May 8: Thailand’s Tawit Polthai (main picture), who was denied a run at glory by a blazing sun last year at Taifong Golf Club, has given himself another chance when he preserved his one-shot lead at the top of the US$500,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open leaderboard despite a brilliant charge by new father, Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung.

Tawit was leading after 13 holes in the second round in a local Chau-Shi Series – Din Yue Open in July last year, when he had to retire from the tournament because of severe heat exhaustion.

Having learned his lessons, a much better hydrated Tawit kept the pedal to the metal and added a second successive round of six-under par 66 to reach 12-under at the halfway stage.

Two weeks after missing his “best cut ever”, Cheung shot a brilliant 64 and was just one behind the leader at 11-under after shooting a 69 on Thursday.

At the par-72 course, American Shotaro Ban, a resident of Chinese Taipei now, made four birdies and a double bogey in his last six holes to match his opening-round 67 and reach 10-under.

Matthew Cheung of Hong Kong. Pictures courtesy: Taiwan PGA.

“It was a lucky start for me. On the 10th hole, I hit my second shot over the green, and then managed to chip it in from a bad spot to make a birdie,” said Tawit, who played the back nine first.

“I played steady after that. Made an eagle on the par-5 17th, which was good. I hit it to the centre of the fairway and then hit a 7-iron second shot to about 20 feet and made that putt.”

Tawit’s only mistake was a bogey on the first hole (his 10th), where the ball took a bounce on the firm green and went over much to his surprise.

“The only thing I had in my mind was to keep my tee shots in play. I did not have any number in mind for the round, so very happy that I could shoot another 66. I just wanted to hit good second shots and then see if we could make a putt,” added Tawit, who graduated to the Asian Tour after winning the Order of Merit on the Asian Development Tour last year.

Cheung went back to Hong Kong after missing the cut in the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times. Within an hour of reaching home, his wife Kaitlin, had to be rushed to the hospital, where she gave birth to Annalise, their first daughter.

The 30-year-old showed on Friday that Annalise has been good for his golf game as well, as he fired nine birdies after opening with a bogey.

“I am so very happy right now, and I am just riding that happiness,” said Cheung, who was a member of the Hong Kong national team that won the Asian Games gold in Hangzhou.

“Even though I missed the cut, the Singapore week was unforgettable. My wife was pregnant, and I  changed my flight to leave Saturday afternoon. I got home at 9pm and my wife started getting her contractions an hour later. We rushed to the hospital, and Annalise was born Sunday morning.

“I was planning to pull out of this week, but Kaitlin’s been super supportive with everything I’ve ever done in terms of my golfing career. She actually pushed me to come here and play. I would not be here without her.”

Shotaro Ban of the USA. Pictures courtesy: Taiwan PGA.

Cheung recalled a 25-foot downhill putt on the fourth hole as the best shot of his day and added: “I hit a lot of good shots out there. On the first hole, that was just a tough second shot, and it left me in a bad position. But overall, very happy with how I played today. I gave myself a lot of opportunities and made a lot of good putts.”

Ban, who shifted his residence to Chinese Taipei in 2023, unfortunately lost his ball in the rough on the par-4 16th hole and had to settle for a double bogey, but bounced back well to close with birdies on the two par-5 closing holes of Taifong Golf Club.

South Africa’s Ian Snyman, who made an albatross on the 17th hole during his practice round on Tuesday, was bogey-free in a round of 67 that took him to nine-under par.

Two holes-in-one were recorded on Friday.

Italian Gabriela De Barba got his on Hole 12 with a 6-iron from 188 yards. De Barba had started the day with two bogeys in the first three holes, but finished with a 68 to be inside the cutline at -4.

The other ace belonged to Australian Brett Rankin with an 8-iron from 181 yards on the eighth hole. It helped him finish with a 70, but that wasn’t enough to make it to the weekend at 4-over 148.

The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is usually played in November, but has been moved forward this year to May at the Tour’s request.