Opportunity knocks again this week for Gabriel Hansel Hari – Indonesia’s former amateur star, who made the transition to the play for pay game two months ago.

He will tee-off in the Jakarta International Championship at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course on Thursday in just his second tournament on the Asian Tour as a professional.

The 22-year-old is well and truly up for the tournament – to the extent that he has worn himself out practicing over the past week and had to make a trip to his doctor.

He said: “I just practiced for like a week. I think I didn’t have enough rest, and yesterday I felt bad, and I went to the doctor.

“My bones were like aching due to too much practice. I was pretty sore, but now it’s like, it’s better. I am good to go.”

Indonesia expects big things from the boy from East Java, where his dad first taught him to play the game aged seven on a nine-hole course.

He was part of the country’s team that won the Putra Cup two years ago in Malaysia. The tournament, also known as the Southeast Asia Amateur Team Championship, is arguably the region’s most prestigious amateur event and has been a platform for some of Asia’s biggest names.

Indonesia had not won it for 29 years, but he and his team-mates Jonathan Xavier Hartono, Rayhan Abdul Latief, and Randy Arbenata Mohamad Bintan ran away with the title by 13 strokes from Vietnam.

Bintan won the individual title, Latief was runner-up and Hari secured third.

“It was an incredible moment. I had an incredible time in the amateur game, and that was the pinnacle,” said the Indonesian.

“It has certainly been a big change moving into the pro game, definitely more pressure – but I am really enjoying it, it’s been fun.”

The transition has been a successful one. He turned professional in July, and the following month finished second in a local event.

He adds: “The standard on the Asian Tour is very high. The cuts are so slow. I really need to work hard on my game to be successful.”

His goal is to secure his Asian Tour card, something he is trying to do this year by playing on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), where the top-10 on the final Order of Merit earning playing rights on the main tour next year.

Should he not succeed through the ADT, he will head to Qualifying School at the end of the year.

Hari’s time in the amateur game also saw him spend four years at the University of Oregon on a golf scholarship, where he earned a degree in business.

Former PGA Tour player Casey Martin from the United States, also a team-mate of compatriot Tiger Woods at Stanford University, is the head coach there and Hari was able to benefit greatly from his expertise.

“He’s a great coach and taught me how to play the golf courses there. I grew up in Indonesia, the courses are very different – so he helped me learn how to play the courses there.”

He admits he struggled during his time in States, as it was such a big change.

“I wasn’t used to cold weather,” he says. “I did well in some of the qualifiers but when it came to the main events, it was not great. The fields were so strong and there was added pressure playing for the team. My best result was something like 12^th in Washington.”

With over 30 wins on the amateur circuit in Indonesia to his name and a top-10 finish in the Mandiri Indonesia Open two years ago on the Asian Tour, Hari certainly has no such problems playing back in Asia.

He may be feeling the effects of over practicing before this week’s big test, but the aches and pains will quickly disappear as he bids to lead an ever-increasing pool of Indonesian talent from amateur stardom to success in the professional game.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

It was a very difficult scoring week at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, with only six players finishing in red figures at the end of play on Sunday. The notoriously tricky Taiwan Golf & Country Club layout produced a scoring average of 74.837 for the 72 holes. The windy first round was the most difficult at 75.918 and Sunday the easiest, but still playing more than a stroke over par at 73.376.

A week after he finished T2 at the Yeangder TPC it was Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan who finished top of the podium, after having finished T4 and T8 at the two previous editions of the event. Rattanon finished one shot clear of countryman Suradit Youngcharoenchai and two ahead of local favourite, and the 2020 winner of the tournament when it was on the local tour, Wang Wei-hsuan.

After topping the Putts per Greens in Regulation (GIR) stats at Yeangder TPC, Rattanon again had a superb week on the greens at the Mercuries event, and this time led the field in Putts per Round with 26.75, together with fellow Thai Jazz Janewattananond. His Putts per GIR average also stood out and he was fourth in this category with 1.692.

The winner also kept mistakes to a minimum, and even though he made 10 bogies for the week this led the field in Fewest Bogies or Worse category, and was one fewer than his closest pursuer Suradit who posted 10 bogeys and one double, while Wang made 13 bogeys and two doubles.

Wang Wei-hsuan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

The fact that Rattanon led the field in scrambling for the week with 72.73% was vital for him in winning the title, as his GIR and Fairways Hit stats were not highly ranked at 54.17% (T41) and 30.35% (T43) respectively. Rounding out his stats was Driving Distance which came in at 315.8 yards for a solid T13.

Runner-up Suradit had his best Asian Tour result since 2019, when he won this event, and like the winner had a good week on the greens ranking T4 in Putts per Round with 27.75 and 12^th in Putts per GIR with 1.732. He was also near the top of the Scrambling list, getting the ball up and down 67.74% of the time ranking third behind the winner and Australian Scott Hend. His other stats for the week: Fairways Hit 48.21% (T9), Driving Distance 303.6 yards (27^th) and GIR 56.94% (T33).

Chinese Taipei’s Wang was coming off a T2 at the Yeangder TPC, his best Asian Tour result to date, and the solo-third finish should mean that his card is secure for next year. The big hitter once again proved his impressive power off the tee, leading the field in Driving Distance with 345.4 yards after having placed third the previous week with 337.6.

His off-the-tee power helped produce 18 birdies and one eagle for the week, and Wang topped the Birdies category one ahead of local Tsai Shang-kai and Australia’s Ryan Peake. Another list he ranked first in was Bounce Back with 46.67%, this one tied with Korean Jeunghun Wang.

He placed highly in GIR 65.28% (T6) and Putts per GIR 1.702 (T7), and had solid stats in the other categories such as Putts per Round with 29.25 (T20) and Fairways Hit with 41.07% (T21).

Statistics Categories leaders at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters (of players making the cut):

• Putts per Round: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 26.57
• Putts per GIR: Tsai Chang-kai (TPE) 1.556
• GIR: Kevin Yuan (AUS) 72.22%
• Fairways Hit: Hung Chien-yao (TPE) 62.50%
• Driving Distance: Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 345.4 yards
• Most Eagles: Hung Chao-hsin (TPE), Lin Yung-lung (TPE) 2
• Most Birdies: Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE) 18
• Fewest Bogies or Worse: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 10
• Scrambling: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 72.73%
• Bounce back: Wang, Wei-hsuan (TPE), Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 46.67%

The list of Major champions competing in this year’s Link Hong Kong Open has been added to significantly – ensuring one of the strongest fields in its history.

South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, Martin Kaymer from Germany, and Graeme
McDowell from Northern Ireland will all tee it up at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, from October 30
to November 2.

They join former Masters winners Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed – who both confirmed their
participation last month.

Reed is the defending champion for the prestigious event, which for the third year in-a-row will be part
of The International Series – 10 top-tier events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf
League.

With a place in the 2026 Masters Tournament and 154th Open Championship going to the winner, there
is plenty on the line for a group of players who have already won on the game’s biggest stages.

Oosthuizen won The Open in 2010 at St Andrews, and has finished runner-up in all four of golf’s most prestigious tournaments.

Charl Schwartzel. Picture by Steve Bardens/Asian Tour.

The Stinger GC skipper has already said he feels he can “definitely win another Major” and will be out to
prove that in the 64th edition of Hong Kong’s historic Open.

“The biggest thing at a Major championship is patience – and, being so long in the game, that’s one
thing I’ve learned. Never get down on yourself and never give up.” Oosthuizen continued, “I was lucky
enough to win the Open at St Andrews, and lifting the Claret Jug is as good as it gets. I didn’t quite make
it to the Green Jacket, but I’m eager for another shot at it. I haven’t played there for a few years. I love
the course in Hong Kong, and I think it suits my game. It’s an amazing city, and now to have the chance
to earn a spot into the Masters, it’s a great opportunity. I’m hopeful to come out on top.”

Schwartzel secured the Green Jacket in 2011 and now plays alongside Oosthuizen on the Stinger GC team.

“It’s an incredible opportunity, not just to play in the Hong Kong Open and the tradition that comes with
it, but now to have a pathway into two of the biggest Majors, it’s what you dream of when you’re a kid,” said the South African.

“Winning the Masters and wearing the Green Jacket, that dream came true for me, and
it’s one of the peak moments of my career. The more opportunities we can give players to chase that
dream, is special.”

The world-class field assembled for International Series Philippines has been further strengthened with the addition of two-time Major champion and LIV Golf star  Dustin Johnson.

Johnson will join fellow Major winners Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen for the eagerly awaited tournament which takes place at Sta. Elena Golf Club from 23-26 October.

The American, known for an unbeaten Ryder Cup record in five appearances and a spectacular 5-0 at Whistling Straits in 2021, last appeared on The International Series at the 2024 PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers – and his comeback is set to electrify the fairways in the Philippines.

With an illustrious career to his name, Johnson’s achievements include winning the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, and a sensational victory at the 2020 Masters Tournament, where he set a tournament record of 20-under-par.

He first rose to World No.1 in February 2017, holding the position for 64 consecutive weeks — the fifth-longest reign in history. He later reclaimed the top spot in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, spending more than 130 weeks in total as the world’s best golfer.

Dustin Johnson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Johnson finished runner-up at both The Open Championship (2011) and the U.S. Open (2015), while also collecting six World Golf Championships titles.

Beyond the Majors, Johnson has been a trailblazer in the new era of the game, joining LIV Golf as one of its earliest stars. He secured victory at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, and captained 4Aces GC to the Team Championship title while also claiming the Individual Season Championship in LIV Golf’s inaugural season.

This season, the American has continued to deliver consistently, with five top-10 finishes, including a strong third-place performance in Indianapolis.

The 41-year-old said: “What I love most about the game is that it takes me to places I might never have gone otherwise, and the Philippines is one of those places. To be able to play in front of new fans, experience a different culture, and share the excitement of world-class golf in a country that’s still discovering the sport — that’s really special for me.”

He added: “The International Series is also a perfect fit for where I’m at in my career. Even though the LIV Golf season is over, I still want to compete, stay sharp, and challenge myself against some of the best players out here. Playing these events keeps me fresh, keeps me hungry, and at the same time helps grow the game in parts of the world that deserve to see it up close.”

With Johnson’s addition to an already world-class field, golf fans in the Philippines and across Asia can expect one of the most competitive and thrilling events of the season.

International Series Philippines is the sixth of the nine elevated events on this season’s Asian Tour schedule, offering players from around the globe a direct pathway into LIV Golf through the season-long Rankings race.

September 28: Rattanon Wannasrichan three-putted his last hole for a bogey, but by that time, he had done enough good work to win the US$1 million Mercuries Taiwan Masters comfortably on Sunday.

With only six players breaking par for the four days at the demanding Taiwan Golf & Country Club, Rattanon’s final-round 73 gave him a five-under par aggregate, one better than compatriot Suradit Yongcharoenchai, who closed with a 71.

Suradit caught up with Rattanon in stunning fashion when he holed out his wedge shot from 117 yards for an eagle two on the 16th. However, almost at the same time, the champion birdied the par-five 14th hole to regain a one-shot advantage, and Suradit was unable to sustain the pressure when he dropped a shot on the very next hole.

Local hero Wang Wei-hsuan (69), who turned 25 on Saturday, did not disappoint his fans and recorded his second straight top-three finish. He was tied second last week in the Yeangder TPC, and it was a solo third at three-under total this time.

Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Overnight joint leader Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (77) was in contention after the first eight holes, which he traversed in one-over par, but fell off with a double bogey on the par-four ninth hole, followed by three more bogeys in the next six holes. A birdie on the last elevated him to tied fourth place alongside countrymen Suteepat Prateeptienchai (68) and Jazz Janewattananond (74).

It is Rattanon’s third Asian Tour title and the second international victory in Chinese-Taipei. In 2015, he won the Taifong Open on the Asian Development Tour – the first international win of his career. It capped a great fortnight in the country, having finished tied second last week at the Yeangder TPC.

The win, and the accompanying cheque of US$200,000, lifted him from 20th in the Order of Merit to fourth.

After an early bogey on the third hole, Rattanon steadied the ship with back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes. However, it wasn’t until he made a par on the tough par-three 17th hole that he ventured to find out where he stood on the leaderboard.

“I was so bad with the driver today,” said the 30-year-old from Bangkok. “I just kept hitting it left and right, and needed so many ups and downs for pars. I think it was the way I approached the round mentally that helped me win.

Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

“It’s amazing. I am so happy. I had to wait seven years for my second win on the Asian Tour (2024 SJM Macao Open), and this third one came much quicker.

“I did not have a look at the scores until I parred the 17th hole. For me, that hole is the key. It is so tough. I then asked my caddie and she told me the next best score was four-under. I could relax a bit and win with a bogey.”

Suradit, winner of the tournament in 2019, called his eagle on the 16th hole “lucky”, and he was delighted with the result even though he missed out on ultimate glory.

“It was very good for me. I am happy with the result,” said Suradit, who has thrice finished runner-up on the Asian Tour, but all of them came before 2019.

“On the 16th, I was in the rough and 117 yards from the hole. I tried hitting it to 105 yards, but it came out well, hit the pin, and went in. I guess I was lucky.”

Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Wang had started the tournament with a 76, but followed it up with two successive rounds of 70, and then a 69. On Sunday, Geroge Wong, chairman of Mercuries and the vision behind the tournament, followed him for several holes.

“It’s great to secure another top-three finish at home. Mr George Wong came out to watch me today and my family was also out there. Felt a little bit of pressure, but I am glad I managed it well to put up another strong performance,” said Wang, who improved to 19th in the Order of Merit after his strong finishes at home.

“Considering I shot an opening 76, I am really happy with the way I came back. This should help me keep my Asian Tour card for 2026. I thought last week’s result was key as it gave me a lot of confidence.”

After two weeks in Chinese-Taipei, the Asian Tour will move to Jakarta for the US$2 million Jakarta International Championship, part of The International Series.

September 27: Rattanon Wannasrichan and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai led a leaderboard crowded by Thai players after the third round of the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Saturday.

Rattanon (70) found just four fairways off the tee but still managed to score well and limit the damage to just one bogey at Taiwan Golf & Country Club, while Atiruj (73), leader by two at the start of the round, endured a late double bogey in an otherwise solid outing.

The Thai duo is at six-under par 210 heading into Sunday’s final round, leading by three shots over three of their compatriots – Jazz Janewattananond (70), Nitithorn Thippong (70), and Suradit Yongcharoenchai (74).

The first non-Thai players on the leaderboard were Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (71) and veteran Australian Scott Hend (75), who were tied sixth at two-under, while American MJ Maguire (69) and Korea’s Jeunghun Wang (74) were tied eighth one stroke further behind.

Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Rattanon, winner of the 2017 Thailand Open, needed almost seven years for his second Asian Tour title at last year’s SJM Macao Open, but put himself in a position where he might not have to endure that long a wait for his third. The 30-year-old from Bangkok may not have had a good day with his tee shots, but his highly-rated short game was on song.

After making a great start, when he almost holed his tee shot on the 161-yard, par-three second hole, he added two more birdies and a bogey on the 11th hole.

“It was very tough for me, because I hit the driver so badly. I had maybe just four fairways today,” said Rattanon, currently ranked 20th in the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“Also, the greens were a little bit firmer and faster than the first two rounds. It’s very difficult to hit the greens. But my short game was good. I made at least four or five putts for par from about 10 feet.

Nitithorn Thippong of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

“I was just trying to keep calm throughout the round and play my own game. And that is what I want to do tomorrow – not think about what everyone else is doing on the course.”

Atiruj, who is hoping to win his first title on the Asian Tour, did not have the best start and lost some ground to his chasers on the first hole itself with a bogey. However, he made birdies on two of the four par-fives, before the double on the par-four 16th pushed him back.

“I did not make any putts today like I did in my opening round. And I was also struggling with my tee shots. I had to make many ups and downs, and most of them were for pars and not for birdies,” said the promising 25-year-old from Bangkok.

“Even for my two birdies, I had to chip and putt. And then there was the 16th hole, where I missed my tee shot to the right, from where you have no angle to the green. I had a 35-feet putt downhill putt for par, but three-putted.

“I just kept my focus on the next shot. I was trying to make some birdies because I know on this golf course, you are going to lose some shots.

“Yeah, big day tomorrow, but I am not thinking about my first Asian Tour win at all. If it happens, it’s OK, and if it doesn’t, it’s OK too.”

Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

The local challenge was led by birthday boy, Wang Wei-hsuan, who shot a two-under 70 and climbed to tied 10th place at even-par. It could have been a lot better finish, but Wang closed with doubles on the 14th and 17th holes after being five-under through 14 holes.

“I putted really well on the front nine, and everything seemed to be going in. I was able to execute the shots I wanted to hit. However, made a couple of errant drives on the back nine, got too aggressive there, which resulted in double-bogeys and then I three-putted the 17th,” said Wang, who turned 25 on Saturday, a week after finishing tied second in Yeangder TPC.

“But all’s good. At least I had made enough on the front to lose on the back. The game is still feeling good, so I am excited about tomorrow. I’m actually feeling more relaxed compared to last week.”

This is the 39th edition of the tournament, which has been a part of the Asian Tour schedule since 2000.

September 26: Atiruj Winaicharoenchai made three birdies in his last four holes, including on the tough par-4 ninth of the Taiwan Golf & Country Club, to increase his lead to two shots at the halfway stage of the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

The bounceback came after a double-bogey six on the third hole – his 12th – and helped him shoot a two-under-par 70. That gave him a two-round total of seven-under 137.

Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai and Australia’s Scott Hend, who is looking to become the oldest player to win on the Asian Tour, both shot 68s to reach 5-under total, while another Thai star, Rattanon Wannasrichan also shot a 68 and moved to solo fourth place at -4. Korea’s Jeunghun Wang (69) rounded up the top-5 at three-under.

Italy’s Gabriele De Barba (71), a recent champion on the Asian Development Tour in Chinese Taipei; Thai duo of Nitithorn Thippong (70) and Jazz Janewattananond (75); Chen Yi-tong (71), the best placed among the local players and Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (68) were tied sixth at one-under.

Scott Hend of Australia. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Atiruj, a 25-year-old from Bangkok, has never won on the Asian Tour and his career-best finish is a tied fifth place at this year’s International Series Japan presented by Moutai.

“I have once led an Asian Tour event after 54 holes, but this is the first time I have the halfway lead. I don’t care too much about lead as long as I am in contention,” said Atiruj.

“I had a few opportunities on the first nine, which is the back nine of the golf course. Made a big mistake on the third hole. Hit it in the jungle, hit the second over the green into the bunker, and then hit it over the green again. So, I was four-on and two-putted.

“On the last hole, I just wanted to make a par. I would have been happy with that and just head to tomorrow’s round. But I hit a good drive and then hit a second shot to six feet and made the putt. If it had not gone in, it would still have been a good finish for me.”

Speaking on the playing conditions, Arituj added: “It wasn’t as windy as yesterday, but the pins were very tough. Most of them were tucked. You really had to hit some good shots to have a birdie chance.”

Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Hend, who turned 52 on August 15 and is currently leading the Order of Merit on the European Legends Tour, showed that age was just a number as he matched the day’s lowest round of 68.

Winner of the tournament in 2013, if the Aussie wins again this week, he will set the new record of the oldest player to win on the Asian Tour. It is currently in the name of India’s Mukesh Kumar, who triumphed at the 2016 Panasonic Open India at the age of 51 years and 126 days.

After winning Jose Maria Olazabal’s seniors’ tournament in Spain, Hend flew to Chinese-Taipei and was on top of the leaderboard after nine holes of Yeangder TPC before making five bogeys and a quintuple on his last hole. But the 2016 Order of Merit champion showed it was nothing more than a minor blip.

“I was jet-lagged coming from Spain. I’d never seen the golf course before, and then I did not realise until I got there that I actually had the wrong golf ball. So, it just didn’t add up to a good week. But look, you can’t win every week. I won the week before. I just had a rough week last week that I’d put down to not sleeping well, and I am pleased to feel a bit more rested this week,” said Hend, who started with back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes.

Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

“I played the same as yesterday. Just had a little less wind today. Bogey-bogey is never a good way to start a round, but I have played this course so many times. You have to be patient here.

“I enjoy playing here on the Asian Tour. I want to win more here. It’s hard for me to come and play here as much as before. I’m trying to play three Tours at the moment. It is very difficult. But let’s see what the weekend holds.”

Playing in the afternoon, when the winds had calmed down a lot, Suradit made five birdies and a solitary bogey on the 11th hole. That included a chip-in birdie on the par-3 17th hole, after he sprayed his tee shot.

“I just felt lucky when I came in the morning to see there was not that much wind,” said the 2019 champion. “I felt good about the game and I really like this golf course. Overall, a good day.”

This is the 39th edition of the tournament, which has been a part of the Asian Tour schedule since 2000.

September 26: Christopher Hickman, an Asian Tour rookie, made a determined move up the leaderboard with a four-under-par 68 round – the best score in Friday’s morning session – as windy conditions at Taiwan Golf & Country Club continued to torment players in the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

The southpaw American, who turned 32 earlier this month (September 10), has played in development tour all over the world, but showed he is ready for the big time with a round that included five birdies and a solitary bogey. It helped him jump to tied eighth place after the morning group of players finished, up 58 places from Thursday’s tied 66th after a four-over 76.

The next best score of the morning was by Australia’s Ryan Peake (69), winner earlier this year at the 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.

However, with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond slipping with a second-round 75, overnight leader Atiruj Winaicharoenchai increased his lead at the top to three without playing any shots. Atiruj, who shot a 67 in Thursday’s opening round, is scheduled to tee off in the afternoon session.

Ryan Peake of Australia. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

At one-under total, Jazz was joined by compatriot Nitithorn Thippong (70), Italian Gabriele De Barba (71) and Chinese-Taipei’s Chen Yi-tong (71), the best-placed player among the local hopefuls.

Hickman, who turned professional in 2018, said he learned a lot from his opening round on Thursday. The highlight of his second round was a birdie on the 16th hole, where his drove under a tree, but punched out to 20 feet and made the putt.

“It felt pretty good. I kept the ball in front of me mostly and to make just one bogey on this golf course is good. I putted well and thought I scrambled well. Learned a lot from my mistakes in the first round,” said Hickman, who birdied three of the four par-fives on the golf course.

“It wasn’t as windy as yesterday, but on this course, if you get out of play, you need to be defensive and I did a good job of it whenever I was in the rough.”

Gabriele de Barba of Italy. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

De Barba’s round included a double bogey and two bogeys, but he also made five birdies. The Taiwan PGA Tour player, a winner earlier this year in an Asian Development Tour event in the country, was relishing the opportunity he now has in an Asian Tour event over the weekend.

The 29-year-old scored his first professional win following a dramatic four-hole play-off with local star Chan Shih-chang in Ambassador ADT in May.

“I made one big mistake on the 14th hole and ended up making a double there. Apart from that, I thought my tee shots were good and putting was decent,” said the Japan-based player.

“I don’t like this golf course that much because I missed cuts in two previous events on the Taiwan PGA here. But I have learned a lot from playing in TPGA and the ADT, so hopefully, I can keep going.”

This is the 39th edition of the tournament, which has been a part of the Asian Tour schedule since 2000.

September 25: Atiruj Winaicharoenchai was rock-steady in typically blustery conditions at Taiwan Golf & Country Club as the Thai youngster shot a solid five-under-par 67 for a one-shot lead over compatriot Jazz Janewattanond on opening day Thursday of the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

The 25-year-old from Bangkok closed with a bogey on the final 18th hole, but that could not wipe the smile off his face after a round that included five birdies and an eagle.

Jazz, the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, made a late bogey on the par-three 17th that denied him from joining Atiruj at the top, but his 68 was still two shots better than American George Kneiser, playing in his rookie year on the Asian Tour, and Japan’s Yuta Yoshikuwa.

Scott Hend, the 2016 Order of Merit champion, was among four players tied for the fifth place at 71 as only eight players managed to break par on a demanding course with the wind gusts reaching 40kmph at times. Also on 71 were Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai and Itthipat Buranatanyarat, and France’s Joel Stalter.

Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

In its 39-year history, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters has produced very few champions with double-digit sub-par winning scores, but Atiruj was on his way after a round in which he found a way to battle the elements – protect his short putts against the gusting winds that affected the ball flight, as well as its roll on the greens.

After finishing his round that featured four back-to-back birdies from the fifth to the eighth holes, Atiruj said: “It was a day when I easily made a birdie whenever I had the opportunity to do so, and I still could save pars when I was in danger of dropping shots.

“The key was that I took advantage of all four par-fives on the golf course. The eagle on the 15th was a lucky one because I was looking to two-putt a downhill putt, but it went in luckily.

“The wind picked up as we progressed with the round. I just picked my moments. Especially on the short two-three footers, I waited for the right time because the gusts were so strong.”

Yuta Yoshikuwa of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Jazz, 29 and also from Bangkok, made an early bogey on the par-four third hole, but knuckled down after that and made six birdies, including four in a six-hole stretch from the 11th to 16th.

Runner-up earlier this year at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf in Korea, said he surprised himself with the round.

“The game was not feeling so good (before coming to Taiwan). I’ve had a few top-10s, and a few missed cuts in a row. So, the game has been on a roller-coaster. I really don’t know where I am at, but I am delighted with the start,” said the six-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“I surprised myself with the way I played today. The golf course is playing really tough because of the wind. I don’t know how I did that, but I am pretty happy with a 68 start.

“I did not hit play too bad. I hit some good shots and I hit some bad shots, but I somehow managed to put it together. There was nothing special, nothing that stood out. I just wanted to shoot under-par today, and I succeeded in doing that.”

George Kneiser of the USA. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Kneiser, who hails from Milwaukee in Wisconsin and qualified for the US Open earlier this year, said the conditions were extremely difficult and he would have been happy with a par round.

“Extremely tough. I thought par would be a good score, so to come away with a couple under is a great feeling,” said the 27-year-old, who has previously played on the Korn Ferry Tour, as well as PGA Tour Canada and Latin America before securing his card on the Asian Tour through the Q School.

“The highlight of the round was definitely the two chip-ins I had – on hole 12 and the 18th (both for birdies). This is my first time in Taiwan and I had heard about this golf course last week. I knew the green complexes were challenging and that they were faster and firmer.

“The season so far has been up-and-down. I have made a bunch of cuts, but need to finish better. We are now into the busy part of the season, but I haven’t set any result-oriented goals for myself. I just want to play some good golf.”

This is the 39th edition of the tournament, which has been a part of the Asian Tour schedule since 2000.

Jbe Kruger says he is playing really bad golf.

Ahead of his defence of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, this week, he says his game is far from where it should be.

Speaking from Taiwan Golf & Country Club, the famous venue that has been the home of the tournament since 1987, he says: “I think it is the worst golf I have ever played, to be brutally honest.”

However, there is method to the madness. When he won here last year he was in a similar state – as he was before nearly all of his wins in the professional game.

“In my life it has been a funny road,” says the 39-year-old South African.

“All my victories have come when I am not playing well. I think there was one victory when I have actually played well, thinking I can actually win this week. All the other ones have come from hardship.”

In an extraordinary finish 12 months ago, when the tournament was battered by Typhoon Krathon and reduced to 54 holes, he won the tournament by two shots from Korean Jeunghun Wang and Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Jbe Kruger. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

He was tied with Wang playing the last but holed a six-foot birdie put while Wang made bogey.  It was a superhuman effort as all 54 holes were played over the weekend, with no play possible on the first two days because of the storm.

“Golf is a funny game in that way. You never know when it is going to come together and when it is not, when there is a going to be a typhoon, and when there is not. Someone said this week is the Typhoon Masters – not the Taiwan Masters. Every year is the same thing,” explained Kruger, whose wife Denise caddied for him last year, and is on the bag this year.

His victory last year was his third on the Asian Tour but first in five years. Remarkably, despite recurring trepidation he has also won five times at home on the Sunshine Tour and is two-time champion in Japan.

“It was quite brutal last year,” he says. “We as juniors grew up playing 36 holes a day but as you get older, and when you turn professional, you only play 18 holes a day. It wasn’t something we were not used to.

“It was actually hardest for Denise having to carry, but then luckily, they said they can use the buggies for the caddies, and it made my life easier not to worry about her. And then it was simply about keeping your energy up. We are not 21 or 22 anymore, and when you get a bit older, it’s difficult to concentrate over the last few holes.”

Jbe Kruger pictured with his wife Denise. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

He ranks his win here last year in the top three of his victories.

He adds: “Henrik Buhrmann, my good friend, who played in Asia for many years, says this event is one of the top three hardest events. He would say if you can make the cut here, you can make it anywhere.”

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters starts tomorrow and with Typhoon Ragasa skirting the country, beware of Jbe Kruger – he is not playing well.