Thai starlet Atthaya Thitikul is relishing the chance to put the icing on the cake as she aims to finish the 2022 season strongly by capturing her first Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour title at the inaugural Hana Financial Group Singapore Women's Open next week.

The World No 3 will be out to live up to her standing as the highest-ranked player in the 102-woman field at the Tanah Merah Country Club from December 9-11, where she faces strong competition from a host of KLPGA heavyweights spearheaded by Min-ji Park, the 2022 Money List winner, and rising star Yealimi Noh.

Atthaya, 19, is no stranger to competing in Singapore and the country has been a favourite hunting ground since her amateur days. She finished runner-up at the Singapore Junior Championship in 2016 and won the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018. She also enjoyed two top-eight finishes in the HSBC Women's World Championship event in 2018 and last year.

"I always love coming back to Singapore. I mean, the weather and everything else is similar to Thailand. It's like competing back home," said Atthaya, who created history in 2017 by becoming the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament at age 14 years, 4 months and 19 days at the Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur.

The Hana Financial Group-backed player been a revelation in her first season on the LPGA Tour, bagging two titles and has posted top-10s on 14 other occasions. Following her second triumph at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in September, Atthaya rose to the top of the world rankings for two weeks before being unseated by American Nelly Korda.

Atthaya also put up a valiant fight before coming in second to New Zealand's Ko Lydia Ko in the LPGA's Race to CME Globe points race as well as the Vare Trophy, which is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average of the year. Still, it was a season to savour as the young Thai as she deservingly claimed the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award.

"I know it was a really great year for me. A lot of good things happen this year. I mean, if I can do it then it would be great but if not, I'm sure it's still going to be a great event for me," said Atthaya, who played won the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit last year.

"We usually see a lot of great Korean players on the LPGA Tour, so it's without a doubt that the KLPGA Tour is a very strong and competitive circuit as well.

"The KLPGA Tour comprises many talented players there. If you want to finish on top, then you have to play really solid golf all week to stand a chance."

Atthaya has also paid tribute to Hana Financial Group for its strong backing which led to her enjoying laudable success in the early stage of her professional career.

"I'm so lucky and humbled to be a part of the HFG family. Being a Thai, I have never imagined I would be getting support from a Korean conglomerate," she said.

"But HFG placed their faith and see something in me. I can't thank HFG enough for their help and support."

Meanwhile, Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines will also head to Tanah Merah Country Club seeking to replicate the giant-killing feat that crowned her the Simone Asia-Pacific Cup winner in Jakarta in August. The 25-year-old upstaged some of the world’s biggest names including Ko, So-yeon Ryu, Hyo-joo Kim in the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) event to claim her first-ever professional title since turning professional in 2016.

“I'm just happy to participate in this upcoming tournament, and I'm also excited to play with all of these fantastic players who are participating in it as well,” said Superal.