Rattanon’s next target: A win on The International Series
Fresh from his victory at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters at the weekend, Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan tees-off in the Jakarta International Championship today at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course brimming with confidence and eager to chase down what he describes as his “biggest goal of the season” – a win on The International Series.
Nicknamed ‘Fluke’, the 30-year-old has shown there is nothing lucky about his talent. He is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour, having also won last year’s SJM Macao Open, wire-to-wire, and the Thailand Open in 2017.
Last week in Taiwan, Rattanon reaffirmed his place among Asia’s top talents and capped off a strong stretch of form this season, which also saw him finish runner-up at the Yeangder TPC and T7 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open.
Now, with momentum on his side, Rattanon says Jakarta provides the perfect stage to chase his next milestone: victory on The International Series – 10 upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
“This year, my biggest goal has been to win on The International Series,” Rattanon shared. “Getting the trophy in Taiwan last week gave me a lot of confidence, and I hope I can carry that into Jakarta. Of course, The International Series events are bigger – the prize fund, the strength of the field, and the pathway to LIV Golf. Winning one would prove to myself that I am ready for the bigger leagues, and that is what I am working towards.”
Rattanon Wannasrichan and his peers celebrate on the 18th last Sunday. Picture by Graham Uden Asian Tour.
While his season has included undoubted highs, Rattanon has also faced setbacks, notably missing out on valuable points at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn after being forced to withdraw through a back injury.
But he insists those moments have only fueled his determination.
“Missing Macau was tough because I was looking forward to it and really wanted those points,” he said. “But setbacks are part of the game. Last week’s win reminded me that if I stay patient and keep working, good things will happen. Now, it is about staying consistent and giving myself more chances.”
This week, Rattanon says his focus is on playing freely, enjoying the game, and building on the improvements he saw in Taiwan.
“I want to enjoy myself this week and not put too much pressure on the result,” he explained. “My putting and distance control were really solid in Taiwan, and I want to keep that momentum going. If I play my game and stay relaxed, I believe I can be in the mix on Sunday.”
Kazuki Higa’s rise to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit – thanks to back-to-back wins in September – is the result of a new level of commitment that he describes as practicing “like I brush my teeth every day”.
Everyone saw how good the Japanese star is in 2022 when he won the Japan Golf Tour money list – thanks to four victories, including the Shinhan Donghae Open, an event jointly-sanctioned with Asian Tour.
However, still not content with his game, in particular how far he drove the ball, the following year he hit the reset button and ramped things up.
“From 2023, we decided that the distance of my driver shots should be increased,” he said.
“We increased the frequency of weight training and aerobic exercise.”
He also did not sign a driver contract so he can use a club that suits him best and he’s worked on how much he draws and fades shots – all with the aim of gaining yards.
It’s all worked. His average distance with the driver was 284.41 yards until last year, but he is now flying it 297.91 yards.
Kazuki Higa. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Standing only a 158-centimetres tall he is now punching well above his body weight.
And so here we are the Jakarta International Championship this week at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course with Higa version 2.0 – with a new body, equipment and shape to his shots.
He won the Shinhan Donghae Open again at the beginning of September, and the following week the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei. He is the first back-to-back winner on the Asian Tour since American John Catlin claimed titles in Macau and Saudi Arabia early last year.
On current form – and along with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, who is in second place on the Merit list – he is the man to catch this year.
His phenomenal success now is the result of a determination from very early on to overcome any short comings.
“When I was in high school, I even heard from my doctor saying that ‘I won’t be tall anymore’,” he said.
“I made it a habit to practice every single day, out of 365 days of the year. I’ve made a lot of effort to overcome my short stature. I made it a habit to practice golf like I brush my teeth every day. I’m trying harder to give hope to more people.
“I swing confidently even when the pressure is high. That’s because I’m confident in my swing and shot.”
He is also known for being an expert frontrunner, with most of 13 victories achieved from the front.
Two of those wins also came on the Asian Development Tour: at the BTI Open in Bangladesh in 2018, and the UMC Championship in Malaysia the following year.
Kazuki Higa pictured with his caddie. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
As well as being as a serial winner, he also has a penchant to travel and win overseas.
No player has won three times in one season on the Asian Tour since Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond in 2019. The Thai star triumphed four times that season enroute to claiming the Merit title.
Higa has a chance to do so this week and also become the first player in the history of the Asian Tour to win three in a row.
Thanks to no shortage of drive and determination, and after wins in Korea and Chinese-Taipei, he may well etch his name into the history books in Indonesia this weekend.
The inaugural Jakarta International Championship is an exciting new event that will add drama and excitement to the Asian Tour and The International Series, as their seasons draw to a thrilling conclusion.
It is of special significance, as Indonesia’s capital city has been a regular stop on the Asian Tour for decades.
The tournament is Indonesia’s most lucrative golf tournament and will enhance the nation’s reputation for being a strong supporter of professional golf in the region.
The Government of Jakarta has lent its support to the tournament, which will mark the Asian Tour’s second visit of the season to Indonesia. The government is confident the collaboration will help promote Jakarta as a global city while providing an incredible opportunity for local players to compete at the highest level.
Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Jakarta International Championship
- Date: 2nd – 5th October 2025
- Venue: Damai Indah Golf (PIK Course), Jakarta, Indonesia
- Par/Yards: 70 7,124 yards
- Purse: US$2,000,000 (winner US$360,000)
- Asian Tour leg: 13th
- International Series leg: Fifth
- Edition of tournament: First
- Total number of players: 150
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 pros plus ties.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise #InternationalSeries #ThisIsEverything
Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: John Catlin (2024), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Scott Hend (2016)
- Nationalities: 30
- Top contenders: Kazuki Higa (JPN), Scott Vincent (ZIM), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Ollie Sniederjans (USA), Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN), Travis Smyth (AUS)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Kazuki Higa (JPN) #126
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Kazuki Higa (JPN) #1
- Highest ranked player on 2025 International Series Rankings: Scott Vincent (ZIM) #2
- Number of amateurs: 2
- Number of Indonesian players in the field: 11
Tournament Notes
- Japan’s Kazuki Higa took over the Asian Tour Order of Merit lead after winning the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago, it was the second title in two weeks having captured the Shinhan Donghae Open the week before in Korea. He also started his 2025 Asian Tour campaign very strong, going T8, T5 and T2 in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open, International Series India Presented by DLF and New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports respectively. On the Japan Tour he has recorded six top 10’s this season, including wins at the Shinhan Donghae Open and at the ISPS HANDA Explosion in the Summer in mid-August.
- Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe is second on both the Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings, much thanks to a win at the International Series Morocco in July and a T2 at the Shinhan Donghae Open three weeks ago. He has also posted other strong finishes such as a T4 in the Kolon Korea Open, a T8 at the Smart Infinity Philippine Open and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF this season. In addition to his good results on the Asian Tour this season he has also posted three top-fives on the Japan Tour, the most recent at the Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament in late August.
- Last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters winner Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand has now risen to fourth on the Order of Merit, after also having finished T2 at the Yeangder TPC two weeks ago and T7 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open in late August. The three-time Asian Tour champion was T13 on this course when the Mandiri Indonesia Open was held here in 2024.
- Richard T. Lee from Canada had a fantastic season in 2024 finishing third on the Order of Merit, after a win at the BNI Indonesian Masters and five other top-fives. So far this season he has a T2 at the recent tri-sanctioned Shinhan Donghae Open as his best result, followed by a fifth at the International Series Macau and a T10 at the International Series India presented by DLF. His impressive current cut streak on the Asian Tour now stands at 23, going all the way back to the International Series Singapore in October of 2023. On the 2025 Korean PGA Tour Lee has been in top form, winning the Woori Financial Group Championship and posting runners-up at three events: last week’s Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance K.J. Choi Invitational, and at the Dong-A Membership Exchange Group Open and SK Telecom Open earlier this summer. He also had a fourth at the Hana Bank Invitational and is currently in second place on that tour’s Genesis Points Ranking list.
- Thailand’s Sadom Kawkanjana currently sits in fifth place on the Order of Merit, much thanks to his win at the Kolon Korea Open in late May and a T2 in the season opening Smart Infinity Philippine Open. Sadom has mainly been playing on the Korean PGA Tour since his win there, posting two straight top 10s in tournaments there the last two weeks.
- American Ollie Sniederjans won the International Series India by four shots over countryman Bryson DeChambeau in February but has only played in one Asian Tour event since, the International Series Morocco where he missed the cut. Currently in third place in the International Series Rankings. He will be looking to this event as a chance to boost his ranking on this list for a chance to gain access to the LIV Golf League, where he has been travelling as a reserve this season. A former PGA Tour player that was also for a time number one in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, a position he held for 41 consecutive weeks.
- Jinichiro Kozuma from Japan has been playing in the LIV Golf League for the past two seasons, and has recorded a T2 at this year’s Dallas event as his best result there. He also had two other top 10s on LIV this year, while in 2024 he posted a T9 in Adelaide as his best finish. Kozuma is a three-time winner on the Japan Tour, having won titles in 2024, 2022 and 2020.
- Australian Travis Smyth has been very solid this season and had posted three consecutive top 10s going into last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters where he finished T18, the best result being a T3 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open. In addition to those high finishes, he also posted T10s in the International Series India presented by DLF and International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
- Wang wei-hsuan from Chinese Taipei is very much in form this season and finished third and T2 in the last two weeks’ events, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and Yeangder TPC, in his home country. He has also had a great season on the local tour at home, racking up three wins and a runner-up. He leads their merit list.
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 12th 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 12th 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 (27th) 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.
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.
First played in 1987 and welcomed on to the Asian Tour schedule in 2000, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters is one of the region’s most established events.
Taiwan’s Lin Keng-chi claimed the title in 2000 and was the first of a succession of household names to raise the trophy and don the event’s famous Green Jacket.
Thaworn Wiratchant, Scott Hend, Steve Lewton, Gavin Green, Jaco Ahlers and Daniel Chopra are just a few of the stars whose names are inscribed on the trophy.
This year marks the 39th time it has been staged and the 23rd time it has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Mr George Wong, chairman of Mercuries Group, is the driving force behind its success and true champion of Asian golf.
The tournament’s famous venue, Taiwan Golf and Country Club, is the oldest golf club in Taiwan. Founded in 1919 is considered to be the cradle of professional golf on the island nation.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Mercuries Taiwan Masters
- Date: 25th – 28th September 2025
- Venue: Taiwan Golf & Country Club
- Par/Yards: 72 / 6,923 yards
- Purse: US$1million
- Defending champion: Jbe Kruger (RSA)
- Asian Tour leg: 12th
- Edition of tournament: 39th
- Total number of players: 128
- Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 50 pros plus ties.
- Social media hashtags: #TimeToRise #MTM2025
Jbe Kruger all smiles after clinching the 2024 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Scott Hend (2016)
- Nationalities: 25
- Top contenders: Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA), Chieh-po Lee (TPE), Danthai Boonma (THA), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Wang Wei-hsuan (TPE), Travis Smyth (AUS)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) #247
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Danthai Boonma (THA) #6
- Number of amateurs: 7
- Number of Chinese-Taipei players in the field: 42
Danthai Boonma.
Tournament Notes
- Danthai Boonma from Thailand is the highest ranked player on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in sixth place, helped much by a T4 in Korea two weeks ago and a runner-up at the International Series Morocco in July. He also finished T8 at the season opening Smart Infinity Philippine Open in January. He recorded a win on All Thailand Tour’s Singha Championship in early August as well as a runner up on the same tour two weeks earlier.
- Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai recently won his fourth Asian Tour title at the Mandiri Indonesia Open three weeks ago. Suteepat is always one of the favourites in Chinese Taipei having won three of his four titles here. At last week’s Yeangder TPC he finished T7 after holding the lead at the end of round one.
- Local hero Chieh-po Lee has been playing in the LIV Golf League all season, after earning his spot at the LIV Golf Promotions in Saudi Arabia last December. His best results on LIV this year have been a T12 in Hong Kong and a T13 in Chicago. Lee won the International Series Thailand last year during a stretch of events where he finished in the top-10 seven out of eight events. He finished tied second in the tournament in 2020 when it was held on the local tour because of Covid.
- Australian Travis Smyth posted yet another top 10 at last week’s Yeangder TPC, his fifth this season and third consecutive, after a T8 in the Shinhan Donghae Open two weeks ago. His best result this season so far has been a T3 in the Mandiri Indonesian Open in late August. In addition to the before mentioned events he also posted T10s in the International Series India presented by DLF and International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
- Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei was T2 at last week’s tournament for his best Asian Tour result to date, his previous high mark had been a T7 at the 2022 Yeangder TPC. He won this tournament in 2020 when it was held on the local tour.
- Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan was also T2 last week for his best result this season, after having previously posted a T7 at the recent Mandiri Indonesia Open. He should feel comfortable on the Tamsui layout this week as he finished T4 in the 2024 edition of the tournament, a week before winning the SJM Macau Open, and he was T8 in 2023.
- Lu Wen-teh from Chinese Taipei has the most wins in the tournament with four titles, having taken the trophy in 1994, 1996, 2007 and 2008. Of players in the field this week, another local Lu Wei-chih has won the event three times, in 2005, 2011 and 2016.
China’s number one golfer, Li Haotong, and Hong Kong, China’s reigning Asian Games gold medalist, Taichi Kho, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming SJM Macao Open – taking place from 16-19 October, at Macau Golf & Country Club.
Zhang Lianwei, a two-time champion of the Macao Open and the only player to have successfully defended the title in the tournament’s history, has also confirmed his attendance.
The 30-year-old Li, whose career highlights include eight tour titles and a third-place finish at The Open in 2017 and joint fourth result this year, enters the SJM Macao Open with momentum after winning the Qatar Masters earlier this season.
He said: “I am delighted to return to Macao and play at the SJM Macao Open. The last time I played in this prestigious event was in 2023, and I am looking forward to experiencing the city’s vibrancy and energy again. I am having a great season so far and hope to play well enough at the SJM Macao Open to secure my second title in 2025.”
The 24-year-old Kho has made a significant impact since turning professional in 2023. In his rookie season, he became the first Hong Kong, China player to win on the Asian Tour at the World City Championship 2023, and followed it up with a historic gold medal in the Asian Games Men’s Individual event, ahead of South Korean star and fellow SJM Macao Open contender Sungjae Im. Kho also led the Hong Kong, China team to a historic bronze medal in the team competition.
Taichi Kho. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Kho commented: “I am thrilled to return to Macao for the SJM Macao Open. I finished tied for sixth two years ago, and I feel this course suits my game very well. I have been playing great recently and hope to score some low rounds to challenge for the title on 19 October.”
The Hong Kong star has been in fine form this year, with six top-10s – including a second place in the Mandiri Indonesia Open in August.
Another golf legend from China, Liang Wenchong, was announced as a participant at the tournament’s press launch recently alongside emerging Macao golfer, Kelvin Si Ngai, making this year’s SJM Macao Open a showcase of China’s generational golf talent.
The contingent of Chinese golfers will join former world number one Lee Westwood, who won the event in 1999, South Korean’s two-time PGA Tour winner Sungjae Im, and defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan in the quest for the coveted SJM Macao Open 2025 title.
Additionally, several participants of the SJM Macao Open will compete in the upcoming 15th National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR for the first time in November. Li will represent Guangdong, while Kho and Si will lead Hong Kong, China and Macao, China teams, respectively.
Zhang, who mentored Liang as he transitioned from amateur to professional, has been a steadfast supporter of the Macao Open since its inaugural event in 1998. His Macao Open titles in 2001 and 2002 are among 22 professional tournament wins in a career that began in 1994. Respected as the pioneer of golf in China, he is credited with many ‘firsts’ for Chinese golfers, including being the first to win on the European Tour and the first to reach the top 100 in the Official Golf Rankings.
Zhang Lianwei. Picture by Paul Lakatos/IMG.
A native of Zhuhai, Zhang said: “I consider the SJM Macao Open my home tournament. I have played here many times, and whether I win or lose, Macao will always be close to my heart. Since I first played here, the course at the Macau Golf & Country Club has consistently maintained its world-class quality, while Macao as a city has evolved so much, it is amazing to see it become one of the premier entertainment and events hubs in Asia. The SJM Macao Open experience just gets better every year.”
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