2023 ThreeBond Fu Hsing Challenge Tour
Round 1
2023/10/12
The 2023 ThreeBond Fu Hsing Challenge Tour, with a total prize purse of 1 million New Taiwan Dollars, began its first round today (October 12) at the Kaohsiung Golf Club. Chan Ting Li demonstrated excellent iron and putting skills, scoring 68, which is 4 strokes below the standard par, temporarily taking the lead. He also claimed the lowest round prize of 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars provided by Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
Three other players, Lee Cho Chuan, CHAN CHIA HAN, and the professional newcomer CHANG CHIEN KO YEN, finished just 2 strokes behind with scores of 70, temporarily tied for the second position.
Amateur player Liao Chong Han shot a 71, along with Chang Yao Pin, and currently sits in the fifth place, trailing the leader by 3 strokes. They still have a chance to contend for the championship.
This tournament features a two-round, 36-hole format, with a field of 94 players, including 82 professionals and 12 amateurs, competing for the championship trophy and a first-place prize of 150,000 New Taiwan Dollars.
Tomorrow marks the final round, with participants teeing off simultaneously from both the first and tenth holes. The first group will tee off at 6:40 AM, and the last group will begin at 8:35 AM. The round is expected to conclude in the early afternoon, followed by the award ceremony.
The event is sponsored by Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd., and organized by ThreeBond, with the TPGA serving as the host, and the Kaohsiung Golf Club as the co-organizer.
Chan Ting Li showcased precise iron play today, reaching the greens successfully on 16 holes and excelling in putting, recording 29 putts in total. His tee shots and chipping were also on point, resulting in five birdies and just one bogey. Notably, he achieved birdies on both the long par-5 10th hole and the first hole with outstanding one-putt efforts, making putts from 15 feet and 8 feet, respectively. Additionally, he sank 7-8 foot birdie putts on the 15th and 18th holes, and a remarkable 20-yard chip-in for birdie on the 7th hole.
Despite the slightly damp course conditions and challenging pin positions on the fast and relatively smooth greens, Chan Ting Li expressed his comfort with the course and hoped to maintain his performance and achieve a personal breakthrough in the upcoming rounds. Currently ranked 9th in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit, he aims to secure a solid finish.
CHANG CHIEN KO YEN, a professional who recently turned pro in August, showcased a steady performance in all aspects of his game, claiming three birdies and just one bogey. Notably, he achieved a hole-in-one on the par-4 14th hole by holing out from the front 9 yards of the green with a wedge, a remarkable achievement. He mentioned the importance of minimizing mistakes on this course due to his familiarity with Kaohsiung Golf Club's layout. As a local, he plans to continue conservatively and avoid unnecessary risks in the following rounds. This event marks the second tournament of his professional career.
CHAN CHIA HAN managed four birdies and two bogeys today. His tee shots were especially precise, hitting 100% of fairways. However, he only used his driver on eight holes. His irons were average, and he encountered some challenges with putting, resulting in 33 putts in total.
He secured three of his birdies on the long par-5 holes, with an exceptional two-putt birdie on the 14th hole, covering 18 feet. He found success with his iron play in securing a 12-foot birdie on the par-3 10th hole, thanks to a remarkable 5-iron tee shot to within 4 feet of the hole.
Despite the conditions and a few putting mistakes, he believes that his precise driver play and local course knowledge will be advantageous. With hopes of attaining a good finish in the last two Challenge Tour events of the season, he remains motivated.
Lee Cho Chuan also recorded a score of four birdies and two bogeys, with two birdies coming on par-5 holes. He secured a birdie on the par-3 9th hole by holing out with a wedge from 12 yards away. He mentioned that his driver was inconsistent today, but his iron play and putting were strong. The course conditions featured relatively softer and faster greens, and the fairways appeared wider than usual.
As the top amateur performer for the day, Liao Chong Han recorded three birdies and two bogeys. He achieved a one-putt birdie on the 1st hole, a 12-foot birdie on the 9th hole, and two short-range birdies on the 5th and 12th holes. Despite a couple of three-putts leading to bogeys, he was content with his performance, especially with successful tee shots on 11 holes. He aims to maintain his place in the top 10 in the subsequent rounds.
Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Chairman Lin Rui Zhang continues to sponsor the TPGA Taiwan Tour and the ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winner bonuses this year. Additionally, he has increased the bonuses for the top three players in the annual rankings of both the TPGA Taiwan Tour and the ThreeBond Challenge Tour, providing a total of 2 million New Taiwan Dollars. This marks the fifth consecutive year of Taiwan Fu Hsing's sponsorship for both the TPGA Taiwan Tour and the ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winner bonuses.
To support environmental conservation and reduce single-use plastic, the ThreeBond Fu Hsing Challenge Tour has implemented a "Plastic Reduction Action." The tournament does not provide single-use canned drinking water, and players are required to bring their own water bottles or containers. Water stations are set up at the 1st and 10th tees to provide drinking water for the players.
During the competition, Pegasus Golf Company sponsored cold-brewed tea for the players.
This event is also the eighth competition of this year's ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour, marking the penultimate event of the season. In addition to competing for the individual tournament championship, the players are fiercely contending for the Order of Merit Winner title.
The event also features the following special awards:
Hole-in-One Prizes:
1. On the 6th, 9th, 12th, and 14th holes, Taiwan Fu Hsing Chairman Lin Rui Zhang offers a prize of 100,000 New Taiwan Dollars for each hole, with no limit on the number of winners. If no one achieves a hole-in-one during the tournament, Chairman Lin Rui Zhang will provide these 100,000 New Taiwan Dollars as a drawing prize during the awards ceremony, resulting in a total of 10 prizes, each worth 10,000 New Taiwan Dollars.
In addition, Kaohsiung Golf Club provides a reward of 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars for each hole-in-one, with a 10% tax deduction. They also offer sponsorship items and 10 coupons for the pro shop.
2. On the 9th hole (OUT Area, 190 yards), a sponsored wristwatch is offered. TUNG HUI WATCH CO. provides an ORIS wristwatch with a market value of NT$118,000 for the first player to achieve a hole-in-one during the official two rounds of the competition. This prize is limited to professional players.
3. On the 14th hole (IN Area, 170 yards), SOUNDBEST INTERNATIONAL SOURCING INC., sponsored by Chairman Ji Si Min, offers a hole-in-one prize of 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars. The first player to achieve a hole-in-one during the official two rounds of the competition will receive this prize.
4. Lowest Round Prize: Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Chairman Lin Rui Zhang provides a prize of 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars for the lowest round in each of the two rounds. This prize is limited to professional players.
5. Course Record Breaker Award: Kaohsiung Golf Club Chairman Chen Jian Fu offers 20,000 New Taiwan Dollars for breaking the course record of 65 strokes, which is currently held by Professor Lu Liang Huan.
6. Player Drawing Prizes: Sponsored by YEN SUN TECHNOLOGY CORP, these prizes include two high-efficiency dehumidifiers and two LCD touchscreen stainless steel hot and cold water dispensers.
Amateur Player Champion Prize: Sponsored by DUNLOP KUO-CHU RUBBER CO., LTD., an SRIXON TRI-STAR 5 golf set, and SHANG CHONG INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. provides an OMNIX golf bag.
The ThreeBond Fu Hsing Challenge Tour welcomes spectators during the competition, and admission is free. However, spectators are required to sign a waiver at the starting point to obtain a spectator pass. They must walk the course and are not allowed to ride on golf carts. No shuttle service is provided between holes.
ThreeBond is an international company known for its expertise in adhesives. They have been a long-standing sponsor of the TPGA, with their support dating back 40 years. This marks the ninth consecutive year of ThreeBond serving as the title sponsor of the ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour. This year, the challenge tour consists of a total of nine events.
Media Contact for the Event:
Sunny Liu: 0936-198-346
Bin-Yang, Wu: 0936-104-481
Photos provided by TPGA / Feng-Rong, Zhong, the Photographer
