Lee Chieh-po has revealed he enjoyed one of the happiest moments of his career recently when took his International Series Thailand trophy to his home club.

“I felt so proud to bring my first Asian Tour trophy back to the club last week,” said the Chinese-Taipei star, who tees-off in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open at Taifong Golf Club tomorrow.

His home club is in Taoyuan City, where he has been attached since his teenage days.

It was yet another memorable milestone for the impressive 30-year-old this season.

He won the International Series Thailand three weeks ago [main picture] and supported by four other top 10s in the space of a month he has leapt into third place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and fifth on The International Series Rankings.

Lee Chieh-po celebrates on the 18th green on Sunday at the International Series Thailand. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He has a chance to finish top of both with three big money events ahead in Hong Kong, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. American John Catlin leads both rankings, and may be too hard to catch on the Merit list but the race on The International Series – which earns the winner a place on next year’s LIV Golf League – is wide open.

The pressure will be immense, but Lee is trying to take it all in his stride.

“It’s been a great last couple of weeks,” says Lee, who is sponsored by Taiwan Glass, along with countrymen Chan Shih-chang and Chang Wei-lun.

“Finally getting my first win, so relieved to get the monkey off my back. But to be frank, nothing’s going to change much this week.

“Still the same mindset, same game. Even at the BNI Indonesian Masters, the week after I won, things were still the same. I’ve been doing all the right things it seems, and I’ll keep doing that, stick to my routine and see where it brings me at the end of the season.”

Further celebrations in Thailand. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Lee won this week’s event back in 2021 – when due to COVID-19 it was part of the local tour only and before it was elevated from the Asian Development Tour to Asian Tour last year. Offering total prizemoney of US$400,000 it will not make a huge impact on the Asian Tour merit list, although a win would certainly be ideal preparation ahead of the multi-million dollar events to follow, all three of which are also part of The International Series.

He adds: “It’s great to give myself a chance at the Order of Merit and Ranking titles. Still a few more events to go, I know I am doing well so I will aim to continue my good form and hopefully clinch the Merit titles that everyone out here is aiming for. I believe everyone wants to play on LIV so it will be great if I can qualify to.”

Working on staying fit, being healthy and improving his swing have all played a major part in stepping up to another level this season he says.

He is a six-time winner on the local circuit, four of those coming in 2021 when he secured their Order of Merit. One of those victories included the Taifong title while back in 2014 he claimed his first one when he was still an amateur.

It was the early days for a star-in-the-making who has now become that star, and a very bright one at that.