Yani Tseng

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Tseng eyes Singapore success

World No 1 Yani Tseng will be out to win her first HSBC Women’s Champions title when she tees off at Tanah Merah Country Club on Thursday.

The 23-year-old from Taiwan has been the dominant force in women’s golf over the past few years and already has a string of world class victories to her name, but this is one title that so far has managed to elude her.

Coming off her first win of the year at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Sunday, however, she is sure to be a major factor in Singapore this week.

63 of the world’s best women golfers, including 18 of the top 20, are set to battle it out in one of the most prestigious womens’ events of the year.

“Every year I have come closer and closer to winning this tournament,” Tseng said Wednesday. “All the best players are playing here this week and the golf course is really challenging so I can’t wait to go out there.”

Tseng’s opponents are well aware of her devastating form of late - she had 12 worldwide victories last year and already has multiple major titles to her name.

“Winning five majors at the age of 23 is very impressive,” world No. 3 Suzann Pettersen said. “She makes us even work harder.”

Australia’s Karrie Webb has no problem labeling Tseng as an all-time great.

“I’ve played my career with Annika (Sorenstam), Se Ri Pak and Lorena (Ochoa) and now Yani,” she said. “I’ve played with the best.”

Perhaps Michelle Wie will be able to offer more of a challenge to Tseng’s dominance when she graduates from Stanford next month.

“I’m on track to graduate this March, so it’s going to be interesting,” Wie said. “It’s going to be the first time in my golfing career that I won’t have school, or school work to do.”