May 7: Validating Asian Development Tour as a true pathway to the Asian Tour, Thailand’s Tawit Polthai (main image) showed his winning the Order of Merit last year was no flash in the pan as he grabbed an early lead in the US$500,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open on Thursday.

The 31-year-old Tawit won the PKNS Selangor Masters early in the season and held on to his lead with five other top-10s to finish as the No1 player on the ADT. It hasn’t been the best start to 2026 for the Bangkok-based professional, but a solid tied 33rd place at the Singapore Open presented by Business Times helped boost his confidence and it led to a seven-birdie round at Taifong Golf Club.

Tawit, who has played on the ADT since 2016 but graduated to a full season on the Asian Tour for the first time, made a solitary bogey on the 13th hole in his round of six-under par 66, to be one ahead of Thai compatriot Charng-Tai Sudsom (67).

Another Thai star, Suradit Yongcharoenchai, made a triple bogey seven in his round, but bounced back to finish tied third in the clubhouse with a 68. He was joined there by local favourite Tse-yu Chang, Singapore’s Ryan Ang, and Wales’ David Boote.

Charng-Tai Sudsom of Thailand. Picture by Jason Butler/Asian Tour

Tawit, who dropped a long 27-footer for birdie on the 12th hole before making his only mistake on the 13th, had started with three birdies on the front nine. Most players said the greens were playing much firmer than at the end of the year for the tournament, but the leader made the most of his early start.

“Singapore was pretty solid and that helped my confidence. I don’t want to think about goals for the year, or what I want to do here this week. I just want to play good golf and enjoy my time on the Asian Tour,” said Tawit.

Charng-Tai is coming off a win on the All Thailand Golf Tour last week, but said he was struggling with his game after making an early bogey. His nerves finally settled down and back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th put him in a good mood for his back nine (front nine of the course), where he made birdies on the third and eighth holes, and an eagle on fifth.

The 32-year-old from Chonburi, who won by nine shots last week, is trying to make up for a frustrating 2025 when he finished 66th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and lost his card by the narrowest of margins.

“Winning last week in Thailand was good. And I love playing in Taiwan. My father is from here,” said Charng-Tai.

“I did not hit too many drivers today. I just wanted to keep it in play. The highlight was definitely the eagle on the fifth hole, where I chipped in from about 35 yards.”

Suradit, who opened with three birdies in his first five holes, hit his tee shot out of bounds on the par-4 sixth, and then three-putted for a triple bogey.

“It was hard to make the triple after such a good start. I just told my caddie on the seventh tee, let’s pretend that we haven’t made any birdies soi far and let’s go and get some from this hole onwards,” said Suradit, who finished second in Mercuries Taiwan Masters down the road last year.

The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is usually played in November, but has been brought forward this year to May at the request of the Tour.