November 16: Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu (main picture) overcame local hero Hung Chien-yao on the closing stretch of the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open – winning his first title on the Asian Tour in his rookie season by two shots.

The 26-year-old Wu shot a five-under par 67 round on Sunday at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club, and benefited from a late stumble by Hung (70), who made back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes to open the door for Ekpharit, who finished the tournament on 20-under.

The win not only helped Ekpharit jump from 73rd to 28th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, it also secures him a spot in the US$5 million PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers in Riyadh next week.

Hung’s consolation was a leap of 53 places on the Merit list from 110 to 57, which nearly guarantees him a card for next season and keep his record of playing on the Asian Tour for 12 consecutive seasons intact.

Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Picture by Taiwan PGA

Guatemala’s Jose Toledo shot the day’s lowest round of 65 to finish tied third at 12-under alongside Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (71).

Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (70) looked set to join them at 12-under, but he finished with a bogey on the par-five 18th hole and dropped to solo fifth position.

The Korean duo of Heemin Chang (67) and Wooyoung Cho (70) were tied sixth where Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (70) joined them later.

Ekpharit started the day one shot behind Hung, and finally caught up with the local star with his fourth birdie of the day on the seventh hole. But Hung made a birdie on the par-three eighth – where Ekpharit started his charge on Saturday with a hole-in-one – to move ahead once again.

The two players were neck and neck before Hung dropped a shot on the par-three 15th hole, and followed it up with another bogey by flaring his second shot right on the par-four 16th hole from behind a fairway tree.

Hung’s chances depended on how he handled the two par-five finishing holes, but he parred both. On 17 he had to lay up way back after hitting his tee shot into the difficult left fairway bunker and on the 18th his tee shot found thick rough on the left side.

Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei. Pictures courtesy Taiwan PGA.

Ekpharit, who had his wife Pam on the bag this week, said: “It’s so special for me, very emotional. I only know one thing – all the hard work that I put in is for moments like these.

“I just talked to myself throughout the day. I just wanted to relax. I did not know about the future, but I knew that every shot I hit, I needed to stay within myself… just trust myself and hit the shot. Don’t think who was doing what, and who was in the lead.

“The two late bogeys by Hung were a bit of a cushion, but I knew I still had a job to do. I did not want to feel too confident at that stage.”

Ekpharit’s father is from Chinese Taipei, and the champion remembered him after the win: “Actually, he taught me how to play golf. I think he knows the best and what I am capable of doing. He will be so proud of me.”

Jose Toledo of Guatemala. Picture by Graham Uden, Asian Tour.

A disappointed Hung said: “I think I just didn’t have the luck to get it done today. I tried my best. To be honest, I don’t think I played any worse than him (Ekpharit). I can’t pinpoint any reasons, so, maybe, just my luck. Maybe, God wants me to work harder and maybe he’s planned for me an even bigger event.”

Toledo, who is still searching for his first win outside the Mexican Tour, did the bulk of his scoring on the back nine, where he returned in 31 shots after being two-under for the front nine.

“Actually, I have been hitting the ball quite well for a while but my results have not matched the way I have played. Today, I made a few putts towards the end and it got me a great round,” said Toledo, who started the week at No65 on the Order of Merit but is now 50th.

“I am pretty happy in the end because this is my best finish of the season. I was thinking about what to do next year, this and that, but I was also aware that I had three opportunities to get the job done and I am very proud that I have possibly secured my Asian Tour card for next season.”

Lindh could not make the charge after an early double bogey on the fourth hole and said: “Got a double early and that took me back and I did not have a chance to win. The way those two guys played, I wanted to be just behind them. It’s been a good week overall. My best finish on the Asian Tour so far, so I am happy with that.”

The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open was the 18th leg of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season. The Tour next moves to Riyadh for the PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers.