Young pros and elite amateurs aspiring to take their golf careers to the next level hit the fairways of Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap today for the opening round of the Ladies European Tour Q-School event being staged in Cambodia for the second year running.

Players from Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and Australia are in contention for places in a final qualifying event Morocco will be hosting in December.

After two days of practice rounds, players tee off for the first of four rounds in the morning at the award-winning Nick Faldo course, one of the prime destinations in the Asian Faldo Series network.

Hana Wakimoto of Japan and Isabella Leung of Hong Kong are return participants from 2016 qualifers, in which the honour of topping the event went to China’s Yan Liu.

“We look forward to build-ing on last year’s success. It is an honour to be a host venue in Asia,” said AGR’s director of golf David Baron.

“It is important that players have a positive experience. Events of this nature help raise the profile of Siem Reap as a golf tourism destination,” Baron said. “This year’s event has been further enhanced by lead sponsor T-Galleria Angkor by DFS.”