Xu seals first professional win with four-birdie finish in Indonesia
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.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut completed a wire-to-wire victory at the inaugural Bangkok Classic on Sunday, closing with a four-under-par 68 to finish on 24-under-par and claim a six-shot victory at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Suwannarut laid the foundation for victory with a course-record 10-under-par 62 in the opening round and never relinquished the lead, opening the final day with an eagle at the first before cruising to the title.
The Bangkok Classic, played from June 25-28 for a prize purse of CNY1.5 million, was co-sanctioned by the China Men’s Professional Golf Tour and the Asian Development Tour and marked the first China Tour event to be staged outside China.
Hong Kong’s Shunyat Hak and England’s Matt Killen shared second place on 18-under-par after rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.
A group of five players shared fourth place on 17-under-par, including Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan, India’s Pukhraj Singh Gill, Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat, Korea’s Minhyeok Yang and China’s Jin Zihao, whose bogey-free nine-under-par 63 was the low round of the day.
China’s Jin Zihao pictured in action on June 28, 2026 during Round Four of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Suwannarut said his eagle at the opening hole settled his nerves immediately.
“It’s nice,” he said. “It’s kind of like lifting something out of my chest. After that I just felt really light and I felt like I could make something today. It gave me a lot of confidence.”
The victory was particularly satisfying after narrowly missing out on wire-to-wire wins on the Asian Tour last season.
“It’s good,” he said. “I had a chance to do it twice last year on the Asian Tour but I didn’t do it, so I’m pretty happy to fight my demon and finally beat it.”
Although the victory provides a timely boost ahead of next week’s Queen’s Cup, Suwannarut said he would quickly turn his attention to the next event.
“After I wake up tomorrow it’s going to be yesterday already,” he said. “I’m going to throw everything away. I know what I have to do. I’ll prepare the same as this week, refocus and play as confidently as I can.”
The Thai was also grateful for the opportunity to compete after only receiving confirmation of his place shortly before the tournament.
“I put an entry in, but Unho (Park) texted me and asked if I still wanted to play,” he said. “Of course I did, so thanks to Unho for that.”
Suwannarut also enjoyed strong support throughout the week from family members following him around the course.
“My girlfriend, my mom and my dad came out to cheer me this week,” he said. “I’m pretty happy, especially with my mom’s food every day.”
England’s Matt Killen pictured in action on June 28, 2026 during Round Four of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Killen finished with one of the best rounds of the day to earn a share of second place after bouncing back from a disappointing third round.
“I had a couple of stupid three-putts in the middle of the round which slowed me down,” said Killen. “Apart from that I hit a lot of good shots and finally holed a few putts.”
The Englishman felt Saturday’s struggles were more about missed opportunities than poor golf.
“I didn’t actually play that bad yesterday,” he said. “The putts just didn’t go in. All the short putts I would normally make I missed and I didn’t take care of the par fives very well.”
Despite falling short of victory, Killen was pleased with the way he responded.
“Obviously I wanted to win, but after five or six holes today I knew that probably wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “I’m happy to claw my way back after yesterday and get a good finish on the board.”
Jin Zihao surged through the field with a flawless nine-under-par 63 that featured two eagles and no bogeys.
“It feels amazing,” said Jin. “This is not an easy golf course when the wind starts blowing and the final-round pins were tucked. I told myself to stay patient. I was swinging it really well and I started to get my putter feel back.”
Competing in his first Asian Development Tour event, the Chinese player praised the inaugural co-sanctioned tournament.
“I really enjoyed the experience,” he said. “I think it’s a well-run tour together with the China Tour. Even with the weather issues, I think the committee made the best decisions to make sure we finished all 72 holes.”
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut will take a four-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of the Bangkok Classic after carding a five-under-par 67 to reach 20-under-par at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Suwannarut, who opened the tournament with a course-record 10-under-par 62 on Thursday, followed with rounds of 67 and 67 to build a comfortable advantage heading into the final day of the inaugural event.
The Bangkok Classic, being played from June 25-28 for a prize purse of CNY1.5 million, is co-sanctioned by the China Men’s Professional Golf Tour and the Asian Development Tour and marks the first China Tour event to be staged outside China.
Hong Kong’s Isaac Lam sits alone in second place on 16-under-par after a third-round 68, while Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan is a further shot back in third after closing with a one-under-par 71.
Sharing fourth place on 13-under-par are India’s Pukhraj Singh Gill, whose seven-under-par 65 was the low round of the day, and Thailand’s Donlaphatchai Niyomchon, Waris Manthorn and Itthipat Buranatanyarat.
Suwannarut admitted there was more pressure during the third round but was pleased with the way he handled it.
“There was some pressure, but I kept myself together and still got a good score,” he said. “Even though I three-putted on the last, I’m still confident, so it’s the same game plan tomorrow.”
The Thai said the pressure came from within rather than from the leaderboard.
“It’s on myself,” he said. “I just want to play good. I know what I have to do. I just want to execute as well as I can, and I did it pretty well today, so I’m happy.”
Despite taking a four-shot advantage into the final round, Suwannarut said his approach would remain unchanged.
“I know what I have to do,” he said. “I have my goal in mind. I just want to prepare my best and then execute the best I can. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Hong Kong’s Isaac Lam pictured in action on June 27, 2026 during Round Three of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Lam moved into solo second after another steady round and credited his putting for keeping him in contention.
“I’d say putting has been the key,” said Lam. “I’m using a new putter this week and my caddie gives me good reads. I just let her do the job, make a good stroke and hopefully the hole gets in the way of the ball.”
The Hong Kong player, who has previously competed at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok during Qualifying School, said the course suits his eye.
“I’ve played this course a couple of times before for Q-School, so I’m quite familiar with it and I really like this golf course,” he said. “It really suits my eye.”
Looking ahead to the final round, Lam plans to keep his focus firmly on his own game.
“Just play my own game, sing my own song,” he said. “I don’t really care how the others play. I’m just focusing on my own game and making personal progress. That’s all that matters.”
Varadan remained firmly in contention despite not feeling he had struck the ball at his best.
“I didn’t hit the ball as good as I would have liked, but I scrambled well and putted solidly,” he said. “Obviously one bad hole, but other than that I’m always good on Sunday, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Asked about his strategy for the final round, the Malaysian’s answer was brief.
“Same as always,” he smiled. “Pedal down.”
Pukhraj Singh Gill of India pictured in action on June 27, 2026 during Round Three of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Gill charged into a share of fourth place with the best round of the day after making three birdies in his opening four holes.
“It was pretty good overall,” said Gill. “I got off to a great start and I was always taking the opportunities that were presented. I didn’t miss much out there and the only blemish was a bogey on my 16th hole.”
The Indian believes his improving course knowledge has been the key to his progress this week.
“This is the first time I’ve played here and I think the course is very challenging with the green speeds and the contours,” he said. “I’m getting used to where I can miss it off the tee and that’s giving me better approach angles into the greens. I’m also getting used to the wind, so I think it’s mostly course knowledge.”
Gill said he intends to stay aggressive as he chases the leaders on Sunday.
“I’ve put myself in a good position now and I’ll try to make the most of it,” he said. “That’s the way I like to play this golf course, so unless the circumstances ask for it, I don’t think I’m going to change my game plan.”
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut will take a one-shot lead into the resumption of the second round after heavy rain forced the suspension of play at the Bangkok Classic on Friday afternoon.
Play at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok was suspended at 3.23pm due to inclement weather, with the remainder of the second round scheduled to be completed on Saturday morning before the third round begins.
The overnight leader followed his course-record opening 62 with a five-under-par 67 to move to 15-under-par, one shot clear of Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan, who matched the low round of the morning with an eight-under-par 64.
Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong also fired an eight-under-par 64 to share third place on 13-under alongside England’s Matt Killen, who returned a three-under-par 67.
Hong Kong’s HoHo Yue sits fifth on 11-under-par but has completed only three holes of his second round, reaching three under for the day before play was suspended.
Hong Kong’s Shunyat Hak is sixth on 10-under after a second-round 66, while Chinese Taipei’s Su Ching-hung is seventh on eight-under following a 70. Indonesia’s Naraajie Ramadhanputra is also on eight-under after playing four holes of his second round.
Suwannarut admitted the demanding conditions made for another testing day despite extending his lead.
Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan pictured in action on June 26, 2026 during Round Two of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
“Tired, pretty tired. I started off pretty good on the front nine and then on the back nine I felt really tired. I think because of the heat. I survived, so I think I’m happy.”
The Thai once again praised his caddie after making eagle on the par-five 18th for the second consecutive day.
“On the front nine I felt like I made every single putt. On the back nine I didn’t hit it good. I felt like I had no power. I just tried to make it on the green and try to two-putt. It was kind of like surviving out there today, so I’m still happy.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, Suwannarut hopes to recover before play resumes.
“Maybe sleeping a lot. I hope tomorrow is not going to be raining or a lot of heat. I’m just going to stay happy and try to play my game.”
Varadan moved into second place after producing one of the rounds of the day.
“I tried to hit the ball a little better today. Some putts fell in and I played the par threes pretty good today, so I hope to keep that up.”
Asked about his approach heading into the weekend, the Malaysian smiled and replied:
“Gas pedal down.”
Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong pictured in action on June 26, 2026 during Round Two of the Bangkok Classic at Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok.
Pattaropong also climbed into contention after taking advantage of an early run of birdies.
“I got the putter going early and I was four under through five holes, so I got off to a good start. To keep it going the whole round feels good.”
Playing at his home course, Pattaropong said he was enjoying competing in the inaugural co-sanctioned event between the China Tour and Asian Development Tour.
“It feels like a very big tournament, and I’m glad I’m playing this week at my home course.”
China Tour Club Cup
This week’s tournament also incorporates the China Tour Club Cup Pro-Am. Unlike the regular tournament cut, which typically falls at the top 65 players and ties, the Club Cup field is restricted to the top 48 tournament players only, with each paired alongside an amateur partner for the weekend competition.
Should multiple players be tied for 48th place after the completion of the second round, the final qualifying positions will be determined by a scorecard playoff. Players finishing between 49-65 will receive unofficial prize money but will not take part in the weekend rounds.
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