Following JLPGA tour winner Zhang Na and United States-based teenager Feng Shanshan, the Orient China Ladies Tour (OCLA) has witnessed the birth of another star player.

Two weeks ago 25-year-old Yang Taoli became the first female professional and only the second woman to compete at the Shanghai Championship of China Tour, an event for the nation's best men golfers.

Yang, a member of the Orient Golf and Country Club, which sponsors and organizes OCLA, made the cut and finished in 19th place.

The Sichuan province native's achievement earned her an invitation to compete in July on the LPGA tour at the Evian Masters in France.

"This is the fifth year since the OCLA was initiated. I am glad to see a number of excellent women's golfers coming from this tournament and make it to the world's bigger tournaments," secretary of the China Golf Association Zhang Xiaoning said.

The 2008 tour comprises four Orient Master stages - Beijing, Shanghai, Wenzhou in Zhejiang province and Zhuhai in Guangzhou province - and one grand finale in Xiamen, Fujian province, which is called the Orient China Ladies Open.

The grand final was established in 2006, becoming the country's first national Open Championship. It features the best domestic women golfers and a number of stars from Korea.

"The ladies tour is making more rapid progress than expected. I am confident that in the near future Chinese women's golf will become a new power in Asia," Zhang added.

According to T.K. Pen, president and CEO of Orient Golf International, which initiated the ladies tour, the number of professional women's golfers has increased markedly, helped by collaborating with South Korea.

"Thanks to the increasing number of stages on the Orient Masters and participation of star golfers, in 2006 China had about 40 professional women's golfers and the number doubled last year.

"We are also seeking to cooperate more with the KLPGA."

At the past two Orient China Ladies Opens, KLPGA sent its top prize money winners to China and gave Chinese women an opportunity to polish their skills at higher-level competitions.

"Last year we had some of the world's top 10 players take part. It's amazing," Pen said.

(China Daily June 3, 2008)