Bogey-free Jones rekindles his love affair with Madinaty Golf Club
September 23: England’s Ben Jones, whose only professional win came at a 2023 Mena Golf Tour event at Madinaty Golf Club, showed his love for the spectacular Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course in New Cairo once again as he opened a two-shot lead in the Egypt Golf Series 13.
In Wednesday’s opening round, the man from Northampton shot eight birdies and did not give back a single shot to the golf course in a round of eight-under par 62.
Pakistan’s Aadam Syed and Korean Jaeil Kim were chasing Jones at 64, while Saudi Arabia’s Faisal Salhab, Laos’ Thammasack Bouahom, Denmark’s August Thor Host and the Indonesian duo of Jonathan Wijono and Kevin Akbar made for an eclectic group a further shot behind at 65.
The 26-year-old Jones started from the 10th tee and reached 6-under through 10 holes, thanks to a particularly productive stretch of holes from the 15th to first, where he made four birdies, including three straight gains from the 17th to the first hole. On his back nine, he picked up further shots on the fifth and seventh.
“I really enjoyed being out on the course again, and everything just went smoothly today,” said Jones.
“I’ve played the golf course quite a few times now. I’ve had some success around here before, and then we played here early in the year when I finished fourth. So, I don’t know really, but I just seem to always play okay around here.”
Aadam Syed of Pakistan. Picture by Jason Butler/Asian Tour
“I started on the 10th and I birdied the first hole, which was a nice little settler. And then just kept hitting good shots. Didn’t hole everything that I looked at, but it was rolling well today. Five-under for my first nine, and the front nine seemed quite easy from there on. I actually missed a couple coming in, so I felt my ball striking was really very good today.”
Syed, who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of countryman Ahmed Baig and graduate to the main tour, made a solitary bogey on the long par-4 16th hole. However, the UK-based player made amends with birdies on the 17th and 18th for his 64.
“It was really good today. I drove the ball well and putted well, which always helps. I could have been a little bit better with my irons, but overall, very happy,” said the 25-year-old resident of Hayes, who is currently 86th in the Order of Merit.
“The birdie on the 17th felt very good after the bogey on the 16th. I barely carried the water with my three-wood second shot and then made a good up-and-down.
“Ahmed’s absolutely an influence. He played the ADT a couple of years ago and had a great year and got himself promoted. That kind of brought the pathway to light and showed that it was possible. It was very inspiring to see him and how he’s moving on and progressing with his game. The ADT helped him develop into the player he is. So, I thought, why not give it a go for myself?”
Faisal Salhab of Saudi Arabia.
Kim, who finished sixth in Indonesia last month and tied 11th in ADT HCT Open, said he felt lucky with his bogey-free round.
“I hit my irons and putted well, but I feel a little bit lucky. I made two long putts for par on the fourth and 16th holes. They must be about 10 feet,” said Kim, who is hoping to improve this week from his 25th place in the ADT Order of Merit.
“The best birdie of the day was the one I made on the 10th hole. I hit my wedge from 77 yards for a tap-in birdie.”
Salhab was delighted his form was trending in the right direction, especially before the season-ending Aramco Invitational in his home country.
“I’ve always believed that I have a good game. It’s just starting to come out. I am learning how to play golf and not just think about the swing. Grant, my coach, has been fantastic and we are doing a lot of good work with other members of my team. And it’s good for all of us to see some good results.
“I’m really looking forward to Aramco Invitational. I look forward to it every year. The thought process is just do whatever I can, do what I can control, play as well as I can. Aramco is a big event, and there’s a lot of points and money. I really want to earn a card and play on the ADT, and that’s the goal.”
Egypt Golf Series 13, co-sanctioned by the Egyptian Golf Federation, is the first of back-to-back Asian Development Tour events at Madinaty Golf Club.
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.
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