Hung opens five-shot lead at Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
November 14: Leader by two shots after the opening round, local hero Hung Chien-yao’s (main picture) immense course knowledge was evident in Friday’s second round as he shot a second successive seven-under par 65 and increased his cushion at the top to five shots in the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open at the halfway stage.
Hung shot the lowest round of the day for a second straight day at Taifong Golf Club and reached 14-under par total after 36 holes. Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (68) was his closest challenger at -9, with another Thai star Ekpharit Wu (66) one shot behind at -8.
Five players – Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono (68), Australia’s Todd Sinnott (69), Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69), Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (70) and Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit (69) – were tied for fourth place at six-under total.
India’s S Chikarangappa, who recently became a father for the first time, moved up to -5 with a round of 70 and was tied alongside Thai duo of Charng-Tai Sudsom (66) and Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (71)
Poosit Supupramai of Thailand. Picture by Taiwan PGA
Hung’s bogey-free round was special, and it was a result of a great start of three birdies in the first three holes, and then keeping up the momentum. He was so solid, his playing partners Soomin Lee and Shinichi Mizuno paid him the ultimate compliment that even Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods won’t be able to beat him on the golf course.
“This is not my personal best 36-hole score. I’ve shot lower, and my best round here is a 62. I made a long, curving, downhill 60-footer birdie putt on the 11th hole and both Soomin and Mizuno were joking that even if Rory or Tiger come and play here, they wouldn’t be able to beat me!” said the 33-year-old.
“I thought I did not play as well as I did yesterday. I wasn’t able to execute the shots the way I wanted to. I got off to a great start with three birdies in a row, but I didn’t eat much for lunch and felt a little weak towards the end. I thought I was about to get cramps towards the end. I quickly ate a banana and drank more water and felt better after that.
“Thankfully, I know this course very well. If you don’t get the chance to attack here, you need to play safe and try to play smarter on this course. I did that and kind of rode on the momentum from yesterday.
“The confidence I have on this course has always been there – since i last won here (in 2022 when the event was part of the Asian Development Tour schedule). But you need a bit of luck to win. I will just try to play my best and see what happens.”
Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Poosit started from the 10th tee and did most of his scoring on his first nine, including three birdies in four holes from the par-three 15th. The Thai player has not had a top 10 finish this season, and is ranked 107th on the Order of Merit, but he sensed something turning around in his game at last week’s Moutai Singapore Open, where he finished tied 37th.
“I hit my irons really well in Singapore, but could not make many putts. I have taken that confidence into this week, and even though my putting is still not at its best, I have continued to hit my irons well and given myself chances,” said the 32-year-old, who rated his birdie on the 18th, where he had to lay up to 80 yards and then made the up-and-down.
“It was not windy today in the morning, and when we played last afternoon, it was calm as well. So, I think we have been lucky with the draw so far.”
Ekpharit, whose father is from Chinese Taipei, also started from the 10th tee, was two-under at the turn, and did the bulk of his scoring between the par-five third and the seventh hole, where he made four birdies in a stretch of five holes.
The promising 26-year-old is currently ranked 73rd in the Order of Merit with two tied 14th finishes in the Link Hong Kong Open and the International Series Morocco being his best results.
“It was a very comfortable round today because my putter was working well. I made a few good ones to make birdies and a few good ones to save par from the 10-15 feet range,” said Ekpharit.
“I have a goal of finishing inside the top-five at least so that I have a chance to keep my card on the Asian Tour. This is my first full year on the Asian Tour and I really want to retain my card.”
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is the 18th leg of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season. There are three more events left on the schedule.
November 14: Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (main picture) took the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open on Friday,
Starting from the 10th tee of the par-72 Taifong Golf Club, Poosit did most of his scoring on his first nine, including three birdies in four holes from the par-three 15th, and picked up another shot on the back nine for a four-under par 68. That took his two-round tally to nine-under 135.
Another Thai player, Ekpharit Wu, shot the best round of the morning, a 66, and moved to 8-under total, two ahead of Australia’s Todd Sinnott (69), Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (69) and Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (70). India’s S Chikarangappa, who recently became a father for the first time, moved up to -5 with a round of 70.
Spain’s Carlos Pigem (68), Chinese Taipei’s Liu Yen-hung (69), Korea’s Wooyoung Cho (72) were all at four-under on a day when the wind stayed calm but the golf course still proved to be a formidable opponent.
Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Overnight leader Hung Chien-yao, who led by two shots after a 65 on Thursday, was among the afternoon starters.
Poosit has not had a top 10 finish this season, and is ranked 107th on the Order of Merit, but he sensed something turning around in his game at last week’s Moutai Singapore Open, where he finished tied 37th.
“I hit my irons really well in Singapore, but could not make many putts. I have taken that confidence into this week, and even though my putting is still not at its best, I have continued to hit my irons well and given myself chances,” said the 32-year-old, who rated his birdie on the 18th, where he had to lay up to 80 yards and then made the up-and-down.
“It was not windy today in the morning, and when we played last afternoon, it was calm as well. So, I think we have been lucky with the draw so far.”
Ahmad Baig of Pakistan. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Ekpharit, whose father is from Chinese Taipei, also started from the 10th tee, was two-under at the turn, and did the bulk of his scoring between the par-five third and the seventh hole, where he made four birdies in a stretch of five holes.
The promising 26-year-old is currently ranked 73rd in the Order of Merit with two tied 14th finishes in the Link Hong Kong Open and the International Series Morocco being his best results.
“It was a very comfortable round today because my putter was working well. I made a few good ones to make birdies and a few good ones to save par from the 10-15 feet range,” said Ekpharit.
“I have a goal of finishing inside the top-five at least so that I have a chance to keep my card on the Asian Tour. This is my first full year on the Asian Tour and I really want to retain my card.”
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is the 18th leg of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season. There are three more events left on the schedule.
November 13: With his Asian Tour card for 2026 on the line, local star Hung Chien-yao (main picture) made a spirited start in the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open on Thursday.
Hung has never won on the Asian Tour but has kept his membership for 12 successive years.
He has been struggling this year, missing seven cuts in 11 starts and falling to No110 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
With his back to the wall, the Chinese Taipei star shot a seven-under-par 65 at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club, a venue where he won the 2022 edition of the tournament when it was part of the Asian Development Tour schedule.
Hung is two ahead of Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (67), when first-round play was suspended at 5:22 pm, with two groups yet to finish. The second round will commence on Friday as per the schedule after the remaining players finish their first round starting 6:50 am.
Poosit Supupramai of Thailand. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Malaysia’s Ervin Chang, Thailand’s Chanat Sakulpolphaisan, Korea’s Wooyoung Cho and Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig finished on 68 each.
India’s Viraj Madappa made three birdies in his last five holes to shoot a 69 and rise to tied seventh in the clubhouse alongside his compatriot S Chikkarangappa, Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit, Sweden’s Charlie Lindh and Australia’s Todd Sinnott.
Hung’s best finish on the Asian Tour is a third place in the 2018 Yeangder TPC and the 2017 Queen’s Cup. He will need a big finish to the season to keep his proud record of 12 consecutive years on the Tour intact, and the 65 was a great start.
The 33-year-old said he had been having issues with the putter, but a switch to a long putter helped. It showed last week in Singapore, where he played well but could not finish better than tied 37th after getting sick and faltering in the final round.
“I already knew it would be difficult to keep my card this year. I thought I had a chance in Singapore, but I didn’t finish well. A win this week will make all the difference, but I think I will need a bit of luck to win, so I have not been thinking too much about it,” said Hung.
Ervin Chang of Malaysia. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
“There is no pressure of losing the card…I just want to play my best. I switched to a long putter about a month ago as I had been struggling with my putting all season long.
“I was down with the flu and cough since Sunday in Singapore, but my friend, who has been on my bag for this tournament for three years in a row, took me to see the doctor earlier in the week. I am feeling better now.
“My iron play was good today and the putting was pretty solid. I made everything between 9-15 feet range.”
Poosit was another player who did not put much pressure on his putting, hitting most of his approach shots close.
“Thankfully, we were lucky in the afternoon as it was not that windy. I hit a lot of fairways and some very good putts. I chipped-in on the par-three 12th hole, which was a good one, and the only long putt for birdie was a 15-footer on the sixth hole,” said the 32-year-old, who is still looking for his first win on the Asian Tour.
Chanat Sakulpolphaisan of Thailand. Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Asian Tour
Chang, recipient of the Asian Tour’s inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award, made two birdies on the two par fives that form the closing stretch of Taifong Golf Club, in his 68.
The 26-year-old is 75th in the Order of Merit this year and also needs a high finish. He has been trending in the right direction lately with a top 10 in Macao and a tied 14th place at the Link Hong Kong Open.
“It was pretty good. I expected the winds to be a bit stronger, according to the forecast, but surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Out there, I was just trying to manage my own expectations. I am having a pretty good stretch, even though I missed the cut in Singapore, and I am trying to just keep doing what I’m doing,” said Chang.
“I had two birdies coming in on the 17th and 18th, and that definitely helps a lot. I know this golf course is really easy to make mistakes on, so I just tried to be patient.”
Chanat started with a birdie on the 10th hole and then made three in a row on his back nine. The Thai is another player who needs to make a move this week, ranked 193rd in the Order of Merit at the moment.
“A birdie start is always good. And I managed to keep it going after that. I have changed my swing a bit some time ago and it is feeling more comfortable,” said Chanat.
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is the 18th leg of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season. There are three more events left on the schedule.
November 13: Playing with his back against the wall and his Asian Tour card on the line, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao (main picture) made just the start that was needed at the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open.
Hung, who has never won on the Asian Tour but kept his membership for 12 successive years, shot a seven-under par 65 on Thursday at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club to take the clubhouse lead midway through the opening round of the tournament.
Malaysia’s Ervin Chang and Thailand’s Chanat Sakulpolphaisan finished on 68 each, while India’s Viraj Madappa made three birdies in his last five holes to shoot a 69 and rise to tied fourth in the clubhouse alongside Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit.
Hung’s best finish on the Asian Tour is a third place in the 2018 Yeangder TPC and the 2017 Queen’s Cup. He has been struggling this year though, missing seven cuts in 11 starts and falling to No110 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He will need a big finish to the season to keep his proud record intact and the 65 was a great start to that end.
The 33-year-old, who won the tournament in 2022 when it was part of the Asian Development Tour schedule, said he had been having issues with the putter, but a switch to a long putter helped. It showed last week in Singapore, where he played well but could not finish better than tied 37th after getting sick and faltering in the final round.
Ervin Chang of Malaysia. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
“I already knew I wouldn’t be keeping my card this year. I thought I had a chance in Singapore, but didn’t finish well. A win this week will make all the difference, but I think I will need a bit of luck to win, so I have not been thinking too much about it,” said Hung.
“There is no pressure of losing the card…I just want to play my best. I switched to a long putter about a month ago as I have been struggling with my putting all season long.
“I was down with the ‘flu and cough since Sunday in Singapore, but my friend, who has been on my bag for this tournament for three years in a row, took me to see the doctor earlier in the week and I am feeling better now.
“My iron play was good today and putting was pretty solid. I made everything between 9-15 feet range.”
Chang, recipient of the Asian Tour’s inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award, made two birdies on the two par-fives that form the closing stretch of Taifong Golf Club, in his 68.
Chanat Sakulpolphaisan of Thailand. Picture by Thananuwat Srirasant/Asian Tour
The 26-year-old is 75th in the Order of Merit this year and needs a high finish this week. He has been trending in the right direction lately with a top 10 in Macao and a tied 14th place at the Hong Kong Open.
“It was pretty good. I expected the winds to be a bit stronger according to forecast, but surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. Out there, I was just trying to manage my own expectations. I am having a pretty good stretch, even though I missed the cut in Singapore, and I am trying to just keep doing what I’m doing,” said Chang.
“I had two birdies coming in on the 17th and 18th, and that definitely helps a lot. I know this golf course is really easy to make mistakes on, so I just tried to be patient.”
Chanat started with a birdie on the 10th hole, and then made three in a row in his back nine. The Thai is another player who needs to make a move this week, ranked 193rd in the Order of Merit at the moment.
“A birdie start is always good. And I managed to keep it going after that. I have changed my swing a bit some time ago and it is feeling more comfortable,” said Chanat.
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open was promoted to the Asian Tour schedule in 2023, and has been a welcomed addition since.
It was first played in 2005 as part of the Taiwan PGA Tour but starting in 2014 it was jointly sanctioned with the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
One of the reasons why the tournament, with its permanent home at Taifong Golf Club, was promoted in 2023 was because of its long and successful history as a premier event on the ADT and Chinese-Taipei’s local circuit.
In all the years the event was sanctioned by the ADT it had the distinction of being the most lucrative on the schedule or, as was the case in 2022, the joint richest, and as such it was instrumental in determining the players that would graduate to the Asian Tour for the following seasons.
Chan Shih-chang and Suteepat Prateeptienchai are the only back to back champions, with Chan’s wins in 2014 and 2015 as part of the ADT schedule and Suteepat’s wins in 2023 annd 2024 after it was promoted to the Asian Tour. The tournament is co-sanctioned with the Taiwan PGA.
Lee Chieh-po.
- Tournament: Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
- Date: 13th – 16th November 2025
- Venue: Taifong Golf Club, Changhua, Chinese Taipei
- Par/Yards: 72 / 7,302 yards
- Purse: US$400,000
- Previous Winner: Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA)
- Previous winning score: 266 (-22)
- Asian Tour leg: 18th
- Total number of players: 123
- 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
Bio Kim.
Field Breakdown
- Nationalities: 24
- Top contenders: Lee Chieh-po (TPE), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA), Chan-shih Chang (TPE), Soomin Lee (KOR), Bio Kim (KOR), Steve Lewton (ENG)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Lee Chieh-po #484
- Highest ranked player on 2025 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Soomin Lee #36
- Number of amateurs in the field: 1
Tournament Notes
- Local star Lee Chieh-po has been playing on the LIV Golf League this season after earning his ticket through the LIV Golf Promotions event in the end of 2024, with a T12 in Hong Kong and a T13 in Chicago as his best results. He had an outstanding season on the Asian Tour in 2024 finishing fourth on the Order of Merit after a win at International Series Thailand during a stretch of events where he finished in the top-10 seven out of eight events.
- Englishman Steve Lewton posted a T8 in the Jakarta International Championship last month for his best finish of the season and followed it up with a T20 in the International Series Philippines three weeks later after a rough start to his season. He is a two-time Asian Tour winner after winning the 2024 Mandiri Indonesia Open and the 2014 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
- Chan Shih-chang from Chinese Taipei is a five-time winner on the Asian Tour and just posted his first top-10 of the season in the Moutai Singapore Open last week. He has won this tournament twice when it was part of the Asian Development Tour in 2018 and 2014.
- Korean Soomin Lee is arriving in great form fresh off a T3 in Singapore last week, his second International Series top-10 in threes weeks after a T9 at the International Series Philippines. Lee is a one-time winner on the DP World Tour having captured the 2016 Shenzhen International, and a five-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour, the latest one coming at the 2024 Hyundai Insurance KJ Choi Invitational.
- Fellow Korean Bio Kim also had a good week in Singapore last week finishing fifth, his best result on the Asian Tour this year. Kim is a one-time winner on the Asian Tour after winning the 2022 GS Caltex Maekyung Open, and he has won nine times on the Korean PGA Tour.
- Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai has had a good season after having to return to the Qualifying School at the end of 2024 to get his card back. He has won in Chinese Taipei before having captured the 2019 Mercuries Taiwan Masters for his lone Asian Tour title.
- This tournament is the last event to determine the field for the next week’s US$5million Saudi International presented by Softbank Investment Advisers, with many players making a last push to secure a place in the richest event on the Asian Tour. Entry criteria below:
- Leading 30 available players from the 2025 current Asian Tour Order of Merit (not otherwise exempt) as of 17 November 2025
- Leading 10 available players from the 2025 current International Series Rankings (not otherwise exempt) as of 10 November 2025
Yosuke Asaji’s victory at the Moutai Singapore Open on Sunday was built on consistency across all the statistics categories.
It marked the second time in three weeks he topped the tournament Birdie count for the week, after also doing so when he finished tied-second at the International Series Philippines.
At Singapore Island Country Club the 32-year-old from Japan tied the list with Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent with 25 birdies for the week, while in the Philippines he was alone on top with 26.
Asaji ranked T5 in Fairways Hit (62.5%), T6 in Scrambling (76.92%), T10 in Putts per Round (29.25), T12 in Putts Per GIR (1.729), and T16 in GIR (81.94%).
Not one of the longer drivers on tour, his Driving Distance average for the week was 300 yards for T54th.
Runner-up Jeunghun Wang from Korea had a stand-out week on the greens of the New Course placing T3 in Putts per Round and T2 in Putts per GIR with 27.5 and 1.661 respectively. His good performance with the putter resulted in 24 Birdies during the week, just one less than category leaders Asaji and Vincent.
Bio Kim.
Wang also led the Bounce Back category with 80%, making birdie immediately following bogeys on four out of five occasions. His other stats for the week: Driving Distance 313.3 yards (18th), GIR 77.78% (T35), and Fairways Hit 41.07% (T40).
Joint third-place finishers Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand and Korean Soomin Lee produced great putting stats and both were in the top-10 in Putts per Round with 28.25 (6th) and 29.25 (T10) respectively.
Rattanon was also impressively fourth in the Putts per GIR category with 1.661 and his other stats: GIR 81.94% (T16), Fairways Hit 42.86% (T34) and Driving Distance 304 yards (T45).
Lee performed well off the tee and ranked T9 with 58.93% Fairways Hit while averaging 310.4 yards Driving Distance (27th). His Putts per GIR average of 1.737 ranked him 17th while his GIR percentage of 79.17 placed him T31 in those respective categories.
Korea’s Bio Kim finished in sole possession of fifth thanks to an outstanding display on the greens. He topped both Putts per Round (26.25) and Putts per GIR (1.6).
Statistics Categories leaders at the Moutai Singapore Open (of players making the cut):
- Putts per Round – Bio Kim (KOR): 26.25
- Putts per GIR – Bio Kim (KOR): 1.6
- GIR: – Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND): 90.28%
- Fairways Hit – Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND): 82.14
- Driving Distance – Wei-hsuan Wang (TPE): 335.63 yards
- Most Eagles – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), John Catlin (USA), Talor Gooch (USA), Chanmin Jung (KOR), Maximilian Rottluff (GER), Kevin Yuan (AUS): 2
- Most Birdies – Kieran Vincent (ZIM), Yosuke Asaji (JPN): 25
- Fewest Bogies or Worse – Jaco Ahlers (RSA): 4
- Scrambling – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA): 85%
- Bounce back – Jeunghun Wang (KOR): 80%
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Not many players can claim to have won three times on the Asian Tour, even fewer to have done so in the same country. Story from 2024 Asian Tour Yearbook.
Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant is one of the exceptions. With 18 wins on the Asian Tour, which is the most by any, he tasted victory four times in Taiwan. He claimed the Yeangder TPC twice and won the Taiwan Open and Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, India’s most successful player on the Asian Tour with 11 titles, has triumphed in Indonesia on five occasions, while Australian Scott Hend won three of his 10 titles in Thailand.
It’s an elite group of serial winners on the Asian Tour which Suteepat Prateeptienchai joined in 2024 after winning the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open.
He became the first player to successfully defend a title on the Asian Tour in seven years after the closest of finishes at Taifong Golf Club.
Suteepat Prateeptienchai.
The Thai golfer showed why he is rated as one of the region’s rising stars by making a birdie on the final hole to beat his young compatriot Runchanapong Youprayong by one.
He birdied the par-five 18th after chipping to two feet while Runchanapong, playing with him in the final group, missed his four from 10 feet moments earlier.
Suteepat shot a four-under-par 68 to finish 22-under, while Runchanapong returned a 69.
“This means so much, I am very happy, and excited,” said Suteepat, who started the day sharing the lead with Runchanapong.
“I made a bogey on six and that made me really angry. It fired me up and then I started making birdies.”
He actually birdied the next three holes and made another on 11 and was two ahead at that point before Runchanapong impressively drew level with birdies on 15 and 17.
The victory continued a remarkable run of form at Taifong and in Taiwan.
Three years earlier he was playing on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), and won the Order of Merit thanks to three wins in Indonesia and a second-place finish in Taifong – when it was the ADT’s season-ending tournament.
A year later he went one better in Taifong, when the event was played on the Asian Tour for the first time, while two months before successfully defending his Taifong title he was victorious in the Yeangder TPC, also in Chinese-Taipei.
Runchanapong Youprayong.
Added the 31-year-old: “Even my caddie said when I play here, I always have a chance.”
Suteepat is also the first player to defend the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open.
In addition, the win gave him a three-year exemption on the Asian Tour.
Runchanapong, just 23 years old and in his second season in the pro game, found a fairway bunker off the tee on the last and wasn’t able to reach the green in two like Suteepat, although he hit a brilliant third in close.
“I thought that last putt was left edge but when I putted it didn’t move at all. It was a mis-read,” he said.
“I have never been in this position on the Asian Tour before, so it definitely feels very special to come second.
“I am happy, thought I handled the pressure well even though I did not have my A game.”
India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia was the last player to successfully defend a title when triumphed in the Hero Indian Open in 2017.
Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam from Thailand closed with 68s to tie for third, four behind the champion.
Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and Jack Thompson from Australia fired 70s and finished another two strokes back.
Yosuke Asaji became the first player from Japan to win the Moutai Singapore Open in nearly 50 years today – after he beat Korea’s Jeunghun Wang on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Asaji made a birdie putt from six feet in the play-off, on the par-five 18th on the New Course at Singapore Island Country Club, after Wang found water with his second and ended with a six.
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan (66) and Korean Soomin Lee (69) tied for third, one shot back, in the penultimate event of the season on The International Series – the set of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
It came after a dramatic finish in regulation play when Asaji, playing in the penultimate group, brilliantly made a difficult left to right breaking birdie putt from 10 feet on the last to set the mark in the clubhouse on 19-under. He carded a five-under-par 67.
Soon after, Wang, playing in the final group, faced an almost an identical putt and remarkably also drained it for a 68, to force the play-off.
Yosuke Asaji in celebratory mode after the win.
The win means Asaji has moved to fifth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and second on The International Series Rankings.
His victory will come as no surprise to many as his game has been in the ascendency this year. In May he claimed The Crowns tournament, which is one of the biggest events in Japan, and he tied second in the International Series Philippines two weeks ago.
“I am so, so happy. Today I was able to read the lines on the greens well, it was perfect,” said the 32-year-old, who hit a fine wedge in close on the play-off hole.
“I think the putt for par on 15 was the most important one. This win means so much to me. It is my first win overseas – something I have always dreamed of.”
He started the day one off the pace and enjoyed an incredible start by making five birdies in succession from the second, which saw him seize the lead. But after 11 holes he was tied with Rattanon – who made six straight birdies from the sixth – and Korean Soomin Lee on 18 under.
Jeunghun Wang.
However, a birdie on 12 saw Asaji move one ahead before he made a career putt to stay in front on the 15th, crucially holing a par putt from 10 feet.
He missed a putt from a similar length for par on the ensuing hole but that was shortly after Rattanon bogeyed the 17th, meaning Asaji led by one with two to play from Rattanon, Lee and Wang.
Rattanon then got back into contention by making birdie on the last to draw level with Asaji. With Wang making birdie on 17 to catch them both it set the set the scene for that gripping finish on 18.
Asaji becomes the sixth golfer from Japan to raise the trophy but the first since Kesahiko Uchida in 1976, when the event was also played at SICC.
Wang was attempting to win for the first time in eight years but was heartened by his performance.
He said: “I finished strong on 17 and 18 and made a great putt on the last hole, so I’m really happy with how I played today — just a little disappointed about the play-off, but that’s okay. I actually knew before putting on 18 that I needed to make that one to get into the play-off, so when it dropped, I felt really confident and excited heading into the extra holes.
“Overall, I played really well this week. It just came down to a bit of bad luck in the play-off — I hit a great tee shot that landed on a downslope and ended up short, and then I caught the next shot slightly on the heel. But I’m happy with my game and just need a bit more luck next time.”
He was Rookie of the Year on the European Tour in 2016, helped by winning the Trophée Hassan II and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open – an event joint sanctioned with the Asian Tour. And the following year he claimed the Qatar Masters, for a third title in Europe.
Not long after, he went for national service in Korea for nearly two years but after today’s performance it is clear he is close to getting back to his best.
Korea’s Bio Kim fired a 70 to finish in solo fifth, four off the play-off.
Rattanon Wannasrichan.
The Asian Tour heads to the Middle East in two weeks for the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers at Riyadh Golf Club.
The US$5million event is the most lucrative event of the season, the final date of the year on The International Series and the penultimate tournament on the Asian Tour.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
It was neck and neck all the way until the very end today at the Moutai Singapore Open before overnight leader Soomin Lee from Korea, in front at the start of the day, edged ahead to lead after the third round with compatriot Jeunghun Wang and James Piot from the United States.
Lee, two ahead after round two, shot a 69 today, while Wang and Piot both returned 67s on the New Course at Singapore Island Country Club.
They lead on 15 under by one from Japan’s Yosuke Asaji (65), and Korean Bio Kim (67), in what it the penultimate event of the season on The International Series – the set of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (68), the winner of this event in 2019 at a different venue, is another stroke back along with Australian Kevin Yuan and South Africa’s Ian Snyman, both in with 69s.
Lee finished second on this course in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2011 and will look to go one better tomorrow.
He birdied the par-five 18th after reaching the green in two to catch Wang and Piot to give himself a great chance of winning his first title on the Asian Tour and The International Series. He was bogey free and made three birdies, the other two coming on the front nine.
Jeunghun Wang.
“It was really tough today actually,” said Lee. “On the front nine I had good opportunities but I made mistakes on a few putts, but still I shot two under. And then on the back nine, I thought my back nine would be better than the front nine. I had many chances to make birdies. But it started getting windy when I played the back nine, it was really tough and I struggled but yeah, I still played bogey free. And even at the last hole, I made a long two putt for a birdie. Yeah, that was really good.”
The 32-year-old turned professional three years after the Asia-Pacific Amateur and has won once before on the DP World Tour, at the 2016 Shenzhen International, and is a five-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour. He has played on the Asian Tour for the past decade, finishing second on two occasions. He recorded a top-10 finish in the International Series Philippines two weeks ago
“I will just play my own game tomorrow. I think I’ll play with Jeunghun Wang so it’ll be really fun,” he added.
Wang is a multiple tour winner, with three victories on the DP World Tour including one joint-sanctioned with the Asian Tour, the 2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, but he has not tasted victory in seven years.
He showed his class today with a fine round, made up of six birdies and one birdie, and will need to draw on those previous wins to end his drought tomorrow.
He said: “Actually, I hit it really well today, but my putting wasn’t as good yesterday. So, I’m really happy about my round, and I’ll try to enjoy my next 18 holes.
“Actually, the first round it wasn’t windy that much, but the second and third rounds were really windy so I’m really happy about my five under today.”
Piot, the 2021 US Amateur champion, only started playing on the Asian Tour three years ago and is chasing his first win on the Tour. His best result to date is a fifth-place finish in International Series Egypt in 2022.
.James Piot.
He also birdied the last to draw level and was bogey free. Birdies on the first two holes provided the perfect start for the 27-year-old.
Asaji tied for second in the International Series Philippines two weeks ago while earlier this year won one of the biggest events in Japan: The Crowns tournament.
He has put himself on the brink of another win tomorrow shooting the best round of the day. He missed an eight footer for birdie on the last.
“This week it’s been difficult to read the lines on the green, so I’ve been very focused on reading my putts,” he said.
“I’ll try to play the same as today and I just hope to go out there and enjoy myself tomorrow.”
Filipino Miguel Tabuena returned a 70 and is 10 under and extremely well placed to make up ground on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series leaders.
Kazuki Higa from Japan, the merit list leader, and Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, who tops the rankings, both failed to make it through to the weekend.
Tabuena is third on the merit list and second on the rankings.
Bio Kim.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Soomin Lee [main picture] grabbed the lead at the halfway mark of the Moutai Singapore Open today after making birdie on the last two holes – rekindling memories of previous exploits here on the New Course at Singapore Island Country Club a mere 14 years ago.
The Korean shot a second-round eight-under-par 64 to reach 12-under for a two-shot advantage over a group of 10 players: Kevin Yuan (64), Matthew Cheung (64), Ian Snyman (65), Wang Wei-hsuan (66), John Catlin (66), Sarit Suwannarut (66) James Piot (66), Caleb Surratt (68), Ollie Schniederjans (68) plus Jeunghun Wang (70).
The US$2million event, being played for the first time since 2022, is the penultimate stop this year on The International Series – the series of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
Remarkably, Lee shot a 64 here in 2011 to finish second in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, behind none other than former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan – who claimed the title for the second successive year.
John Catlin.
“I have good memories here, no doubt,” said Lee. “It’s why, when I come here, I feel comfortable, and play with more confidence.”
He is facing a very different New Course this week as it has been re-designed but that did not hold him back as he carded nine birdies, including four on the trot from the third, and one bogey. That bogey came on the second, before it was followed immediately after by those four birdies.
He said: “I started a little slow but bounced back. Yesterday I felt something really good with my putter. I felt if I hit fairways and greens, I would have chances today. That’s why I played well today.”
The penultimate hole is a reachable par-four, while the par-five 18th is within range in two.
“Number 17 and 18, I felt are easy holes,” he explained. “I can hit the green at number 17 and 18. If I hit a good driver I can go for the green on 17, like today. On 18 I was just short in two and got up and down for a four.”
The 32-year-old turned professional three years after the Asia-Pacific Amateur and has won once before on the DP World Tour, at the 2016 Shenzhen International, and is a five-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour.
He has played on the Asian Tour for the past decade, finishing second on two occasions.
He recorded a top-10 finish in the International Series Philippines two weeks ago – a timely result that helped move him into 72nd position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, putting him back in the running to keep his card for next year.
Wang Wei-hsuan.
That issue will be resolved by a good week here.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Catlin was bogey free today, making an eagle and four birdies.
“Pretty solid,” said the American, a six-time winner on the Asian Tour.
“You know, I drained a long one for eagle on four, it’s always nice, but it’s just a solid bogey free round of golf, it’s nice to play some good golf.
“I’m definitely playing better, you know, the misses are better. I felt like my good rounds have been good, but my bad ones have been costing me. And, you know, last week in Hong Kong, it was the same, I felt like my misses were very playable.
“I didn’t get as much out of my game as I would have liked, but yeah, I felt like my misses are very playable. And, you know, I kept that going this week, and I think I got only two bogeys for 36 holes, so yeah, it’s nice to see the hard work paying off.”
Wang lost in a sudden-death play-off at the SJM Macao Open three weeks ago and is leading this year’s Taiwan PGA Tour, with three wins.
He is back in contention this week, crediting his debut on the PGA Tour this year for his fine form.
“In June I got into the Canadian Open for my first PGA Tour event, and I watched a lot of great players,” said the Chinese-Taipei golfer, who is one the biggest hitters on the Asian Tour.
Brayden Lee.
“I think that was good for my improvement. I could see what the best in the world do and how they hit their shots. I saw what I needed to improve on to get better.”
He made it through to the tournament after negotiating a pre-qualifier.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa, the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, The International Series Rankings leader and second on the merit list, both surprisingly missed the cut – to open the door for their nearest challengers. The cut was made at four under with Vincent agonisingly missing by one after a 69, and Higa by three following a 73.
Filipino Miguel Tabuena, who is third on the merit list and second on the rankings, came in with a 68 and is in the driver’s seat on eight under.
Two members of the Singapore amateur team who competed in the World Amateur Team Championship on home soil recently, also excelled today.
Brayden Lee fired a 68 to move to seven under, while Troy Storm shot a 72 to sit at five under. Storm, just 16, fired a brilliant 67 yesterday but was three over for his round today after 13 holes and in danger of missing the cut. However, he produced a stirring fight back on his home course, making birdie on three of the last four. He is in exalted company, tied with England’s Paul Casey, one of the tournament’s marquee players, who carded a 70.
Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
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