"Winning the Women's China Open was incredibly exciting, but it hasn't made me more anxious or impatient. I'll continue to play with a calm mindset and, of course, keep striving for higher goals. It would be wonderful if I could become the season-long points leader, but I'll take everything as it comes," said Pang, who will turn 19 later this month.

"My mindset this year feels quite different from my rookie season in 2024. Now, I'm more relaxed. At the beginning, I was still very nervous and hadn't quite adapted yet, but now, I feel much more comfortable in this role. So far this season, I'd give myself a 90 out of 100.

"I feel I've almost made up for the disappointment of last year."

As with last year's tournament, The Vintage Course at Mission Hills Haikou will again serve as the host venue. The layout is designed by Brian Curley, who drew his inspiration from the courses created by the early 20th century American design team of Charles Blair MacDonald and Seth Raynor.

In this tropical tribute, where the fairways are fairly wide open off the tee, the course gets its teeth in its strategic bunkering, natural hazards and subtle land movement. "The Island" — the par-three 12th hole with its elevated green — is the signature hole.