This week’s Singapore Open presented by The Business Times got off to a celebratory start when the Asian Tour Awards night took place last night at the Equarius Hotel – part of Resorts World Sentosa.

The most successful players and venues from last year were honoured during a glamorous evening attended by players, VIPS, sponsors and officials.

Japan’s Kazuki Higa took centre stage receiving both the Asian Tour Order of Merit trophy and The Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year title. Kyi Hla’s wife Marlene Lee attended the evening and presented him with the Award [main picture], which is named after her late husband and former Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour.

The other winners of the night were the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, recognised as the Tournament of the Year, and the Link Hong Kong Open – which was The International Series Tournament of the Year.

Cho Minn Thant.

Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), venue for the International Series Morocco, won the Players’ Choice Course of the Year.

Said Cho Minn Thant [main picture], Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The 2025 season was another year of growth and development and with it came some exceptional performances by our players – helped in such a big way by world class tournaments and venues.

“We congratulate Kazuki Higa on his success. Kyi Hla Han, our former Executive Chairman and Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, would have been delighted to see a Japanese player finish the year ranked number one – it is such a significant achievement for the region.

“And we applaud the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, the Link Hong Kong Open and Royal Golf Dar Es Salam for their important contributions and worthy acknowledgment by our players.”

Last year Higa became the first player to win both the Asian Tour’s Merit list and the Japan Tour Money List, which he claimed in 2022.

Andy Kwok from the Hong Kong Golf Club is handed the famous venue’s award by Wade Ormsby.

He recorded back-to-back wins in September at the Shinhan Donghae Open, in Korea, and the Yeangder TPC, in Chinese-Taipei, before adding a joint second place at the International Series Philippines in late October. That result in the Philippines saw him regain top spot on the Merit list from Vincent, and from there on in he could not be caught.

For the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers it marks the third time in four years it has been named Tournament of the Year, following success in 2022 and 2023.

This year’s voting also meant more accolades for the Link Hong Kong Open and its venerable venue the Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC).

In 2023 it was named The International Series Tournament of the Year, while HKGC was the Players’ Choice Course of the Year, along with Al Mouj Golf. The following season the event was again hailed as The International Series Tournament of the Year.

Andy Kwok, Captain, HKGC, said: “For the Link Hong Kong Open to be voted The International Series Tournament of the Year for the third successive time is an incredibly special honour and something everyone at the Club is very proud of. Our tremendous thanks to the players of the Asian Tour for this wonderful recognition and to all tournament officials and sponsors for making this historic event what it has become today.”