectations for this week.

"Everyone is talking about if I am going to win again. Actually I am not so confident that I will be as lucky as last year," said Lu who was married earlier this year and will have her husband serving as her caddie this week.

"I won't put too much pressure on myself, it's a reunion. This is the first time I come back for the whole year after all." Enditem