Lu holes out for eagle to win dramatic HCT ADT Open playoff
Lu Wei-chih holed out from the rough for eagle at the first playoff hole to defeat fellow Chinese Taipei players Wang Wei-hsuan and Shapiyate Mako and capture the US$120,000 HCT ADT Open after a thrilling finish at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club on Friday.
The three players finished tied on 15-under-par 273 after Wang posted the clubhouse lead with a brilliant seven-under-par 65, before Lu and Mako both birdied the 72nd hole to force extra holes.
Returning to the par-five 18th for the playoff, Mako’s approach came up short of the green before he chipped close with his third shot. Wang reached the green in three and faced a birdie putt from around seven feet.
Lu, meanwhile, missed the green to the right with his approach, leaving himself about 24 yards away in the rough. He then produced the defining moment of the tournament, pitching the ball onto the green and watching it roll straight into the cup for a remarkable walk-off eagle and the title.
“I was just trying to make birdies and play shot by shot. I kept it very simple,” Lu said.
“That eagle chip-in in the playoff was a surprise. It’s not an easy shot because it’s difficult to stop the ball on these greens. I was only trying to get it close. I didn’t expect it to go in.”
Lu celebrated the victory with his son, who has been carrying his bag throughout the week.
“We couldn’t believe it went in,” he said. “I don’t think I could do it again if you asked me to play that shot a hundred times.”
The victory completed a dramatic turnaround after Lu appeared to have surrendered control of the tournament during the final round.
Beginning the day with a four-shot advantage, the overnight leader stumbled early with a costly double bogey at the par-five fifth as the chasing pack closed in.
“I didn’t actually start well today and a lot of players were really chasing me,” he said. “The double bogey was costly and my mindset changed from there. I knew I might not be leading anymore.”
Rather than becoming defensive, Lu said he decided to attack.
“I told myself to play more aggressively and commit to the shots,” he said. “I’m glad I made the playoff and gave myself another chance.”
Wang looked destined to lift the trophy after producing the day’s best round of seven-under-par 65.
Playing in the 15th group, he birdied four of his opening five holes and turned in five-under-par 31. Despite a costly double bogey at the par-three 15th, he birdied the closing hole to post the clubhouse target at 15-under.
“I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all,” Wang said. “I just focused on every shot.”
Mako, who had struggled with dizziness during Thursday’s third round, recovered with a composed bogey-free 68. Playing alongside Lu in the final group, he birdied the 18th to earn his place in the playoff before narrowly missing out on the title.
Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei with wife Zhuang Hui Jun and son Lu I-hsien pictured with the winner’s trophy following his victory in the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Lu said the victory carried special significance after battling back from serious illness.
“This win gives me a new direction on how to move forward in my career,” he said. “It’s been quite a long journey since I fell sick, but I’ve come to accept it and face it. I worked my way back to the golf course.”
He said the unwavering support of his sponsors helped him through the toughest period of his career.
“I have no reason to give up. My sponsors never gave up on me, so I had no reason to give up on myself.”
Lu said rebuilding his strength had taken time, particularly with the demands of playing in hot conditions.
“It took a lot of effort to get my body back to where it should be,” he said. “I knew I had to work on my stamina. It’s very important when you play in weather like this.”
He also paid tribute to his wife for helping him return to professional golf.
“She has always been considerate and caring about my health and has supported our family,” he said. “Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to come back and play golf.”
Despite claiming one of the most memorable victories of his career, Lu said he remains focused on taking his career one step at a time as he attempts to regain his Asian Tour card after losing it four years ago.
“I haven’t been able to keep my Asian Tour card over the last four years,” he said. “This is my first ADT win and I hope I can play my way back to the Asian Tour.”
“I’ll play the rest of the ADT events this season and hopefully earn my card for next year so I don’t have to go back to Qualifying School.”
“I just want to get a little bit better every day, even if it’s only a small step,” he said.
Chan Chia-han finished fourth on 14-under-par 274 after closing with a six-under-par 66, while Hsieh Ting-wei was fifth on 13-under following another 66.
Another highlight came from Korea’s Jaeil Kim, who recorded the tournament’s third hole-in-one when he aced the 173-yard par-three 12th with a six-iron during his final-round 70.
The Asian Development Tour (ADT) will return to the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament next month with great enthusiasm for what is the tour’s longest running tournament.
Damai Indah Golf (BSD Course) will once again play host to the popular event, which will be played from 26-29 August and mark the ADT’s second visit of the season to Indonesia.
Twelve months ago England’s Matt Killen claimed the title at what was the 10th edition of the event, and another strong field is fully expected to compete for the title this year.
The victory helped Killen secure his Asian Tour card by finishing in the top-10 on the ADT Order of Merit, and with this year’s Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament the 12th stop of the season competitors will be look to follow in the Englishman’s footsteps.
Total prizemoney for the event is US$150,000 – which is the same as last year.
“We will arrive at the wonderful Damai Indah Golf (BSD Course) deep into our season, at full speed and excited for the week ahead,” said Ken Kudo, General Manager, ADT.
“Once again, we are indebted to the Ciputra Group and Damai Indah Golf (BSD Course) for their incredible commitment and support – which has ensured that the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament leads the way in terms of longevity and indeed prestige.”
First played in 2014, the tournament has one of the most impressive lists of past champions. As well as Killen, a host of famous names are inscribed on the trophy including Tom Kim, Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Miguel Carballo. They all went on to win on the main tour shortly after winning the Ciputra event.
Remarkably, a different nationality has won every edition of the tournament – so all eyes will be on to see if that continues this year.
Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan has been the in-form player on the ADT this year and currently leads the merit list. He claimed the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters in March and also lost the PKNS Selangor Masters in a sudden-death play-off against Nicklaus Chiam from Singapore.
Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih fired a flawless nine-under-par 63 to surge into a commanding four-shot lead after the third round of the US$120,000 HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club on Thursday.
Starting the day tied for fifth, Lu produced the lowest round of the tournament to reach 15-under-par 201, opening a four-shot advantage over overnight leader Shapiyate Mako, who slipped back after a three-under-par 69.
Another local favourite, Chang Wei-lun, remains in contention in third place on 10-under-par 206 after also carding a 69.
Lu’s bogey-free round featured nine birdies as the experienced campaigner took firm control heading into Friday’s final round.
He made his move with birdies at the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth to turn in five-under-par 31 before adding further birdies at the 10th, 16th, 17th and 18th for an inward 32.
Despite the outstanding score, Lu said he remained focused on taking the course one hole at a time.
“I just tried to do my best on every hole,” he said.
He identified the sixth and seventh as two of the key moments of the day.
At the sixth, Lu holed an 18-foot putt to save par after an errant approach shot, while at the seventh he recovered from the rough to scramble another valuable par.
Lu also credited his son, Lu I-hsien, who has been carrying the bag throughout the week.
“He reads the greens very well, so having him caddie for me has been a big help,” he said.
Despite opening up a sizeable advantage, Lu insisted he would not be thinking about the title.
“I’m not thinking too much about winning. I’ll just keep taking it one step at a time.”
Shapiyate Mako of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during Round Three of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Mako, who began the day with a one-shot lead, battled through difficult conditions to remain alone in second place.
The Chinese Taipei player said he felt fine over the opening nine, but began to suffer from the heat during the inward half.
“I started to feel dizzy and wasn’t feeling very good, but I just tried to finish the round,” he said.
Despite feeling unwell, Mako birdied both par fives on the back nine but admitted his concentration suffered over the closing holes.
“Maybe if I had been able to concentrate better, the score could have been a little lower,” he said.
Still within striking distance, Mako said his strategy for the final round would remain straightforward.
“I’ll try to keep the ball in the fairway and on the greens, then take my chances when the birdie opportunities come.”
Chang remained five shots behind after making six birdies in his round, but a double bogey at the sixth and another dropped shot proved costly.
Chang Wei-lun of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during Round Three of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
He also regretted missing a five-foot birdie putt at the closing hole.
“Five shots is not easy to make up, but it’s hard to say what will happen tomorrow,” Chang said. “I’ll just do my best.”
USA’s Johnny Walker climbed into a share of sixth after a five-under-par 67, racing to the turn in 31 before two back-nine bogeys slowed his charge.
Walker, who has previously competed at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club, said local knowledge had been a significant advantage.
“I’ve played this course before, so it helps because it’s kind of a funky golf course. You need to know where to hit it and where not to hit it,” he said.
Another highlight came from fellow Chinese Taipei player Tsai Tsung-yu, who recorded the tournament’s second hole-in-one in as many days when he aced the 190-yard par-three 15th with a seven-iron during a four-under-par 68. Tsai finished the day tied for fourth on nine-under-par 207 alongside compatriot Su Ching-hung.
With a four-shot cushion over Mako and five over Chang, Lu will take a commanding advantage into Friday’s final round as he bids for the HCT ADT Open title.
Main picture: Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei reads a putt accompanied by his son and caddy Lu I-hsien during the third round of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei, on July 23, 2026. Lu fired a bogey-free 63 to lead the US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event by four shots.
Chinese Taipei’s Shapiyate Mako carded a six-under-par 66 featuring the first hole-in-one of his professional career to open up a one-shot lead after the second round of the US$120,000 HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club on Wednesday.
Starting the day tied for 19th after an opening-round 70, Mako climbed 18 places with a composed second-round performance to reach eight-under-par 136. He heads into the final two rounds one stroke clear of Japan’s Nobuaki Oda and Shunichiro Morioka, and fellow Chinese Taipei player Chang Wei-lun, who share second place on seven-under 137.
The highlight of Mako’s round came at the 155-yard par-three eighth, where he holed a nine-iron from 145 yards for the first hole-in-one of his professional career.
“It was my first hole-in-one in a professional tournament,” he said.
The 30-year-old said every aspect of his game contributed to his move into the outright lead, particularly his approach play, which consistently left him with makeable birdie opportunities.
Birdies at the fourth, seventh, 10th and 18th were complemented by the ace at the eighth, while his only blemishes came with bogeys at the opening hole and the sixth.
Shunichiro Morioka of Japan pictured in action during Round Two of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Mako credited his extensive experience around Hsin Feng Golf Country Club for helping him avoid trouble and plot his way around one of the more demanding layouts on the Asian Development Tour schedule.
“I’ve played this course many, many times, from my amateur days through my professional career,” he said. “I know where you can’t miss it and where the ball needs to be. Today I played very steadily and created a lot of birdie opportunities.”
Oda stayed firmly in contention after posting a two-under-par 68, while Morioka battled to an even-par 70 despite carding five birdies.
The Japanese player admitted the putter prevented him from challenging for the lead after suffering two costly three-putts.
“My driving and iron play were good today, but I couldn’t control my putting,” he said.
Despite the frustrations on the greens, Morioka still produced several highlights, including a chip-in birdie at the ninth, a two-putt birdie after reaching the par-five 14th in two shots, and a five-metre birdie putt at the 15th.
Chang matched Morioka’s even-par 70 to remain one shot off the lead, with the local player continuing to benefit from his familiarity with the course.
Chang Wei-lun of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during Round Two of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Nine players are tied for eighth place on five-under-par 139, including first-round co-leaders Hung Chien-yao and Tawit Polthai, while another five players sit just a shot further back on four-under 140 to leave the tournament finely balanced heading into the third round.
India’s Shaurya Bhattacharya produced the round of the tournament, a superb eight-under-par 64, to climb from five over after the opening round into a tie for 22nd on three-under 141.
After struggling on Tuesday, Bhattacharya said the turnaround came from changing his mindset rather than altering his swing.
“Yesterday I expected too much from myself because I knew it was going to be a scoring week,” he said. “Today I went onto the course with no expectations and that really helped.”
Starting on the back nine, Bhattacharya birdied his second hole to build confidence before taking advantage of the scoring opportunities on the inward half. He missed just one fairway all day, with his only bogey following that miss.
“I drove the ball really well and missed only one fairway, which led to my only bogey,” he said. “The course is demanding off the tee, so tomorrow I’ll just focus on hitting fairways and doing the same things I did today.”
With just three shots separating Mako from the group tied for eighth, another closely contested day is expected when the tournament resumes on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Salhab, Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao and Thailand’s Tawit Polthai carded six-under-par 66s to share the opening-round lead at the US$120,000 HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club on Tuesday.
The trio finished one stroke clear of a group of five players after the opening day of the 10th event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour season and the final stop of the Tour’s three-week swing through Chinese Taipei.
Salhab, who set the clubhouse target after the morning wave, recovered from an early setback to produce a flawless back nine of five-under 31.
Starting from the first tee, the Saudi opened with a birdie at the par-three second before dropping his only shot of the day at the fourth. A good drive left him well positioned, but his approach flew over the green into a bunker, leading to a bogey. He recovered with birdies at the eighth and ninth before catching fire on the inward half, adding further gains at the 11th, 13th, 15th, 16th and closing par-five 18th.
“It was good. It was a bit tricky in the beginning for me. The first nine was a bit everywhere, then I kind of figured out the driver and it became a lot easier from the fairway,” said Salhab.
The 27-year-old described Hsin Feng as one of the more demanding layouts on the schedule.
“I do like the course. It’s tricky, so you always have to leave yourself some room and just do your best out there. It is very tricky.”
Competing in Chinese Taipei for the first time, Salhab said he had enjoyed both the golf courses and the experience during the Tour’s three-week visit.
“It’s my first time here and it’s been very nice. The golf courses are really different to what I’m used to, so it’s been a new experience.”
Faisal Salhab of Saudi Arabia pictured in action during Round One of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Fresh from claiming last week’s Ambassador ADT Open, Hung continued his rich vein of form with another impressive display, mixing six birdies with a lone bogey to delight the home galleries.
The 34-year-old said the victory had given him renewed confidence, although he was still working on refining his swing ahead of a busy stretch of tournaments.
“I think I’m doing pretty good. Maybe because I won last week my confidence feels pretty good,” he said. “But I’m still working on my game. Before last week I was struggling with my long game and looking for my swing.”
Hung even spent time with his long-time coach, Danny Wei, before heading to the course.
“I went to see him this morning before coming to the course because I’m trying to get everything ready for the next Asian Tour events.”
Playing at a course he knows well also provided an advantage.
“We play here a couple of times a year and this is my sponsor’s club, so of course I want to play well here. They’re like family to me and have supported me a lot.”
Tawit Polthai of Thailand pictured in action during Round One of the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club in Hsinchu, Chinese Taipei. The US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event is being played from July 21-24, 2026
Thailand’s Tawit Polthai produced one of the day’s grittiest rounds despite admitting he struggled to find the fairways.
“I missed a lot of tee shots and my second shots were often on the wrong side,” he said. “But my chipping and putting were very good today.”
Tawit said his iron play and short game compensated for his erratic driving, while his experience of Hsin Feng proved invaluable.
“You have to hit the tee shot well here. If you miss the fairway it’s very difficult. I’ve played this course many times, so I know how to play it if I can find the fairways.”
Five players share fourth place on five-under 67: Korea’s Jaeil Kim, England’s Johnny Walker, Japan’s Shunichiro Morioka, Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai and Chinese Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun.
Chang said every part of his game clicked, particularly his short game and putting, while his familiarity with Hsin Feng helped him manage the conditions.
“Everything was good today – driving, iron play, chipping and putting,” he said. “I know this course very well, so I understand the wind and where the ball needs to be on every shot.”
A further nine players are tied for 11th on three-under 69, ensuring a tightly packed leaderboard heading into Wednesday’s second round.
Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao fired a brilliant five-under-par 66 to come from five shots behind and claim a two-stroke victory at the US$120,000 Ambassador ADT Open at Taipei Golf Club.
Hung began Friday’s final round tied for ninth on one-over-par but produced the lowest score of the day to finish on four-under-par 280, completing a remarkable climb through the field after rounds of 72, 73 and 69 this week.
The victory came after a dramatic final day which saw overnight leader Chan Shih-chang surrender a three-shot advantage, while Hung surged through the field with a closing round featuring an eagle and four birdies against a solitary bogey.
Hung admitted victory was far from his thoughts when he teed off in the fourth-last group.
“I wasn’t really thinking I was going to win,” he said. “This is one of the most challenging golf courses in Taiwan. My wife is a professional golfer and she reminded me that on this course, if you can make par, you have a lot of chances. You don’t have to think about making birdie all the time.”
That patient approach paid dividends before Hung’s outlook changed when he checked the leaderboard with three holes remaining and realised the title was within reach.
At the par-five 16th, he switched to a more aggressive strategy and was rewarded with a decisive eagle. After finding the fairway with his drive, Hung had 256 yards to the pin and struck a five-wood that landed around 30 yards short of the flag before bounding onto the green and finishing just two feet from the hole.
“I saw the leaderboard and going into 16 I changed my plan,” he said. “I wanted to go for it and be a little more aggressive, which I did, and I’m very happy for it.”
Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during Round Four of the Ambassador ADT Open at Taipei Golf Club. The US$120,000 ADT event is held from July 14-17, 2026.
The victory carried particular significance for the 34-year-old, who admitted he had recently questioned whether he could continue competing successfully against the emerging generation of younger professionals.
“I’ve been a professional for about 14 years and I thought maybe I’m getting kind of old and I can’t really compete with the younger players,” he said. “But this win means a lot to me. It makes me think I’m still young and I can still compete in the game. Maybe I have another 10 or 20 years of golf to play.”
Hung also thanked his sponsors and family, reserving special appreciation for his wife and young child after claiming a title on home soil.
Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong and Chinese Taipei duo Wang Wei-hsuan and Su Ching-hung shared second place on two-under-par 282. Runchanapong and Wang both closed with three-under-par 68s, while Su signed for a 70.
Wang made his move through the field without realising how close he was to the lead, having deliberately avoided looking at the leaderboard.
“I didn’t see a scoreboard,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking about the score. I just wanted to enjoy the game.”
The Chinese Taipei player said his driving had been a strength throughout the week but found the grainy greens and surrounding areas difficult. He made equipment adjustments ahead of the final round, changing both his wedge grind and putter, and felt the changes contributed to his closing 68.
Wang, who also played well during the closing stages of last week’s Ever Glory ADT Open, said his confidence was continuing to grow ahead of next week’s HCT ADT Open.
“I’m pretty confident with my swing right now,” he said. “If I’m in position, I think I can win maybe next week.”
He also credited his wife, Cindy Zhou, who was on the bag during the tournament. Zhou played college golf in the United States, and Wang said her experience had been particularly valuable in helping him with the mental side of his game.
“It’s really good, it’s really fun and we work very well together,” he said. “She can help me, especially with my mental game. I can feel more free.”
Italy’s Michele Ortolani and Chinese Taipei’s Wen Cheng-hsiang shared fifth place on one-under-par 283 after matching final rounds of 69.
Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wei also closed with 69s to share seventh place on even-par 284 with overnight leader Chan, whose hopes of victory faded with a final-round 75.
The final day also produced the fourth hole-in-one of an event that had already seen three aces at the 151-yard 18th during Tuesday’s opening round. Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Ting-wei added his name to the list with an eight-iron at the 180-yard par-three fourth on his way to a closing 71.
The Ambassador ADT Open was the ninth event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour season and the second of three consecutive US$120,000 tournaments in Chinese Taipei, following last week’s Ever Glory ADT Open. The swing concludes next week with the HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club from July 21-24.
Five-time Asian Tour winner Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei will take a commanding three-shot lead into the final round of the US$120,000 Ambassador ADT Open after maintaining his composure on another demanding day at Taipei Golf Club.
Chan followed his second-round 67 with an even-par 71 to reach four-under-par 209, extending his overnight advantage as none of his nearest challengers were able to make significant inroads on a layout that has continued to test every aspect of the players’ games.
The tournament is the ninth event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour season and the second of three consecutive tournaments in Chinese Taipei, following last week’s Ever Glory ADT Open. The Taiwan swing concludes next week with the US$120,000 HCT ADT Open at Hsin Feng Golf Country Club.
Chinese Taipei duo Lu Wei-chih and Shen Wei-cheng, compatriot Su Ching-hung and Korea’s Minhyeok Yang share second place on one-under-par 212.
Chan said the shifting wind proved one of the biggest challenges of the day, making club selection difficult as the breeze changed direction across the course. Although he admitted his driving was not at its best, particularly on the par fives, he relied on his putting to preserve his lead.
Looking ahead to Friday’s final round, Chan said his focus would remain on finding fairways and greens, adding that patience would again be the key to scoring well at Taipei Golf Club.
Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during Round Three of the Ambassador ADT Open at Taipei Golf Club. The US$120,000 ADT event is held from July 14-17, 2026
Lu produced one of the best rounds of the day with a three-under-par 68, recovering from a front-nine bogey to surge into contention with four birdies after the turn.
He said his iron play had not produced enough birdie opportunities early in the round, but he found his rhythm on the back nine with three consecutive birdies from the 12th. A 36-foot birdie putt at the 12th sparked the run before he added birdies from nine feet at the 13th and five feet at the 14th. Another five-foot birdie at the 16th completed his charge.
Lu said patience remained essential because of the oppressive heat and the difficult grain on the greens, adding that he hoped to give himself more birdie chances in the final round by hitting approach shots closer to the hole.
Yang carded a bogey-free two-under-par 69 to join the group in second despite describing his driving as inconsistent throughout the day.
Minhyeok Yang of Korea pictured in action during Round Three of the Ambassador ADT Open at Taipei Golf Club. The US$120,000 ADT event is held from July 14-17, 2026
“My driver was really bad today,” he said. “But my chipping and up-and-downs were probably the best part of my game.”
Like many players this week, Yang said the greens remained the course’s greatest defence.
“Every day they’re different,” he said. “Sometimes they’re slow, sometimes they feel quicker. Chipping is easier than putting.”
The demanding nature of Taipei Golf Club was reflected in the cut, with 66 players from the starting field of 144 advancing to the weekend after the cut fell at six-over-par 148.
Chinese Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai shared sixth place on even-par 213 alongside Japan’s Ryo Noro. Wen Cheng-hsiang of Chinese Taipei produced the low round of the day with a five-under-par 66, climbing into a share of ninth on one over after holing out for eagle at the par-four 14th. He was joined on 214 by compatriots Hung Chien-yao, Wang Wei-hsuan and Yang Hsiao-che, Italy’s Michele Ortolani, Thailand’s Witchayapat Sinsrang and Runchanapong Youprayong and Japan’s Shori Ishizuka.
Former Asian Tour champion Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei carded a four-under-par 67 to take a one-shot halfway lead at the Ambassador ADT Open, where patience and a polished short game continued to prove the keys to success on the demanding Taipei Golf Club layout.
Chan moved to four-under-par 138 after producing the joint lowest round of the day, one stroke clear of compatriot Shen Wei-cheng, who battled through physical discomfort to card a three-under 68.
The experienced Chan, a five-time Asian Tour winner and six-time Asian Development Tour champion, credited his short game after needing just 23 putts during a round highlighted by an eagle at the par-five 16th, where he holed a 58-degree wedge from 42 yards.
Knowing how difficult the greens had played throughout the opening two rounds, Chan said he focused on leaving himself straightforward chips and converting one-chip, one-putt pars whenever possible.
Shen admitted his second round became a battle after he began feeling weak midway through the inward nine.
Shen, Wei-cheng of Chinese Taipei pictured in action on July 15, 2026, during Round Two of the Ambassador ADT Open played at Taipei Golf Club, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Despite struggling physically, the Chinese Taipei player concentrated on finding fairways and the middle of the greens rather than chasing birdies, limiting mistakes to remain firmly in contention.
Defending Ever Glory ADT Open champion Nathan Han of the United States and Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin shared third place on two-under-par 140 after rounds of 70 and 71 respectively.
Han said patience had been his greatest ally during two demanding days on a course where even short putts had become a challenge.
“It’s been a battle these past few days,” said Han. “The scores are high and the course is playing very hard, so it’s really easy to get frustrated. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job staying patient.”
He added that the greens had tested every player in the field.
“A lot of short putts are being missed. Everyone’s going to miss short putts, it’s just how it is. As long as you keep hitting good putts, that’s all you can really do.”
Nathan Han of the USA pictured in action on July 15, 2026, during Round Two of the Ambassador ADT Open played at Taipei Golf Club, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Shahriffuddin, who shared the overnight lead, recovered from an early stumble to remain well placed entering the weekend.
“This golf course is very mental and very tough from the tee,” he said. “The greens are also very tough, so I just tried to keep my ball in play.”
One of his best recoveries came at the 12th after finding trouble off the tee, eventually limiting the damage with an excellent recovery that saved valuable strokes.
India’s Kartik Singh and Chinese Taipei’s Su Ching-hung shared fifth place on one-under-par 141 after rounds of 69, alongside Singapore’s James Leow, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wei and overnight leader Ryo Noro of Japan, who slipped back after a second-round 73.
Australia’s Darcy Brereton matched Chan’s 67 to produce one of the rounds of the day, climbing into a share of 10th at even-par 142 with Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong and Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan and Yang Hsiao-che, and Japan’s Shori Ishizuka.
Japan’s Ryo Noro and Nobuaki Oda carded matching three-under-par 68s to share the opening-round lead as Taipei Golf Club proved a much sterner test than last week’s birdie-fest at the Ever Glory ADT Open.
Only 12 players finished under par on the opening day of the US$120,000 Asian Development Tour event, with Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Japan’s Shapiyate Mako and Chinese Taipei’s Yang Hsiao-che a shot further back after rounds of 69.
Noro carded a bogey-free 68 and said his driving and approach play were the strongest parts of his game, while describing his putting as only average. He also noted that the greens were slow and difficult to read, although the fine weather and light breeze helped produce a good score.
Compatriot Oda also pointed to the challenge of the greens after posting a round featuring six birdies and three bogeys. Two hole-outs, from about 10 yards and around 30 yards, proved pivotal, while he needed just 22 putts. He also identified the stretch from the 10th through the 12th as among the toughest on the course because of the narrow fairways.
Ariffin recovered from an adventurous opening round to earn a share of third. Starting from the 10th tee, the Malaysian mixed six birdies with four bogeys and a double bogey.
“I hit the ball really well today,” said Ariffin. “I got off to a really good start, chipped in early and managed to take advantage of the par fives.”
Ryo Noro of Japan pictured in action on July 14, 2026, during Round One of the Ambassador ADT Open played at Taipei Golf Club, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
He also highlighted the challenge presented by Taipei Golf Club’s greens.
“They’re tough. They’re very grainy, so you really have to know where to miss it.”
Last week’s Ever Glory ADT Open champion Nathan Han of the United States was among a group of seven players tied for sixth on one under after opening with a 70. Joining him were Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wei, Lu Wei-chih and Chang Wei-lun, Thailand’s Nirun Sae-Ueng and Singapore’s James Leow.
The opening round also produced the unusual sight of three holes-in-one, all coming at the 151-yard par-three 18th.
Japan’s Shori Ishizuka, who ended the day in a share of 13th after a 71, joined Malaysia’s Justin Chan (72) and Macau’s Kelvin Si in acing the hole. For Si, who turned professional at the start of 2024, it was the first hole-in-one of his career.
Nathan Han of the USA birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Sean Ramos of the Philippines and win the Ever Glory ADT Open after Typhoon Bavi forced tournament officials to reduce the championship to 54 holes.
Han carded a seven-under-par 65 in Friday’s third and final round at Dong Hua Elite Golf Club to finish tied on 16-under-par alongside Ramos and Korea’s Minhyeok Yang. After officials announced the tournament would conclude after three rounds because of the approaching typhoon, Han emerged victorious with a birdie on the opening extra hole.
Yang joined Han after matching the American’s seven-under 65, while Ramos closed with a five-under 67 to complete the three-way tie on 16 under.
The Tournament Committee reduced the event to 54 holes after forecasts indicated Typhoon Bavi would affect the venue from Friday evening and throughout Saturday, making it impossible to guarantee completion of the scheduled final round. Under the revised conditions, a playoff was held immediately after regulation play to determine the champion.
Han’s victory capped an impressive week of consistency. Following opening rounds of 67 and 68, the American produced one of the day’s best rounds, highlighted by an eagle at the par-five eighth and five birdies before sealing the title in the playoff.
“I flew,” said Han. “I started off with a birdie on the first and played good golf until the eighth, where I made eagle. I hit a really good drive and a really good iron shot to about four feet. That really kick-started my round and gave me a lot of confidence.”
Playing alongside Yang, the pair fed off each other’s good form throughout the day.
“It was fun. We were definitely going band for band and we both knew it,” Han said. “We were cheering each other on. I was happy to see him make putts and he was happy to see me make putts. It was just really good vibes in the group.”
Han also credited the support of his father, who was on the bag throughout the week.
“My dad was a great help. Tensions are always high in a tournament and I definitely got frustrated at times, both with myself and with him, but he handled it really well. He kept me even and it was great having him there as my support system.”
Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei celebrates with wife and caddie Cindy Zhou after his Hole In One on hole 13 in the final round of the Ever Glory ADT Open at Dong Hua Elite Golf Club on Friday, July 10, 2026.
Yang matched Han’s seven-under 65 with a spectacular round featuring nine birdies before a costly double bogey on the 15th denied him the outright lead and ultimately forced the playoff.
“My putting was really nice today,” said Yang. “My driver gave me a little bit of trouble, but I tried my best with my chipping and putting. I made a lot of long birdie putts.”
Asked how he felt about the prospect of a playoff, the Korean smiled before replying:
“Hungry. I feel a little bit of pressure, but I’ll just try my best.”
Ramos, who started the day one shot behind overnight leader Huang Yi-tseng, carded a composed five-under-par 67. Birdies at the third, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th outweighed his only dropped shot at the second as he earned his place in the playoff before eventually finishing runner-up.
Chinese Taipei duo Shapiyate Mako and Chan Shih-chang shared fourth place on 15 under after rounds of 66 and 68 respectively.
A further three players finished tied for sixth on 14 under: Hong Kong’s Hoho Yue (66), Italy’s Michele Ortolani (68) and overnight leader Huang Yi-tseng, whose challenge faded with a closing 70.
Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan produced one of the highlights of the final day, recording a hole-in-one at the par-three 13th after earlier making eagle at the par-five eighth during a four-under-par 68. He shared ninth place on 13 under alongside Malaysia’s Marcus Lim (67) and Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (68).
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