TAIWAN — LK Go and Florence Bisera showed grit and resilience on Wednesday, battling biting cold and swirling winds to card identical 72s at the Party Golfers Ladies Open. Their steady play, overcoming a pair of double bogeys each, puts them in early contention — just four strokes behind local favorite Ho Yu An.

Go stumbled out of the gate at Lily Golf and Country Club in Hsinchu with a bogey on the first hole but quickly found her rhythm, firing four birdies against one bogey over her next eight holes to make the turn at one-under.

The back nine proved tougher, as frigid temperatures and gusty winds caused her to drop shots on holes 13, 15, and 16. Still, she bounced back with birdies on 14 and 17 to close with a 34-38 card on the par-35-37 layout, known for its sharp elevation changes and exposed fairways.

Bisera, starting on the 10th hole, also faced a rollercoaster round. A promising approach on the par-5 11th turned into a double bogey after topping her pitch-in birdie attempt, and a bogey on 13 left her near the back of the 102-player field.

But the Davaoeña steadied herself, responding with consecutive birdies from 14 and three more birdies against two bogeys on the closing nine, matching Go’s 72 and moving into a logjam for eighth place.

Despite the challenging weather, Go and Bisera sit just four shots off the lead. 

Local favorite Ho Yu An fired a 68, highlighted by a four-birdie stretch from holes 13 to 18, holding a one-stroke lead over Thai veteran PK Kongkraphan and fellow Taiwanese Yu Hsin Huang, who both carded 69s.

Other local contenders made their presence felt early as well. Juliana Hung, Wenny Chang, Ya-Chi Chang, Ching Huang, and Shu Tung Lee all shot 71s to crowd the leaderboard and apply early pressure in the 54-hole tournament, co-sanctioned by the Taiwan LPGA and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Kongkraphan, fresh off a win at last month’s Jing-Mao Ladies Open, stayed in the hunt with a bogey-free three-under round despite the gusty, unpredictable winds.

Other LPGT regulars struggled in the harsh conditions. Daniella Uy carded a 74 for joint 21st, Princess Superal and Chanelle Avaricio both shot 76s for a share of 37th, while Mafy Singson, who was even par through the front nine, fell apart on the back nine with four bogeys and a double bogey to finish 77, tied for 43rd.