Published on October 5, 2023

David Puig, consistently on point since joining the Asian Tour last year with six top-15 finishes in just nine starts, once again shot a low-number today to take the opening-round lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore.

The Arizona-based Spaniard shot a scorching bogey-free eight-under-par 64, on the intimidating Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club on a hot and humid day.

Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Thais Rattanon Wannasrichan and Itthipat Buranatanyarat returned 67s – in the seventh International Series event this season.

Puig is due a win on the Asian Tour having consistently been in the running since turning professional in September last year, including in his last three appearances: he tied for fourth in the International Series England, ended equal 14^th in the St Andrew Bay Championship, and came home in a tie for 11^th in last month’s Shinhan Donghae Open, on each occasion threatening to win.

And he made the perfect start today with three birdies on the front side, and five on the back, including three in the last four.

“Tough course, tough conditions,” said the 21-year-old, who plays for Torque GC – the dominant team on the LIV Golf League this season having won four times.

“It is true that some holes were a little shorter today, but still a tough course, firm greens. I hit it very good, and I think the front nine I played very good. I putted three times for eagle, and shot three under with 17 putts, I missed one green. On the back nine I played solid as well, I hit good shots, and made more putts, so yes very happy.

“I have been hitting it pretty good off the tee this year and this is a long course and there are some holes where you need to be accurate and precise but there are others where they kind of open and with my distance I have a little bit of an advantage to that.”

In his very first event on the Asian Tour last year, the International Series Morocco he came home in third having been the overnight leader, and that set the tone for a consistent run of high-quality golf.

He added: “I have played good these past couple of months. I have had a lot of good rounds and couldn’t get it done in all of these tournaments, but you know I keep learning. I know I am a good player and that’s why I am here and why I play on LIV, I know that, and also the scores tell that. I practice hard and I think I am doing all the things right, with my team as well.”

Chang is in-form at the moment – he tied for fifth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week – despite carrying an injury.

“I injured my right ankle last week,” said Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, at the Charming Yeangder event.

“I am not limping, but I felt uncomfortable through the round today. I hurt my ankle during the third-round last week, and I just played through it on the final day.

“Didn’t think much of it and I played well to get a top-five finish on Sunday. That gave me a lot of confidence coming to this week. I brought the injury into this week but it’s my third time playing here now so I am familiar with the course. Just play shot by shot. My ankle’s injured and I can’t do much about it. So just play the best I can.”

He began on hole 10 and turned in two under thanks to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.

He added: “Those back-to-back birdies there got me going. The course is in great condition, as always. There is nothing I can nitpick about the course.”

He dropped a shot on the second, but rallied with gains on three, five, eight and nine.

Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and International Series OOM leader Andy Ogletree from the United States came in with a 68, along with Japan’s Tomoharu Otsuki, Koreans Bio Kim, Meenwhee Kim and Taehee Lee, New Zealander Ben Campbell, and Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai.

Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand returned a 71, as did former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho – winner of the individual gold medal at the Asian Games last week.

Jaco Ahlers, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, fired a 72, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell signed for a 74.

Singapore amateur Ryan Ang finished the day as the leading local player after carding a 70. Ang was the joint leading Singaporean in last week’s Asian Games, along with James Leow, in a tie for 12th. Leow shot even par today.

Published on

Injured but in-form Chang Wei-lun carded a five-under-par 67 for the clubhouse lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore today, at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).

Japan’s Tomoharu Otsuki, Koreans Bio Kim and Taehee Lee, New Zealander Ben Campbell, and Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned 68s, after the morning session was completed.

Chang got the better of TMCC’s challenging Tampines Course and overcame the heat and humidity with a strong display that saw him nail six birdies, including on his last two holes, and drop just one shot – in an event that is part of The International Series.

The Chinese-Taipei golfer tied for fifth in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters last week for one of his best finishes on the Asian Tour, despite an injured limb.

“I injured my right ankle last week,” said Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour in 2019, at the Charming Yeangder event.

“I am not limping, but I felt uncomfortable through the round today. I hurt my ankle during the third-round last week, and I just played through it on the final day.

“Didn’t think much of it and I played well to get a top-five finish on Sunday. That gave me a lot of confidence coming to this week. I brought the injury into this week but it’s my third time playing here now so I am familiar with the course. Just play shot by shot. My ankle’s injured and I can’t do much about it. So just play the best I can.”

He began on hole 10 and turned in two under thanks to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16.

He added: “Those back-to-back birdies there got me going. The course is in great condition, as always. There is nothing I can nitpick about the course.”

He dropped a shot on the second, but rallied with gains on three, five, before his impressive finish.

Otsuki, who won the Panasonic Open Golf Championship on the Japan Golf Tour two weeks ago, said: “Hit it close to the pin on the second nine, and I was able to make some birdies, so I got off to a good start. The putter was working well.

“The greens are very undulating, making it difficult if your approach is on the wrong side of the hole. There was no wind today, but this course will become difficult when the wind blows, so we’ll see how it goes for the weekend.”

Published on October 4, 2023

If Graeme McDowell is in need of inspiration ahead of this week’s US$2million International Series Singapore, then that will surely come from one of the events he made his name in, the Ryder Cup – which came to such a thrilling conclusion in Rome last Sunday.

The Northern Irishman helped Europe win three out of the four Ryder Cups he played in – he was also unbeaten in the singles matches, and vice-captain in 2018 and 2021 – and on the eve of this week’s tournament, which is being played on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club and is part of The International Series, he was in buoyant mood after Europe regained the biennial competition.

“Great victory and congrats to Luke and the whole team,” said McDowell, who holed the winning putt for Europe in 2010 – arguably his greatest year, as he also joined golf’s elite, when he became only the second European to win the U.S. Open in 85 years.

“They played phenomenal, that looked like a lot of fun. I missed a couple of hours of the early sessions, just during the time zones I was in. I really enjoyed it, it was the first time I have watched the Ryder Cup on TV, in a very, very long time. It is one of my favorite events that I have competed in. It is pretty special, a lot of great memories, a lot of friendships forged.

“I was disappointed not to be there; it was great to cheer the boys on from afar.”

McDowell has been enjoying life playing on the LIV Golf League this and last year but on occasion has also competed on The International Series – the 10-tournament set of elevated events on the Asian Tour, which sees its Order of Merit winner earn a place on LIV Golf’s multi-million dollar circuit.

“As a LIV player I am happy where I am, I think it is a great product, but 14 events is not enough for me so I need more playing opportunities, and I think The International Series serves a lot of purposes,” he added.

“As LIV starts to stabilise its season it gives The International Series the ability to build their schedule around perhaps the LIV schedule and attract more of the best players in the world, which only continues to elevate the Asian Tour.

“I kind of I grew up in this part of the world. I have spent a lot of time here. I have always enjoyed travelling. It grounds you as a player.”

The 44-year-old’s last victory came in the 2020 Saudi International, and he is clearly hungry to get back to winning ways.

Said McDowell: “I am hitting it really well. I feel like my game is trending in the right direction, the last few months. It has been difficult getting any momentum for me on the LIV Golf League. I feel like it is a very competitive Tour, you just can’t afford to have a slow nine holes. I feel like I have struggled to build on my momentum and confidence.

“I am actually playing six in the next seven weeks: here, Jeddah, Miami, China, Hong Kong and Indonesia. I am actually excited to see if I can get a little bit of a head of steam up and to see if I can win some tournaments.”

He has been paired in the first two rounds with Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz and South Africa’s Jaco Ahlers, winner of last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

Published on October 3, 2023

Kieran Vincent competes in the US$2 million International Series Singapore this week – the event that marked his debut appearance on the Asian Tour last year – saying of the past 12 months: “I can’t dream of anything more”.

The Zimbabwean, brother of Scott Vincent who is now plying his trade with great success on the LIV Golf League and also competing this week, claimed the International Series Vietnam in April for a first win in the play-for-pay ranks, but that has been balanced by his fair share of disappointments.

“It has been a very up and down ride. I have had so many highs – so cool to be able to say now that I am an Asian Tour member, as well as have a win under my belt,” said the 25-year-old from Harare, who played college golf at Liberty University in the US.

“Not only that but I think I have grown as a person as well. I think I have been able to look at the last 12 months and see how much I have grown as a person on the course as well as off the course.

“I think it has been pretty huge. I am blessed to be out here in Singapore again, and I am excited for the week.”

Low points include failing to progress to the weekend in the events played in Chinese-Taipei over the past two weeks, but Vincent is using that to his advantage.

He said: “I think a lot of people will look and say back-to-back missed cuts is not the best, but I have learned so much and it challenged me. I was able to get a sixth-place finish in Korea recently which was a huge momentum shift. So, a lot of confidence has come over the last few weeks, although it may not look like it. I have just been making small mistakes which have cost me a little bit.”

Vincent tied for 22^nd in Singapore last year, when like this week the event was played on the Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club, and on that occasion his older brother said:  “He is a great player, I have no doubt he will do something really special with his golf, and whether it is here or whether it is down the road it is going to be really good to see him playing well because he is very capable and we’ll just see how he does coming in.”

Prophetic words by the older brother, as Kieran quickly showed his potential by recording top-10 finishes in International Series events in Morocco and Egypt last year.

And he made it a unique brotherly double on the Asian Tour, when he claimed the International Series Vietnam – just 10 months after Scott won the International Series England.

Kieran holed a decisive 12-foot birdie putt on the 18^th hole to beat Anirban Lahiri from India and Australian Kevin Yuan by one stroke.

Has the pressure of that win been a help or a hinderance?

“You want to do well every time you tee if up and Vietnam just gave me that opportunity to show that ‘hey you got this, you can do this’ – but yes I did put way too much pressure on myself,” he said.

“This week is about going out there and having some fun again as a year ago I had barely any status anywhere. So to find myself here with full status for the next couple of years, I can’t dream of anything more.”

His fellow African Jaco Ahlers is also here this week, on the back of his win in last week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters – a first on the Asian Tour.

“It has been a bit of whirlwind,” said the South African.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. Got on a plane on Sunday night, came here and walked the course yesterday, my wife arrived last night and is on the bag this week. It will probably sink in this week.”

 

Published on October 1, 2023

Taichi Kho withstood a four-pronged Korean challenge to earn golden glory for Hong Kong, China at the 19th Asian Games.

With a gutsy closing round of three-under-par 69 at the Westlake International Golf Club, the 22-year-old rookie pro repelled the charges of PGA Tour stars Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo and Korean amateur standouts Jang Yu-bin and Cho Woo-young.

For Kho, a former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship runner-up, victory provided another remarkable high in what has been an astonishing year during which he became the first player from his country to win an Asian Tour title and participate in the Open Championship.

Six months after his triumph at the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club, Kho once more confounded the odds by beating a world-class field.

Six shots clear at the top after opening with rounds of 62 and 60, Kho returned a 70 on day three as his advantage was trimmed to three shots.

Holding his nerve under extreme pressure, Kho eked out pars on the last six holes on Sunday in a tension-packed final round for a 69 and a four-day total of 27-under 261.

That was just one shot ahead of fast-finishing Im. The two-time PGA Tour winner, who is currently 27th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), closed with a joint best-of-the day 65 and took the individual silver medal.

Im’s fellow PGA Tour standout Kim, 40th in the OWGR, also signed off with a 65 but had to content himself with fourth place on 265, one shot behind bronze medallist Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei.

Illustrating the strength of the Korean team, Jang was fifth on 266 with Cho in a share of sixth spot on 261.

Not surprisingly, the Koreans surged to the gold medal in the team event in which the best three daily scores of each four-man team were counted.

Their team tally of 76-under 788 was 25 strokes in front of silver medallists Thailand (Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, Danthai Boonma, Poom Saksansin and Phachara Khongwatmai).

The bronze medal went to the Hong Kong quartet of Kho, Matthew Cheung, Jason Hak and Ng Shing-fung.

Published on

South African Jaco Ahlers triumphed in the 37^th edition of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters today, finally clinching his first title on the Asian Tour, after patiently winning a war of attrition at Taiwan Golf and Country Club – which has proven to be one of the toughest golf courses this season, with brutal rough and tapering fairways.

Ahlers is a prolific winner of titles on the Sunshine Tour on home soil, with 11, including their Tour Championship in April, and finally got off the mark in Asia following a two-shot victory over India’s Chikkarangappa S. – in the US$1million event, which is Chinese-Taipei’s richest tournament.

A player who says he enjoys more demanding courses, he proved that with a closing three-under-par 69 to finish on four-under – the highest winning score of year – while Chikkarangappa, the joint overnight leader with Korean Taehee Lee, carded a 74.

Australian Travis Smyth (69) and David Drysdale from Scotland (71), tied for third, an additional shot back.

Lee (76), India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (71) and Chang Wei-lun from Chinese-Taipei (71), were equal fifth, on even par.

Ahlers, three off the lead at the start of the round and playing in the third from last pairing with his brother Hein on the bag, made his move on the back nine with birdies on 12, 14 and 15 and could afford to drop a shot on 16, with his nearest challengers unable to close the gap.

Chikkarangappa, popularly known as ‘Chikka’, had the best chance to catch him but the birdies dried up on the back nine and crucially he dropped shots on 13 and 16.

“It was tough,” said 40-year-old Ahlers, who becomes the first player from his country to win the event.

“It was a grind but very glad to be standing here with the trophy. This means a lot to me. I am feeling comfortable here now. I said to a friend of mine last week I feel like I can win on this Tour. So, there we go. I just tried to keep it in play and make a few birdies, missed a few as well.”

He has been knocking on the door in Asia for several seasons, including at the St. Andrews Bay Championship in August, where he tied for third.

For Chikka, chasing his first win on the Asian Tour, it was another frustrating near miss. He has now finished second three times, third once, and fourth twice.

He said: “Honestly, I feel really good. The way I hit the ball. And I putted extremely good, I am really happy about that. That was my weakness in the last couple of months but this week I made every putt when I had to. Even on the last hole today that was a clutch putt. I think something bigger is waiting for me.”

Smyth’s fine finishing round completed two excellent weeks in Chinese-Taipei, as he was second last week in the Yeangder TPC, where he was defending champion.

“It was extremely difficult, I am very happy to be under par for the week, that was my goal at the start of the week,” said the Australian.

“To cap it off with a three under, I am very pleased. I was playing from the rough pretty much every shot – the fairways are like 10-yard wide out here. It is just about managing the ball from the rough best you can. The difference today was my ball landed okay on the par fives, so I was able to get up and down for birdie quite a lot. I haven’t played well on this course, and it’s been nice to come off a second last week.”

The tournament also marked the best finish by Drysdale on the Asian Tour, since making it through Tour School in January.

Said the former European Tour regular: “Difficult, lots of bogeys, lots of birdies. Just a difficult, difficult golf course – really enjoyed the challenge this week. A cross between Valderrama and the US Open. It’s so easy to make mistakes.

“I had a good finish today, like yesterday, so I am pleased with that because I think yesterday I was five over but had three birdies in the last six and then today I was a couple over but had three birdies in the last half dozen. I have enjoyed these past two weeks in Taiwan, it has been very hot for a Scotsman, but all in all enjoyed both golf courses. I look forward to coming back hopefully in the future. Looking forward to next week in Singapore.”

Next stop on the Asian Tour is next week’s International Series Singapore on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club, from October 5-8.

 

 

Published on September 30, 2023

Korean Taehee Lee shot a three-under-par 69 and birthday boy Chikkarangappa S. from India a 71 to share the lead in the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters after round three at Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Tamsui.

They are in front on four-under, by one from New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, the overnight leader, who carded a 73, with India’s Veer Ahlawat (70), South African Jaco Ahlers (72), Angelo Que (72) from the Philippines, Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana (73),  and American Jarin Todd (74) two shots back.

Lee had no trouble making birdies, he recorded six of them, including three in succession from the fourth, but made three bogeys on one of the most challenging courses this year because of the narrow fairways and punishing, deep rough.

“It’s a tough course, no doubt, and the greens are difficult to read but my short game was very good – it has to be,” said Lee.

“And the wind was changing on every hole. It is my second time here. Tomorrow I will keep my mind clear and stay calm. Treat it like a normal day.”

His co-leader Chikkarangappa S., or ‘Chikka’ as he is known, felt he played some of his best golf of the week, recording three birdies and two bogeys.

“Hit the ball better today and holed some good putts,” said the Indian, who turned 30 today.

“I could have made a few more birdie putts, I guess. But the greens are tough for everyone. I am pretty happy. Any round shooting red on this course is good.

“I am just sticking to my plan and process. Focus on my routine and the rest will fall into place. Doing things the right away and not thinking about the scores.

“It is a very, very challenging golf course – it is the most difficult it has ever been. It is tough for everyone, as you can see, day by day it is getting tougher for everyone. Anything red is good.”

Campbell had a one shot lead at the start of the day but struggle today.

He said: “It was tough to get into a bit of a rhythm. Battled with the swing today, what I have been working on did not quite work. But I hung in there and still have a chance tomorrow. I played some good golf in there but just a few bad holes. Had some chances coming in but just missed, gonna do some work on the game now.”

Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan (70), Jbe Kruger from South African (73) and Scotland’s David Drysdale (74) are in a tie for ninth – in contention, just four off the lead.

Defending champion Chan Shih-chang from Chinese-Taipei came in with a 73 and is one over, in a group of players that includes Indian great Jeev Milkha Singha – the 51-year-old who is looking for his first Asian Tour victory in 15 years. He shot a 73.

Published on September 29, 2023

Ben Campbell moved into the second-round lead at US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters today on four-under after carding a three-under-par 69 – to be the only player to shoot two sub-par rounds.

American Jarin Todd (69) and Dodge Kemmer (72) and India’s Chikkarangappa S. (72) are one back at Taiwan Golf and Country Club, which once again posed a huge challenge, with the rough up and the fairways very tight – US Open style.

Scotland’s David Drysdale and Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand, also carded 72s, and are a further shot back – in what is the most lucrative golf tournament in Chinese-Taipei.

Campbell traded five birdies with two bogeys, and goes into the weekend looking for his first win on the Asian Tour.

“Played good at the start, dropped a couple in the middle, they were soft bogeys, unfortunately, which is easy to do out here,” said the New Zealander, who shone at this year’s New Zealand Open, coming home in a tie for second place.

“I hit it close on a few and played the par fives well, which makes it easier. I kept the ball in play nicely off the tee. It was really windy at the start but the last few holes it died a bit which was a big help for me. It is playing firm and fast and coming out of the rough it is hard to hold the greens.

“My game is obviously improving but there is still a way to go. I feel like the last few weeks have been getting better and better. Feel like my game is trending in right direction.”

Kemmer made amends for a double bogey on his final hole yesterday which cost him the outright lead, with a solid round that has him well placed with two rounds to go.

Said Kemmer: “First time here. It is interesting, it is difficult. You have to get lucky in the rough, and the fairways are so tight, it’s hard to hit them. You can’t try and force it too much. Par is a good score. You must stay patient.”

He made four birdies – two of which were the result of getting up and down on par fives seven and 15 – and four bogeys.

“I didn’t make quite as many putts as yesterday. It made the bad holes better, like nine and 10 – made enough birdies to stay around par,” added Kemmer, who is currently in 104^th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and needs a strong finish to the year to keep his playing privileges for 2024.

He is playing on the Asian Tour this year thanks to a card-securing top-10 finish on last season’s Asian Development Tour (ADT) OOM. He missed keeping his card by one place on last year’s Merit list before strong season-ending performances on the ADT salvaged his season.

Chikkarangappa S.’ scorecard was dominated with pars, with just a bogey on 10 and a birdie on 15.

“I putted really well. I was scrambling and the wind made things difficult. I kept making those clutch par putts,” said the player best known as ‘Chikka’.

Defending champion Chan Shih-chang from Chinese-Taipei carded a 75 and is even for the event, tied for 12.

Published on

Lachlan Barker completed an outstanding week of golf today by winning the Asian Tour’s opening First Stage qualifier, at Mt Derrimut Golf & Community, in Melbourne.

The promising South Australian golfer closed with a final-round one-under-par 71 for a four-round aggregate of 16-under-par 272 – to lead eight players through to next January’s Final Stage, in Thailand.

Australia’s Andre Lautee and Nathan Barbieri both carded 66s to tie for second, two shots back – in the first of six First Stage qualifying events, and only the second time Australia has staged one of the qualifiers.

Australians Kyle Michel, Max Charles (amateur), William Bruyeres, and Maverick Antcliff along with New Zealand’s Sam Jones (amateur) secured the other spots. Jones edged out his countryman Jared Edwards with a sliding seven-foot birdie putt on the final hole to claim the final spot.

Barker matched the course record on day one with a 64 and played exemplary golf on the small, firm greens, showing his ability to put the ball in the right position to score.

 

The eight qualifiers at Mt Derrimut Golf & Community.

Said Barker: “Course played great, and for four days in a row it was presented beautifully. I think on that back nine, a bit more wind kept me on my toes. I know I made a couple of bogeys just after the turn and that was when the wind picked up, and the holes played a bit differently than they had the first few days. Overall, I was fairly in control of it out there and got the job done. So, I’m happy with my week.

“My fondest memory has to be Tuesday, my opening 64, that was pretty good plus the day as a whole, as I had a good group of guys, and the putts were dropping.”

He led the event from start to finish and was six ahead at the halfway point and started today two in front.

“Mount Derrimut really embraced the event,” said David Rollo, Chief Operating Officer, Asian Tour.

“Putting surfaces were excellent, fast and true thanks to superintendent Simon Cochrane and his team, while general manager Ian Crews and his volunteer team provided comprehensive support. This included organising live scoring on the final day, which helped players and spectators understand what was needed to do to make it through over the closing stages.”

Soboba Springs Golf Club in California will host the next qualifier, from November 7-10.

Thailand, which has such a strong association with the Qualifying School, will then stage the ensuing events, at Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi from December 12-15, and Pattana Sports Resort, Chonburi from December 19-22.

The final two First Stage qualifiers will be played simultaneously from January 9-12 at the Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok and Grand Prix Golf Club.

Published on September 28, 2023

Defending champion Chan Shih-chang has picked up where he left off in the US$1million Mercuries Taiwan Masters by taking a share of the first-round lead today.

He shot a three-under-par 69 at Taiwan Golf and Country Club – where players have said the course is excellent but punishing, due to exceptionally narrow fairways and deep rough – along with veteran Angelo Que, Jaco Ahlers, Chikkarangappa S. and Dodge Kemmer.

Like the vast majority of the field, Chan, who started on 10, battled to get to grips with the back nine, playing it in one over with a bogey on 11, before a strong second half with birdies on one, three, five and six.

An impressive round considering he was nursing a cold, which he picked up from his son.

“The difficulty has definitely increased compared to last year,” said the Chinese-Taipei star, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour – who has also triumphed on six occasions on the Asian Development Tour.

“I didn’t play bad on my front nine, just wasn’t making any putts. I started sinking putts on the back. I will just play shot by shot this week, don’t think so much. I should have a chance on Sunday, if I can stay consistent for the next few rounds.”

He beat Indian Rashid Khan on the second extra-hole here last year, to win this event for the first time, after making birdie on 18 thrice – once in normal play and twice in extra time.

Que, 44, rolled back the years and was quick to comment on the condition of the course.

“The conditions are very good, I think the best I have ever played at Tamsui!” he said.

“The greens are so nice. You don’t have to hit it so hard. Hopefully, I keep doing what I am doing. The key this week is just to keep it in play.”

The Filipino is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour but his last came in 2010 at the Selangor Masters.

“It was good today, played with Mardan [Mamat] and Liu [Yen-hung] – that was good, allowed me to play in my comfort zone,” he added.

“Started on 10 and started bad, made a double there, but was hitting it good. I just kept on doing what I was doing and everything clicked.”

He also dropped a shot on 14 and made the turn in three over but enjoyed a brilliant run of holes from the third, making three birdies on the trot, followed by an eagle – where he hit his second to a foot – and another birdie.

Ahlers, an 11-time winner on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, including their Tour Championship in April, has been a regular feature on the leaderboards in Asia this year and is once again pressing for a first win in the region.

Said the South African, who is playing here for the first time: “It was good, played solid, and putted nicely. It’s an interesting golf course – you have to be patient. Made some nice short putts, birdied the par fives.”

India’s Chikkarangappa S, popularly known as “Chikka”, was delighted to finish on three under. He also started on 10 and turned in even par but made three birdies on the second half.

“It is very tough out there,” he said.

“I have been playing here since 2016 and I think is the toughest I have seen the rough, it’s really up. If you miss it around the green or off the tee, it is very punishable, especially with the fairways very narrow. Only a crazy short game can save you.”

Chikka has competed on the Asian Tour since 2014 and is also looking for his first win, having come close before on many occasions. He has finished second twice, third once, and fourth twice – including at The DGC Open presented by Mastercard this year.

“Honestly, I didn’t have a good start. But I putted well and got back into it. I chipped in on 16 from 10 yards, so that helped,” said 29-year-old, who does have two Asian Development Tour titles to his name.

“Still working on my ball striking but luckily the short game has been good. I am just working on a couple of things and those things are falling into place. I feel I am getting there day by day.”

American Kemmer had looked set for the outright lead but made a double on his final hole, the ninth.

Scotland’s David Drysdale, Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand, Australian Todd Sinnott and Micah Lauren Shin from the United States are next best placed with 70s.

Khan is once again in the hunt having returned a 71 and is tied for 10^th, in a group that includes his decorated compatriot Jeev Milkha Singh.

Chinese-Taipei legend Hsieh Min-nan also played today, breaking his own record for being the oldest player to tee off on the Asian Tour. The 83-year-old shot a very respectable 85, two better than another of the country’s greats ‘TC” Chen.

Play was suspended at 7am for 50 minutes due to heavy rain, meaning one group were unable to finish.