Rising star Varadan wins ADT Merit title after final event of year postponed
In a big boost for Malaysian golf, Khavish Varadan has been crowned the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion earlier than expected after it was confirmed today that the season-ending Aramco Invitational Tournament has been postponed.
The 26-year-old and his fellow ADT members were due to head to Saudi Arabia next month for what was the last remaining event of the season but instability in the region and concerns over player safety have forced its organisers to not proceed with it on the ADT schedule. It was due to be held at Rolling Hills Golf Club from 25-28 November.
It means Varadan wins the Merit list for the first time and becomes only the third Malaysian to do so in the 16-year history of the ADT. His compatriots S. Siva Chandhran and Nicholas Fung won the OOM in 2010 and in 2013 respectively.
Varadan has taken the ADT by storm this year in just his third full season as a professional. He lost the season-opening Selangor Masters in a play-off in February to Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam. However, he made amends by winning the next event, the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters, after another play-off – against Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand. He also claimed tied second place in the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament later in the year and enjoyed two other top five results.
The Malaysian, who is also playing on the Asian Tour this year having made it through Qualifying School, finished the year with earnings of US$64,883.89 having played in eight of the 14 events on the schedule.
Today’s news will also be welcomed by the other players in the top-10 of the OOM, who have all earned Asian Tour cards for next year: Korean Minhyeok Yang, Sean Ramos from the Philippines, Italian Michele Ortolani, Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong, Indian Pukhraj Gill, Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore, Xu, Andi from China, Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar, and Nathan Han from the United States.
The Egypt Golf Series 14, won by Englishman Ben Jones at the beginning of the month, now stands as the final event of the 2026 ADT’s season.
China’s Andi Xu produced a spectacular finish of four consecutive birdies to claim his first professional title at The Indonesia Pro-Am presented by Combiphar & Nomura at Gunung Geulis Country Club on Friday.
Xu bounced back from a bogey at the 14th by birdieing each of his remaining four holes, closing with a six-under-par 65 on the West Course to finish the US$125,000 Asian Development Tour event on 18 under.
Australia’s Darcy Brereton applied the pressure all the way to the finish, matching Xu’s 65 and birdieing the 18th to reach 17 under, but the Chinese player responded by converting from five feet at the last to secure a one-stroke victory.
Korea’s Minhyeok Yang had earlier established the clubhouse target after producing the low round of the day, a seven-under 64 that took him to 15 under.
Playing four groups ahead of the final threesome, Yang held the clubhouse lead until the battle between Xu and Brereton developed over the closing holes.
Xu began the final round with a one-shot advantage over Brereton and ADT Order of Merit leader Khavish Varadan and remained unaware of exactly where he stood until reaching the 15th green.
“I didn’t look at the leaderboard until 15, when there was one next to the green,” said Xu. “At that point I was 14 under and I believe I was one behind Darcy.
“I ended up holing the birdie putt from the fringe of the green there and then made a few more putts over the last three to birdie out and win by one.
“On these greens you don’t really know if you’re going to make those 20-footers. I just told myself before every putt, ‘Just hit a good putt. It’s like all the putts you practise. Don’t even think about the score.’ And then they just rolled in.”
Having drawn level with Brereton, Xu birdied the 16th and 17th to take a one-shot advantage to the par-four 18th.
With Brereton alongside him in the final group, Xu opted for caution from the tee while the Australian took the more aggressive route.
“Darcy was 16 under and I was 17 under, so my thought was that I just needed to play it safe. There was no need to take risks,” said Xu.
“I hit four-iron off the tee into the middle of the fairway and Darcy hit driver and had about 50 yards left. I had 130 yards uphill and hit pitching wedge to about five or six feet.
“Darcy hit his chip to about 20 feet and drained the putt. Props to him — he played a great tournament. I just had to step up and make the putt, and thankfully I did.”
Darcy Brereton
Brereton’s birdie briefly drew him level at 17 under, leaving Xu needing to hole his putt to avoid a playoff.
“I thought it was missing right, to be honest,” Xu said. “It was a little high and I was thinking, ‘Please don’t lip out.’ Then it lipped in, so I was very thankful.
“I would not have wanted to go into a playoff after a long tournament!”
The victory was an emotional breakthrough for Xu, who is in his first season competing on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour and had not won a tournament since his college days.
“It feels great. Honestly, I haven’t felt anything like this in a long time,” he said.
“My last tournament win was in college and to be able to win on a professional stage like this means the world to me.”
Xu said his primary objective this season had been to continue developing his game, but victory in Indonesia has given him another important step towards establishing himself in Asia.
“The main goal for me is to improve my game, but on top of that it would be nice to keep my card,” he said. “I think this win helps with that goal and moves me forward in the rankings.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to play on this tour next year. To have an Asian Tour card would be really beneficial to my game.”
Brereton, who had started the day one behind Xu, made an early bogey at the first but responded with seven birdies and no further dropped shots to push the eventual champion all the way.
Despite narrowly missing out on the title, the Australian was encouraged by his 17-under total.
“I’ve got to be happy with myself. I had a target in mind of about 15 or 16 under for the week, so to get past that was good,” said Brereton.
“I thought it was going to be harder this year with how much firmer and faster the course was. It played a bit more strategically, but I’m pretty happy.
“You can always look at the ones you missed, but I also made some good ones. Andi played great. There wasn’t much more I could have done, I guess.”
Brereton said the result was particularly satisfying after feeling his performances had not been reflected in his results in recent weeks.
“I feel like I’ve been playing well for some time. I cracked a driver a few weeks ago in Taiwan and didn’t realise until last week, so I feel like I’ve been playing well without getting a result.
“It’s good to finally get right up there in the hunt and have a strong finish.”
Minhyeok Yang
Yang finished alone in third on 15 under following his 64, with Italy’s Michele Ortolani fourth on 14 under after a closing 66.
Varadan, who began the final round alongside Xu and Brereton, carded a 69 to finish fifth on 13 under, while Mexico’s Roberto Lebrija and Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar shared sixth at 11 under.
India’s Khalin Joshi, American Nathan Han and England’s Thomas Plumb completed the top 10 at 10 under.
The Asian Development Tour remains in Indonesia next week for the US$150,000 Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament at Damai Indah Golf’s BSD Course, where Brereton will look to carry the momentum from his runner-up finish.
“I’m looking forward to Ciputra next week,” he said. “I love the course and I’m looking forward to it.”
China’s Andi Xu fired a seven-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the US$125,000 Indonesia Pro-Am presented by Combiphar & Nomura at Gunung Geulis Country Club on Thursday.
Xu, who opened with a 66 on the East Course, moved to 12 under after negotiating the West Course in 64 and will head into Friday’s final round one ahead of Australia’s Darcy Brereton and ADT Order of Merit leader Khavish Varadan of Malaysia.
Brereton followed his opening 65 on the West Course with a 66 on the East, while Varadan added a 65 on the West to his first-round 66 to join the Australian on 11 under.
Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong share fourth place at 10 under, with Thippong matching Xu’s 64.
Xu’s round contained plenty of scoring opportunities but he said patience on Gunung Geulis’ difficult greens proved just as important as his seven-under score suggested.
“The conditions were tough. Obviously there are a lot of opportunities for birdies, but the greens are really tricky,” said Xu (main picture).
“I actually had two three-putts today, so I just kept my composure, kept hitting good putts and tried to get the speed right.
“The main thing is not to be too aggressive and just keep your pace. The downhill putts are really slippery and you can three-putt very easily, so I was just trying to do the best I could on every shot and not think about the score.”
The 64 represented only a two-shot improvement on his opening round, and Xu felt the difference came primarily on the greens.
“Honestly, I played pretty similarly to yesterday. It was just a matter of how many putts dropped,” he said.
Xu is in his first season competing on the Asian Tour and ADT after playing last year on the PGA Tour of Australasia and said his focus has been on developing his game rather than setting specific targets.
“I’m just trying to improve myself every tournament. I’m not really aiming for a specific score or a specific place,” he said.
“I’m grinding and trying to perfect my game until I’m ready to perform even better on these stages. It’s more about the process rather than trying to finish top five or top 10.”
A victory on Friday would be Xu’s first since his college days three or four years ago and, after struggling with his putting in recent events, he believes his performance this week could represent an important step forward.
“It would be huge. I haven’t won in a while, so it would be a huge boost to my confidence and an affirmation that I’ve been doing the right things,” he said.
“I’ve struggled with my putting in the last few tournaments and this week has been a huge change. I hope I can take this momentum into tomorrow.”
Darcy Brereton
Brereton, meanwhile, has quietly put together two consistent rounds and described his opening 36 holes as largely stress-free.
“It was good. I’ve enjoyed playing here, so it’s been pretty stress-free and pretty enjoyable,” said Brereton. “I hit it well and putted quite nicely. Same as yesterday, it’s been a pretty smooth two days.”
The Australian has particularly good memories of the event after winning the team competition last year and admitted the tournament had been on his radar since the schedule was announced.
“I had this one marked for a while when the schedule came out,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time here last year and in Indonesia as a whole.
“I love coming here. The course is great and everyone has looked after me really well, so you don’t have to twist my arm to come back.”
Brereton plans few changes for Friday’s final round.
“I probably won’t change too much off the tee. I’ll just keep hitting good shots and hopefully keep holing putts,” he said.
Varadan’s 65 was rather less straightforward.
After beginning his round on the back nine and missing a two-foot putt on his opening hole, the Malaysian quickly recovered and transformed his round with birdies at 14 and 15 followed by an eagle at the par-five 16th.
“It was a good round. I got off to a shaky start and missed a two-footer on my first hole, but then things started moving,” said Varadan.
“I birdied 14 and 15 and eagled 16, and that really propelled my round. After that I felt a little better and managed my game. Everything was pretty solid.
“I actually felt like I played better yesterday, but I’m really thankful for the score today and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Khavish Varadan
Varadan has balanced appearances on the Asian Tour with a busy ADT schedule during his first full season as a professional and sees the Development Tour as an important part of his progression.
“I’m still fresh as a professional, so my goal is to play as many competitive rounds as I can,” he said.
“The ADT is really competitive and we play a variety of different golf courses. I want to win on the ADT and win the Order of Merit and build my career from there.”
Behind the leading five, Finlay Mason, Roberto Lebrija and Michele Ortolani share sixth at nine under, while six players are another stroke back at eight under, including first-round leader Ayoub Lguirati.
Lguirati, who equalled the East Course record with an opening 62, slipped back with a one-over 72 on the West Course.
American Nathan Han, who opened with a 64 on the West, also sits at eight under following a 70 on the East.
First-round runner-up Tim Nielsen followed his opening 63 with a 75 and is four under, eight shots behind Xu.
The cut fell at three under, with 50 professionals advancing to Friday’s final round on the West Course. Play begins at 7am with a two-tee start.
The three-day tournament features a professional stroke-play competition alongside a separate team event pairing each professional with an amateur.
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.
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.
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