November 13: Playing with his back against the wall and his Asian Tour card on the line, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao (main picture) made just the start that was needed at the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open.

Hung, who has never won on the Asian Tour but kept his membership for 12 successive years, shot a seven-under par 65 on Thursday at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club to take the clubhouse lead midway through the opening round of the tournament.

Malaysia’s Ervin Chang and Thailand’s Chanat Sakulpolphaisan finished on 68 each, while India’s Viraj Madappa made three birdies in his last five holes to shoot a 69 and rise to tied fourth in the clubhouse alongside Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit.

Hung’s best finish on the Asian Tour is a third place in the 2018 Yeangder TPC and the 2017 Queen’s Cup. He has been struggling this year though, missing seven cuts in 11 starts and falling to No110 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He will need a big finish to the season to keep his proud record intact and the 65 was a great start to that end.

The 33-year-old, who won the tournament in 2022 when it was part of the Asian Development Tour schedule, said he had been having issues with the putter, but a switch to a long putter helped. It showed last week in Singapore, where he played well but could not finish better than tied 37th after getting sick and faltering in the final round.

Ervin Chang of Malaysia. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.

“I already knew I wouldn’t be keeping my card this year. I thought I had a chance in Singapore, but didn’t finish well. A win this week will make all the difference, but I think I will need a bit of luck to win, so I have not been thinking too much about it,” said Hung.

“There is no pressure of losing the card…I just want to play my best. I switched to a long putter about a month ago as I have been struggling with my putting all season long.

“I was down with the ‘flu and cough since Sunday in Singapore, but my friend, who has been on my bag for this tournament for three years in a row, took me to see the doctor earlier in the week and I am feeling better now.

“My iron play was good today and putting was pretty solid. I made everything between 9-15 feet range.”

Chang, recipient of the Asian Tour’s inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award, made two birdies on the two par-fives that form the closing stretch of Taifong Golf Club, in his 68.

Chanat Sakulpolphaisan of Thailand. Picture by Thananuwat Srirasant/Asian Tour

The 26-year-old is 75th in the Order of Merit this year and needs a high finish this week. He has been trending in the right direction lately with a top 10 in Macao and a tied 14th place at the Hong Kong Open.

“It was pretty good. I expected the winds to be a bit stronger according to forecast, but surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Out there, I was just trying to manage my own expectations. I am having a pretty good stretch, even though I missed the cut in Singapore, and I am trying to just keep doing what I’m doing,” said Chang.

“I had two birdies coming in on the 17th and 18th, and that definitely helps a lot. I know this golf course is really easy to make mistakes on, so I just tried to be patient.”

Chanat started with a birdie on the 10th hole, and then made three in a row in his back nine. The Thai is another player who needs to make a move this week, ranked 193rd in the Order of Merit at the moment.

“A birdie start is always good. And I managed to keep it going after that. I have changed my swing a bit some time ago and it is feeling more comfortable,” said Chanat.