Taichi Kho eyeing history making second gold at Asian Games
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho will commence the defence of his Asian Games individual title tomorrow – when the event’s golf tournament tees-off on the East Course at Kasugai Country Club in Japan.
In what will arguably be the biggest participation of Asian Tour members in a tournament outside of an Asian Tour event, Kho will lead 20 members out of a starting field of 66 players.
Three years ago Kho became the first player from Hong Kong to win the gold medal, when the Games was held in Hangzhou, China. The quadrennial event was due to be played in 2022 but was pushed back a year because of the global pandemic.
He also helped the Hong Kong team – which consisted of himself, Matthew Cheung, Jason Hak and Ng Shing Fung – claim the bronze medal.
Presently, sitting in third place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, thanks to a brilliant win at the International Series Morocco in July, Kho is in fine form and is also hoping that familiarity with his team and the host nation will be a big help.
“Really excited,” said Kho, who is joined this year once more by Cheung and Hak.
“It’s in Nagoya, so a little closer to where I’ve been playing this year, which I think I’ll have some experience over there, which will be nice. We have pretty much the same team again, so yeah, I’m really looking forward to the week.”
Last week’s winner of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters Hung Chien-yao is competing in the Asian Games after winning bronze last time. Picture by Graham Uden.
He beat PGA Tour star Im Sung-jae by a shot to win the gold. Remarkably it was in his first season as a professional and not long after his famous first victory on Asian Tour at the World City Championship.
He said: “I think winning that gold medal last time was probably still the best golf I’ve ever played. I was 22 under through two rounds, having opened with a 62 and 60 and I was just completely in the zone. I was able to fend off some really great players on the weekend. So, I think until that tap and drop on the last hole, it hadn’t really sunk in, and when that tap went in, I was, yeah, full of joy.”
Im lead the Korean team, along with Kim Si-woo, Jang Yu-bin and Cho Woo-young, to the team gold, while Thailand took the silver. The Thai team consisted of Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, Danthai Boonma, Poom Saksansin, and Phachara Khongwatmai.
“I think going back to Asian Games, it’s about being with your teammates, about the people you grew up playing with,” said Kho.
“So, I’m really looking forward to playing with those guys that I’ve grown up playing with, and the coaches, and you know, even the girls’ team. So I’m really looking forward to that.”
He will be attempting to become the first player to win more than one gold medal in the individual category.
Poom is the only member of the Thai team from three years ago who is back this time. He is joined by Sadom Kaewkanjana and Laopakdee ‘Fifa’ Pongsapak, the amateur star who won the Asian Amateur Championship and SEA Games gold medal last year.
Hung Chien-yao, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, claimed the individual bronze three years ago and is once again part of the Chinese-Taipei team, along with Chan Shih-chang and Wang Wei-hsuan.
Miguel Tabuena is also competing, having last played in 2000 when he won the silver media individually.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Kazuki Higa is part of the Japan team.
Tom Kim, the 2020-2022 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion now plying his trade on the PGA TOUR with great success, is representing Korea, along with Doyeob Mun and Kim Seonghyeon.
The men’s tournament is happening at the same time as the women’s event, on the same course.
This year is the 20th edition of the Asian Games, officially known as Aichi-Nagoya 2026. It is being held mainly in Aichi Prefecture and its capital city, Nagoya.
It is the third time Japan has hosted the multi-sport event, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994.
Approximately 11,000 athletes are competing in over 43 sports featuring 469 medal events.
Miguel Tabuena. Picture by Graham Uden.
Full list of Asian Tour members competing at the Asian Games:
Bangladesh: Siddikur Rahman
China: Sampson Zheng, Jin Zihao
Chinese-Taipei: Chan Shih-chang, Hung Chien-yao, Wang Wei-hsuan
Hong Kong: Matthew Cheung, Jason Shunyat Hak, Taichi Kho
India: Yuvraj Sandhu
Indonesia: Naraajie Ramadhanputra, Jonathan Wijono
Japan: Kazuki Higa
Korea: Doyeob Mun
Philippines: Miguel Tabuena, Carl Jano Corpus
Singapore: James Leo, Nicklaus Chiam
Thailand: Sadom Kaewkanjana, Poom Saksansin
Asian Games tee-times and results here
Main picture: Taichi Kho with his Asian Games gold medal. Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
There was plenty of drama at last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters and plenty of great comments from the players who were in the thick of the action. Here are the best of the quotes from a memorable week which saw Hung Chien-yao claim his first title on the Asian Tour.
First Round
Jbe Kruger from South Africa, who won this tournament in 2024, after sharing the mid-day lead on Thursday with a 68 (-4):
- “It was brutal. It’s just a tough golf course. You have to play well. You can’t make mistakes. Every single shot you have to concentrate on because it’s just that tough. The greens are so fast, if you miss the fairways, you can’t stop it. So, you have to physically try and hit the fairway, and if you don’t, you’re just trying to get it on the green. So, it’s just not a normal golf course. It’s literally try to hit the fairway, then you try and hit the green because the greens are so fast and they’re so good.”
Kruger’s playing partner Malaysian Gavin Green, the winner of this event and the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2017 posted a 68 in the morning wave and had this to say:
- “Obviously, had not much real expectations. I’ve been injured for like three months now. The place has changed a lot for me; I think I just actually played quite well and had the feeling of playing nice again.”
Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai playing in the afternoon, on his 68 on the difficult Tamsui layout:
- “I am trying to get better every year and try new things. I have been playing in tough conditions already, so I am prepared for this week.”
Kevin Yuan from Australia took the lead late in the day after a 67 that included an eagle on the fifth hole, his 14th:
- “So me and Clayton [his caddie] were thinking about hitting driver to reach because we had the front tee box this week, and driver’s been feeling good. So, I hit driver and hit it to like maybe 18 feet, just short of the flag, and I hit a really good putt there. So yeah, it was a driver and a holed putt.”
On his start on the notoriously tricky par three 10th hole, the most difficult hole of the day:
- “I started off with a great birdie on 10, and 10’s always such a tough hole to start. Had a great four iron, and then holed a really good 15-footer, and then made a huge par on 11, and then yeah, it’s just been up and down. Like I made a few big pars today which really helped my score, because on this course it’s quite easy to make a bogey. The rough is really thick and the fairways are pretty tiny, so you miss the fairway and you’re just trying to save par.”
Gavin Green. Picture by Graham Uden.
Second Round
Hung Chien-yao from Chinese Taipei finished third the week before at Yeangder TPC and continued his good form of late on Friday with a 67 to sit T2 going into the weekend:
- “Ah, to be honest, after the pro-am I was playing nine holes on Monday with my wife, and I just feel like this is one of the toughest courses. You know, you just gotta stay with it, you just have to play smart. You don’t have to really attack. So my plan today was just hit more fairways and more greens than yesterday, and just give myself a lot more chances and I think I will just do well.”
On having his wife on the bag for the second week in a row:
- “I had a bogey on the first, so I was kind of not happy with it. But it’s all right because I talked to my wife, and she was like, “You know, this is one of the courses where it’s going to happen. So just stay with it, go to the next hole, next shot, and just do well”.
Asked about his recent form that has seen him with six top-10s in a row in tournaments on the Asian Tour, Asian Development Tour and local circuit he said:
- “Really? I never noticed, so I don’t know. But I think that’s a pretty good result. I mean, that means my game is getting there, so I just gotta be patient and wait, and then hopefully, you know, one day it will be coming.”
First round leader Yuan after finishing his round bogey, bogey for a 73:
- “Definitely up and down for me. It’s so tough, just you miss the fairway a little bit, and even if you have like 100, 120 meters, it’s still really tough to just guess what the lie is going to do, guess what the wind’s gonna do. And yeah, I think on 17 I just hit a bad tee shot, but it’s a tough par three. And then on 18, I was in the middle of the fairway and I had a great lie, and I was like, let’s try to attack this. And I must have just got a flier from the middle of the fairway, and I don’t know what to think about that.”
Green is on the comeback trail after posting a 71 to be five under and in joint second at the halfway stage:
- “Yeah, I mean it’s honestly a great feeling, and it’s good to be here again. Like I miss this, I miss this a lot, so I’m looking forward to the weekend. Look, it’s obviously going to be some challenges, and I just got to deal with it and kind of just play with it.”
Explaining his elbow injury he said:
- “It’s not 100%, it’s not. I’m still running a little bit on ibuprofen’s and just trying to calm it down a little bit. And then you know, in the room, in the mornings and nights, I still have to stretch it out and try to loosen it as much as I can. So, yeah, just managing it really.”
Tied with Green and Hung for second after a 69 was Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand, the winner of the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open in 2023 and 2024 and the Yeangder TPC in 2024. Asked why he plays so well in Chinese Taipei he said:
- “I think it’s that I have many good friends here. I like the food, and I play local tournaments every year that I got the card. I think that is an advantage.”
Home player Chang Wei-lun topped the leaderboard on six-under-par through 36 holes and he had this to say after his 68:
- “Really very happy to play well in such a big tournament. We all know how challenging the course is, so we come here prepared. It’s tough, but at the same time the greens are just so good to play on. Course familiarity is key here. I’m using a local caddie, and he was able to read the greens well so that helped.”
Third Round
Hung again posted a score in red figures with a 70 to take over the lead from his countryman after 54 holes:
- “Yeah, I am excited about tomorrow, I’m always excited. I mean, I finished number three last week, and playing pretty good on this course. I know a lot of crowds, a lot of spectators, are actually here for me, so I’m just gonna enjoy the round tomorrow and just try to hit a lot of good shots to show everybody.”
Green remained in tied-second after a solid 71 and put himself in a great position for the final round, just one off the lead:
- “Yeah, I’m excited. Like I said, I think what it is for me is I’m just trying to get that consistency. As long as I can just continue with that consistency, whatever happens, happens. But all I know is I’m enjoying myself. You know, it’s fun, for me this is like home again. So, yeah, it’s good to be back.”
Jazz Janewattananond. Picture by Graham Uden.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond is again having a good tournament after finishing T4 at the Yeangder TPC, coming back from a rough first round of 75 to post 68, 69 on Friday and Saturday to be T5 going into Sunday:
- “I think the first round I got a bit too eager, because the scoring last week and this week has been so different. I feel like I was chasing it a bit too much on the first day, because I still had that mentality of like, you gotta go out and shoot like five six under par or you’re dropping. In this case, you don’t really need to chase it here. You just like pop it along, and then you just gotta hole some chips, hole some big putts, and be on your merry way.”
Final Round
An elated Hung after making a birdie on the last hole to win, after bogeying 16 and 17 to drop into a tie with Australian Wade Ormsby:
- “I’m very excited and very, very happy, I think my whole body is still shaking. You know, I’m very happy and I’m thankful for all the people to come out here to support me. I know a lot of people were coming out here to watch me play, and I have to apologise to the spectators because I made people nervous because of my bogeys on 16 and 17. But on the last putt I made it, and I’m very happy with the final result. I’m very happy, I can’t say nothing more about it.”
Speaking about the birdie on the 72nd hole he said:
- “It was actually 20 feet, uphill putt, I thought I had the line. I know it’s not gonna do much, so I’m just gonna go straight at it, and I just need to have good speed. I hit a good putt and then finally the ball went in, so I’m very, very happy. And I think my wife was really happy, she was crying, so thanks to her too.”
Wade Ormsby started the final round five shots behind Hung, but teeing off an hour ahead he posted a 67 to put serious heat on the leading groups:
- “Yeah, I’m satisfied with that one. I played well yesterday but I didn’t finish it off, so I was really determined to kind of knuckle down on that back nine, which I found pretty tough all week. I think it’s tough for everyone. I made a good save on the last there, so it always leaves a good taste in the mouth. Had a good chance on 15 and 16, but yeah, it’s tough out there. I did think I had a chance today. I had a look [at the scoreboard] after I hit my chip shot on 18, so I knew I had to make that to do anything. I guess you do think about it, but you kind of just try to keep doing your job.”
Green stayed positive after a round of 73 that saw him finish tied-third, his best result in the last two years:
- “Obviously, a little bit of nerves kicked in and it’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. I don’t see it as a negative; I see it as a positive and I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Summing up his first week back on the Asian Tour since early 2024 he said:
- “I think it’s a pretty positive week, a very, very good week. You know, I was pretty lucky enough where I was able to hold myself in that position for pretty much the whole time, and you know, I was close to the lead and just didn’t get it done unfortunately.”
About his outlook on the rest of his season:
- “It does feel good, and the funny thing is, it doesn’t feel like it’s that far off. I mean, in this game the misses are so small and everything, but I definitely don’t feel that it’s that far off. I feel like I’m closer than what it looks like, and you know, it’s showing slowly. I mean, I have two weeks off now, and get my arm rested and go again in Macau.”
Jazz recapping his week in Tamsui after a final round 71 to finish T3:
- “Happy with the week, happy with how I finished especially after the first day, where I was sitting way below the cut line, to finish third again. To finish top five, is really something to be proud of myself and I know where my game is at the moment. Meaning, it’s a lot better because if you can do that every week, and then when you have all four good days, you can win the tournament.”
Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao [main picture] claimed the Mercuries Taiwan Masters today after a pulsating finish that saw him finally win his first Asian Tour title after a two decades long wait.
He drained a brilliant 20-foot putt for birdie on the final hole to beat Australia’s Wade Ormsby by a shot, after having been cruising to victory before costly bogeys on 16 and 17.
Hung fired a one-under-par 71 to finish on eight-under-par here at Taiwan Golf & Country Club, while Ormsby did his best to spoil his party by shooting a 67 – the joint lowest round of the day.
Korea’s Wang Jeunghun (71), Jazz Janewattananond (71) and Suteepat Prateeptienchai (72) from Thailand, and Malaysian Gavin Green (73), the champion here in 2017, tied for third, three behind Hung.
“I’m very excited and very, very happy. I think my whole body is still shaking,” said Hung, whose wife Nikki was caddying for him.
“You know, I’m very happy and I’m thankful for all the people to come out here to support me. I know a lot of people were coming out here to watch me play, and I have to apologise to the spectators because I made people nervous because of my bogeys on 16 and 17. But on the last putt I made it, and I’m very happy with the final result. I’m very happy, I can’t say nothing more about it.”
Hung Chien-yao.
He had started the day with a one-shot lead and, playing in the final group, made the ideal start with a birdie on the first and by the turn led by two from Ormsby.
Ormsby, playing five groups ahead, did not take the pressure off on the second nine and closed the gap to one when made birdie on 13 while Hung dropped a shot on 10.
The experienced Australian, chasing his sixth victory on the Asian Tour, parred his way home meaning the tournament was Hung’s to lose.
Hung appeared in complete control when he birdied the 14th to go two ahead but he missed a 10 footer on 16 and saw a six footer on the penultimate hole slide by the cup.
A sudden-death play-off looked a strong possibility before Hung’s stunning finish saw him celebrate a putt like never before.
“It was actually 20 feet, uphill putt, I thought I had the line. I know it’s not gonna do much, so I’m just gonna go straight at it, and I just need to have good speed. I hit a good putt and then finally the ball went in, so I’m very, very happy. And I think my wife was really happy, she was crying, so thanks to her too.”
The win is perfect preparation for the 34-year-old ahead of next week’s Asian Games in Japan.
The maiden victory comes long after he first started playing on the Asian Tour in the mid-2000s when he was an amateur.
Having finished third in last week’s Yeangder TPC and having won the Ambassador ADT Open in July, for his third title on the Asian Development Tour, the signs were there that a first win on the Asian Tour was coming.
Wade Ormsby.
Since becoming a member of the Asian Tour in 2012, he has finished second once – in last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open – third four times, and fourth on four occasions.
He is now in sixth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having earned a lucrative cheque for US$240,000.
Said Ormsby: “Yeah, I’m satisfied with that one. I played well yesterday, but I didn’t finish it off, so I was really determined to kind of knuckle down on that back nine, which I found pretty tough all week. I think it’s tough for everyone. I made a good save on the last there, so it always leaves a good taste in the mouth. Had a good chance on 15 and 16, but yeah, it’s tough out there.
“I did think I had a chance today. There’s just so many guys there, so yeah, I tried not to look at scoreboards all day. I had a look after I hit my chip shot on 18, so I knew I had to make that to do anything. I guess you do think about it, but you kind of just try to keep doing your job.”
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert enjoyed another good week, returning a 69 to tie for seventh. Last week’s winner of the Yeangder TPC keeps the lead on the Merit list, with just four events remain this season.
Added incentive this year is the fact that the Merit list champion will earn a card for the DP World Tour next year – a result of the Asian Tour’s multiyear partnership with the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR.
Thailand’s Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat is not in the running for that but caught the eye today with a top 10 finish in just his second event as a professional. He missed the cut last week on debut but the 19 year old carded a 70 today to end on three under.
His compatriot Rattanon Wannasrichan, the defending champion, closed with a 70 to finish two over in a tie for 31st.
The Asian Tour takes a two-week break now before heading to two of its most iconic events: first the SJM Macao Open, followed the week after by the Link Hong Kong Open. The former will be played at Macau Golf & Country Club from 15-18 October, and the latter at the Hong Kong Golf Club from 22-25 October.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao [main picture, right] edged closer to an elusive first win on the Asian Tour today after taking the third-round lead in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
He fired a two-under-par 70 to lead on seven under for a one-shot advantage over compatriot Shen Wei-cheng, who returned the same score, and Gavin Green – the Malaysian who claimed this event in 2017 and shot a 71 today.
Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai is a stroke further back in solo fourth, following a 72, in one of Chinese-Taipei’s most revered tournaments, staged at Taiwan Golf & Country Club.
Overnight leader Chang Wei-lun from Chinese-Taipei suffered double bogeys on the eighth and 13th and came in with a 74. He is three off the lead in a tie for fifth.
Hung, a prolific winner on the Taiwan PGA Tour, was paired in the final group with Chang and after a great start that saw him birdie the first two holes he later endured trouble of his own, making a bogey on six and a double on the 10th. He steadied the ship with birdies on 14 and 15.
Hung Chien-yao.
“I was kind of upset [after the double on 10], but that was all right because I know number 10 is always a tough hole,” said Hung, whose wife Nikki is caddying for him.
“So, yeah, I’m okay with that. I mean, maybe not double, but I’m okay with a bogey. I should have just played smarter to make just a bogey.”
He finished third in the Yeangder TPC last week, making it 11 top five finishes in 13 seasons on the Asian Tour, with a best finish of second place in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last year.
The 34-year-old also won the Ambassador ADT Open on home soil in July – for his third win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
Remarkably, he has triumphed 15 times on local tour since 2013, including the three ADT victories.
He said: “Yeah, I am excited about tomorrow, I’m always excited. I mean, you know, finished number three last week, and playing pretty good on this course. I know a lot of crowds, a lot of spectators, are actually here for me, so I’m just gonna enjoy the round tomorrow and just try to hit a lot of good shots to show everybody.”
On another day filled with birdies and bogeys, Green’s scorecard was remarkably tame. He made two birdies and dropped one shot to put himself in position for his first Asian Tour victory since his success here nine years ago.
“Actually, I could have gotten pretty good, just missed a lot of putts early on,” he said. “You know, hitting it all right, hitting a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, just not making any putts. Just struggling with the putts and getting the lines, getting the speed obviously uphill into the grain, it just takes a big hit.”
Gavin Green.
He also claimed the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2017 before focusing on the DP World Tour but after a season heavily interrupted by tennis elbow he is revelling being back as the seen of what was arguably his biggest victory to date.
“Yeah, I’m excited. Like I said, I think what it is for me is I’m just trying to get that consistency. As long as I can just continue with that consistency, you know, whatever happens, happens,” he said.
“But all I know is I’m enjoying myself. You know, it’s fun, and it’s fun being here. For me, this is like home again. So, yeah, it’s good, it’s good to be back.”
Australian Jed Morgan (69), Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (69), Jeunghun Wang (70) from Korea, American Shotaro Ban (71) and Chinese-Taipei’s Hsieh Ting-wei (71), share fifth place with Chang.
Thailand’s Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat continued to enjoy a good week in just his second tournament as a professional. He returned a 71 and is in joint 19th place, on one under.
Chang Wei-lun [main picture] gave local fans something to cheer about today after taking the lead in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, at Taiwan Golf & Country Club.
The Chinese-Taipei golfer shot a second-round four-under-par 68 to finish six-under.
He is one ahead of compatriot Hung Chien-yao, full of confidence after finishing third in the Yeangder TPC last week, who carded a 67 – the joint best round of the week so far – plus Malaysia’s Gavin Green, the champion here in 2017, and Suteepat Prateeptienchai from Thailand.
Green continued his fine comeback after an injury plagued year to shoot a 71 while Suteepat, a Chinese-Taipei specialist with three wins here in the last three years, fired a 69.
Australian Kevin Yuan, whose 67 yesterday gave him the first-round lead, is in fifth place, one stroke further back after a 73. He is joined by Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Shih-chang and Shen Wei-cheng, who came in with rounds of 67 and 71 respectively.
Chang, who has one Asian Development Tour win to his name from 2017, has put himself in a great position to mount a serious challenge for one of the tournaments Chinese-Taipei players want to win the most.
Hung Chien-yao.
Paired with Yuan, he gave no indication of what was about to come when he made a bogey on the third. However, three birdies in a row from the sixth and two more on 10 and 13 saw him storm through to the top.
“Really very happy to play well in such a big tournament,” said the 33-year-old, who tied for fifth here two years ago for one of seven top five finishes since joining the Asian Tour in 2015.
“We all know how challenging the course is, so we come here prepared. It’s tough but at the same time the greens are just so good to play on. Course familiarity is key here. I’m using a local caddie, and he was able to read the greens well so that helped.”
Hung is enjoying a strong season. As well as last week’s result, which was one of his best finishes on the Asian Tour, he also tied for fifth at the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship and won the Ambassador ADT Open on home soil in July – for his third win on the Asian Development Tour.
Like Chang he made his one and only bogey of the day early on, on the first hole. And like the leader he climbed into contention helped by three birdies on the trot from the sixth. He made six birdies in total.
“I was playing nine holes on Monday with my wife [his caddie], and then I just feel like this is one of the toughest courses,” he said.
“I mean, tougher than Linkou last week, because of the rough. I know that it’s gonna get windy. And you know, the green is fast and firm. It’s fast, so I know it’s playing a lot tougher than last week.
Gavin Green.
“But because we play courses out here, like four, five tournaments in a year, I kind of know the courses. You just gotta stay with it, just have to play smart. You don’t have to really attack.”
A pep talk from his wife after his bogey also did the trick.
He said: “She said to me ‘You know, this is one of the courses where that’s going to happen. So just stay with it, go to the next hole, play the next shot, and just do well.”
Green, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title the year he claimed this week’s event, has been suffering from tennis elbow for much of the year.
Having made the turn in two over he was well off the pace but produced the kind of golf he is known on the second half, making five birdies, although a double on his 14th, the fifth as he started on 10, cost him the outright lead.
Asked about his elbow, he said: “It’s not 100%. It’s not. I’m still running a little bit on Ibuprofen and just trying to calm it down a little bit. And then you know, in the room, in the mornings and nights, I still have to stretch it out and try to loosen it as much as I can. So, yeah, just managing it really.”
Suteepat’s arrival at the top of the leaderboard will surprise no one. He won the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Yeangder TPC in 2024.
He joked: “It’s the last event of the year for us in Chinese-Taipei, so it’s my last chance!”
Yuan, like Chang and Hung, is looking for his first win on the Asian Tour.
Kevin Yuan.
“I was happy with how I hit it, but it’s just one of those ones where you’re gonna get some flyers. It’s just gonna not go your way sometimes,” he said
“Yeah, I’m happy, like still being in the hunt. I’m really happy with how I’m like putting it. Obviously, the greens are always nice here at this golf course, and definitely made a few big par putts, which has helped me keep in this because I do feel like they didn’t really go my way this today. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Australian Kevin Yuan [main picture] made a brilliant eagle two on his 14th to snatch the first-round lead in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters today.
It helped him fire a five-under-par 67 at Taiwan Golf & Country Club for a one-shot lead, on an extremely hot day when the course lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest.
South Africa’s Jbe Kruger and Gavin Green from Malaysia, both former champions here, who were paired together today, shots 68s to sit in second along with Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai from Thailand.
They are a stroke ahead of Chinese-Taipei’s Shen Wei-cheng, Denzel Ieremia from New Zealand, Swede Charlie Lindh, Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig and Korean Minhyuk Song, who carded 69s.
Yuan started on the back nine and was four under by the time he reached the 333-yard par-four fifth, his 14th.
Said the 29-year-old: “So me and Clayton [his caddie] were thinking about hitting driver to reach because we had the front tee box this week, and driver’s been feeling good. So, I hit driver and hit it to like maybe 18 feet, just short of the flag, and I had a really good putt there. So yeah, it was driver and a holed putt.”
Jbe Kruger.
He also made five birdies and two bogeys, the last coming on his 16th to cut his two-shot lead, to make a good start that backs up a good season with has seen him rise up to 31st place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“I started off with a great birdie to go on 10, and 10’s always such a tough hole to start. Had a great four iron, and then holed a really good 15 footer, and then made a huge par on 11, and then yeah, it’s just been up and down.
“Like I made a few big pars today, which really helped my scores because on this course it’s quite easy to make bogey. The rough is really thick, and the fairways are pretty tiny. So you miss the fairway, and you’re just trying to save par.”
This week’s venue is the oldest golf club in the country, and its greens are in immaculate condition according to the players. However, its tight-tree lined fairways and tricky, sloping greens are once again posing a huge challenge.
“It was brutal,” said Kruger.
“It’s just a tough golf course. You have to play well. You can’t make mistakes. Every single shot you have to concentrate on because it’s just that tough.
“The greens are so fast, if you miss the fairways, you can’t stop it. So, you have to physically try and hit the fairway, and if you don’t, you’re just trying to get it on the green. So, it’s just not a normal golf course. It’s literally try and hit the fairway, then you try and hit the green because the greens are so fast, because they’re so good.”
He made an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys today.
The South African won here in 2024 for his first victory on the Asian Tour in five years after an extraordinary weekend of golf that saw three rounds played, each shotgun starts, as a result of Typhoon Krathon. Extremely poor weather meant no play was possible on Thursday and Friday. It was his third title on the Asian Tour.
Gavin Green.
On playing with old friend Green, he said: “It definitely helps. Obviously, I’ve known him a long time. It helps play with someone you know, a familiar face, but I can’t hit it as far as him, unfortunately.”
Green, who made five birdies and dropped one shot, is playing here for the first time since his victory, the year he claimed the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
He has been out of action for three months suffering from tennis elbow, so was more than happy with his start.
“Obviously, had not much real expectations,” he said.
“I’ve been injured for like three months now. Obviously, the place has changed a lot for me. I think I just actually played quite well and actually had the feeling of playing nice again.”
Atiruj finished first at a first stage qualifier for the DP World Tour Qualifying School at the start of the month in Belgium. He was 18 under the event and so is coming into the week in good form.
He said “I am trying to get better every year and try new things. I have been playing in tough conditions already, so I am prepared for this week.”
A host of players fired 70s, including Filipino Miguel Tabuena and Ratchanon Chantananuwat, the young Thai star who turned professional last week.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert was also in the same group as Kruger and Green. Last week’s winner of the Yeangder TPC and the new Asian Tour Merit list leader returned a 71.
Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, third on the Merit list, returned a 74, while defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand shot 76.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Overview
The Mercuries Taiwan Masters enjoys the distinction of being Chinese-Taipei’s longest-running professional golf tournament run by a single company.
It is a rare achievement in today’s fast-paced world of professional golf, which re-enforces the status of the tournament.
Founded in 1987 by Mercuries Life Insurance Chairman, Mr. George Wong, it became part of the Asian Tour in 2000 – when local star Keng-chi Lin triumphed.
Lu Wen-teh has won it more times than anyone else with four victories, in 1994, 1996, 2007, 2008, while a long list of Asian Tour stars have been successful here: Thaworn Wiratchant, Scott Hend, Gavin Green and Daniel Chopra.
This week marks its 40th edition and 24th as an Asian Tour event.
Mercuries have kindly increased the prizemoney to US$1.2million from US$1million.
Established in 1993, Mercuries Life Insurance is mainly a life insurance company. Headquartered in New Taipei City it provides personal insurance, annuities, travel and group insurance and other life insurance products.
George Wong, Chairman of the Mercuries Group.
Taiwan Golf & Country Club
Nicknamed “The Old Tamsui Course” it was established in 1919 and is the oldest golf club in Chinese-Taipei.
While not long by modern standards, it is a notoriously difficult course with treelined fairways on both sides and greens that are very tricky and difficult for first timers.
It is also regarded as the cradle of professional golf in Chinese-Taipei because the historic venue has produced many Taiwanese golf legends, including Min Nan Hsieh, Ji Xiong Guo, TC Chen, Wen teh Lu, Ter Chang Wang, Liang His Chen, and the Hsieh brothers Yu Shu and Chin Sheng.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Mercuries Taiwan Masters
- Date: 24 – 27September 2026
- Venue: Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Tamsui, Chinese Taipei
- Par/Yards: 72 / 6,946yards
- Purse: US$1.2million
- Asian Tour leg: Eleventh
- Edition of tournament: 40th
- Previous winner: Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA)
- Previous winning score: 283 (-5)
- Total number of players: 125
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 plus ties.
Taiwan Golf & Country Club.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Gavin Green (2017), Liang Wenchong (2007), Jeev Milkha Singh (2006 & 2008)
- Nationalities: 23
- Top contenders: Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Taichi Kho (HKG), Travis Smyth (AUS), Chien-yao Hung (TPE), Wei-hsuan Wang (TPE), Jazz Janewattananond (THA)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Travis Smyth (AUS) #180
- Highest ranked player on the Order of Merit: Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) #1
- of amateurs in the field: 5
- of Chinese Taipei players in the field: 44
Tournament Notes
- Last week’s winner Pavit Tangkamolprasert from Thailand is having an outstanding season. In addition to the victory at the Yeangder TPC last week he also has a runner-up at the season opening Philippine Golf Championship and a T2 at the International Series Japan soon after. After these fine performances he now tops the Asian Tour Order of Merit table for the first time in his career. Outside of the Asian Tour he has posted a runner-up and a T2 on the All Thailand Tour in 2026.
- The defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan just had his best result of the season last week at the Yeangder TPC, posting a score of -18 for a T8. The two-time Asian Tour winner will be looking to use the good memories of his victory here last year to produce another good finish, and to bring his season back to the level he is accustomed to.
- Travis Smyth from Australia won the International Series Japan in early April, and before that had a third-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a solo-fifth at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort. On the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia he early in the year won the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship to wrap up the 2025/26 Order of Merit crown on that tour after , also helped by two other top-fives. Winning the Order of Merit title on his home tour has secured Smyth status on the DP World Tour for 2027.
- Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho won the the International Series Morocco, in dramatic fashion over Bubba Watson just before the mid-year break. The win came the week following a T2 in the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup on the Japan Tour after coming up short in a three-way playoff. Kho made a charge on Saturday last week, posting a 64 to sit in T3 after three rounds, but fell back after a 71 on Sunday on a low scoring day. Prior to this year’s win in Morocco Kho had one career victory on the Asian Tour, the 2023 World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club.
- Hung Chien-yao from the host nation came within two strokes of a playoff last week in Linkou. Having won three times on the Asian Development Tour before, including once in 2026 at the Ambassador ADT Open, his solo-third finish last week equals his best performance on the Asian Tour.
- Fellow local star Wang Wei-hsuan stormed home with an un-official course record equalling 62 in the final round at Linkou to finish T4, his best result on the Asian Tour in 2026. He had his best Asian Tour season in 2025 when he finished ninth on the Order of Merit following third-place finish in this tournament, runner-up at the SJM Macao Open after a playoff loss, and T2 at the Yeangder TPC. He won the local circuit Order of Merit last year and has two wins and three T2’s there so far this season. Two of the T2s were also part of the Asian Development Tour.
- The 2019 Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand is working his way closer towards an eighth Asian Tour win, which would put him T6 on the win-table with players like Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa from India and England’s Lee Westwood. After a T4 at the Yeangder TPC after four rounds in the 60s last week, two T3s at International Series Morocco and Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, another win should not be far away.
Main picture: defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert [main picture] says the prospect of playing on the DP World Tour next season if he wins the Asian Tour Order of Merit does not daunt him and has come at just the right time in his career.
The Thai star won the Yeangder TPC last week, for his first victory on the Asian Tour in seven years, to move to the top of the Merit list for the first time in his career and plans on staying there.
“I’m so happy to be in a position to finish top of the Order of Merit,” said the 37-year-old – who will tee-off in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters tomorrow.
“I’m gonna try my best on the events coming up to maintain this position. I’ve never won the Order of Merit before, so yeah I will give 100% to get it for the first time in my life.”
The reward of a DP World Tour card is one of the benefits to come from the Asian Tour’s renewed partnership with its European counterparts and could not have come at a better time for Pavit.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert and his wife get drenched after his win last week.
“It is very good for us to have the opportunity to play the DP World Tour and skip qualifying if I finish first. I played there in 2017 and that time I was young and lacked experience. I think it’s a good chance to go back and prove myself again.”
In his 16th season playing on the Asian Tour, Pavit is in the form of his life.
In addition to his impressive wire-to-wire victory last week, he was runner-up at the season opening Philippine Golf Championship and joint second at the International Series Japan soon after. Outside of the Asian Tour he also posted a runner-up and an equal second on the All Thailand Tour this season.
“I think I have played solid since International Series Jakarta last year, but this year after coming close in many events, I’ve managed to get my mentality stronger. It’s not easy to win a tournament anywhere, and I think I handled the situation last week quite well,” he said.
He will get an early chance to experience playing in Europe next week as he has entered the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
He said: “Again, I’ve been there in 2017. Such a great event and a lot of world class players. I’m looking forward to learning from them to improve my game. I didn’t play links course much in my entire life, so I’ll try my best to play in that condition. I’m ok with Europe, the grass is different from Asia, but the most difficult is the weather!”.
Upon his return he will then face the final four events of the season on the Asian Tour when the race for the Merit title really hots up. He’s already experienced what it’s like to win an Order of Merit as he won the Asian Development Tour’s rankings in 2014 and the All Thailand Golf Tour’s in 2020 but finishing first on the Asian Tour will be an achievement like no other, experienced by an exceptional few.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Khavish Varadan [main picture] is well within his rights to consider 2026 a breakthrough season so far.
Currently riding high on top of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit, thanks to a win and a pair of second placed finishes, he’s also shown glimpses of his potential on the Asian Tour. He tied for 11th at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open in May – for his best finish on the Tour.
However, ahead of this week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, Malaysia’s rising star is not getting ahead of himself.
“I wouldn’t say breakthrough,” says the 26-year-old, “but I’m just building on every week. You know, I’m not doing anything special. It’s just, you know, the same thing every week. Hopefully the breakthrough will come soon.”
Varadan represents an exciting new generation of golfers from his country, that includes Ervin Chang.
At last week’s Yeangder TPC he was one of the clubhouse leaders on the first day and eventually finished in a tie for 39th . The result moved him into 66th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Chang charged through on the final day carding a 64 to end in out right possession of sixth. It was his second-best performance on Tour and means he is well placed in 35th position on the Merit list.
Khavish Varadan in action last week.
Varadan will want to improve on his Merit list position and has work to do, while also trying to wrap up first place on the ADT Merit list.
He said he struggled to deal with the nuances of the Chinese-Taipei greens last week but credits a swing change and a new caddie with his strong performances this year. His countryman Guna, who used to work with Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, is now on his bag.
“Went through a swing change middle of last year, somewhere in April. It’s nice to see the changes I’ve made in my golf game prosper slowly,” he said.
“I would say hiring Guna has made a big difference, as well as the work on my swing and also the new irons that I put in have been performing really well. So, you know, everything kind of blends in together. But I would say, first, I think having a good guy on my bag is really helpful.”
He first made headlines at Malaysian Open early in 2024, when in his first event as a professional he shared the lead at the halfway mark. He went on to finish in a tie for 13th for an impressive debut.
However, it’s been this year that he has started to find his feet, with his place on the Asian Tour made possible thanks to finishing 22nd at the Qualifying School.
His form has helped vindicate his decision two years ago to not finish his final year at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in order to make the transition to the paid ranks.
“It wasn’t easy,” he says of the important decision.
“I could have finished my final year in college, but I didn’t see any help in my golf game continuing at university. Whilst on the other end it’s not easy, professional golf is also not easy. You know, you need a little bit of luck involved and also a good support system, which I have. You know, I am thankful to my dad for that because he was like, ‘Well, if you make a decision, I’m all in …’.
Khavish Varadan (left) was the top Malaysian player when he tied for 13th at the Malaysian Open in 2024.
“So, it’s been good. I think I have learned a lot in professional golf because in university we wouldn’t be playing in conditions like this, and able to perform in conditions like this. You know, everyone’s playing in it and everyone’s playing well in it, so we’ve got to find a way to put the ball in the hole. So, I think I would be complaining a lot in university, but now, no.”
His victory on the ADT came at the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters where he defeated Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond in extra time, while one of his runner-up finishes was also the result of a play-off, at the PKNS Selangor Masters on home soil. Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam got the better of him on that occassion.
Those were certainly invaluable real-life experiences that could not have been learned at university and will hopefully put him on course to winning on the Asian Tour – something which no Malaysian has achieved since Nicholas Fung and Gavin Green in 2017. The former claimed the Queen’s Cup in June of that year, while the latter was victorious in October, at the very same event that starts this Thursday at Taiwan Golf & Country Club.
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