ThreeBond Close Station-Elite Challenge
Round 1
2023/11/15
The 2023 ThreeBond Close Station - Elite Challenge Tour, with a total prize of NT$1 million, began today (15th) at Tao Yuan Golf & Country Club. In strong winds and varying directions, Tseng Fu Tung made a strong effort to shoot a 71, one stroke below the standard, temporarily taking the lead. He is the only player in the first round today to finish below par. Lee Shih Hung and CHAN CHIA HAN are tied for second place with a score of 72, just one stroke behind.
LU SUN YI, Tseng Tzu Hsuan, Weng Young Tien, and HSU MONG NAN are all tied for fourth with a score of 73. HSIEH MIN HSUAN and YEH FU are tied for eighth with a score of 74. The final round of the competition will take place tomorrow, where players will compete for the championship trophy and a prize of NT$180,000.
The final results of this Close Station not only determine the champion of this event but also affect the title of the ThreeBond Challenge Tour's Order of Merit Winner and the qualification for the Taiwan PGA Tour next year. Players are giving their best efforts to achieve good results.
Currently, Tseng Fu Tung, ranked fourth in the ThreeBond Challenge Tour's total prize money, and LU SUN YI, ranked second, have the best chance to surpass Chan Ting Li, who is currently in the lead. SHOTARO BAN, HSIEH MIN HSUAN, and Lee Shih Hung, who are currently in the top 10 overall rankings, also have the opportunity to compete for the Order of Merit Winner.
The Close Station features a two-round, 36-hole format with no elimination. The champion of the Close Station can win NT$180,000, the runner-up NT$100,000, and the third place NT$60,000. Only 40 players are participating, including the top 34 professional players in the latest Challenge Tour prize money rankings, including two Taiwan PGA Tour seeded players. All participants will receive prize money, with the 36th to 40th place players each receiving NT$10,000. The competition takes place on the East and South courses, with a total length of 7,199 yards.
This event is sponsored by ThreeBond, organized by the Taiwan Professional Golf Association, and co-hosted by Tao Yuan Golf Course.
Tseng Fu Tung had three birdies and two bogeys today, including two birdies on the par-5 6th hole, where he reached the green in two shots from 22 feet and made a birdie putt, and on the par-3 14th hole, where he hit the green in three shots and made an 18-foot birdie putt. In addition, on the 305-yard par-4 9th hole, his tee shot reached the green, and he successfully birdied.
He mentioned that the wind was strong today, and the wind direction on some holes was unpredictable, making it challenging. Fortunately, his tee shots were accurate, and his iron play was good. Despite missing some short birdie putts, he managed to save par with good chip shots and putting. He emphasized that the variability of the greens could play a significant role, and everyone has an equal chance, depending on their performance on the final day.
Lee Shih Hung, trailing by only one stroke, had three birdies and three bogeys today. He mentioned that the wind affected the judgment of his swings, especially on the back nine. He plans to use fairway woods and 9-irons for approach shots in the final round to maintain a good putting feel and hopefully achieve better results.
CHAN CHIA HAN, tied for second, had four birdies and four bogeys today. Despite missing several short birdie putts, he expressed satisfaction with his performance, considering the challenging wind conditions. He emphasized that the wind direction could affect shot judgment, especially when cutting into the green.
LU SUN YI, currently second in overall prize money, had a strong front nine with three birdies and one bogey. However, two consecutive bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes and three consecutive bogeys on the last three holes led to a final score of 73. He needs to finish in the top two tomorrow to have a chance at the Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winner title, depending on the results of Chan Ting Li and Tseng Fu Tung.
Tomorrow's weather may change, with the possibility of rain and stronger winds, making putting on the greens a crucial factor in determining the winner. The final results and rankings are still unpredictable.
This Close Station features a two-round, 36-hole format with no elimination. The champion of Close Station will win NT$180,000, the runner-up NT$100,000, and the third-place finisher NT$60,000. Only 40 players are competing, including the top 34 professional players from the Challenge Tour's latest prize money rankings, including two Taiwan Tour seed players. All participating players will receive prize money, with players ranked 36th to 40th each receiving NT$10,000. The competition will take place on the East and South courses, with a total length of 7,199 yards.
This event is sponsored by ThreeBond, organized by Taiwan PGA, and co-hosted by Tao Yuan Golf & Country Club.
The tournament standings and prize money are closely tied to the ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winner title and qualification for the Taiwan Tour next year. The Order of Merit Winner will also receive an additional special bonus of NT$500,000 from TAIWAN FU HSING INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. The second-place finisher will receive NT$300,000, and the third-place finisher NT$200,000. The top five players in the annual prize money rankings will also directly qualify for the Taiwan Tour next year.
Currently, the top 10 players in the ThreeBond Challenge Tour's annual prize money rankings are, in order, Chan Ting Li, LU SUN YI, SHOTARO BAN, Tseng Fu Tung, TSAI CHEN KAI, LIN CHENG-YU, HSIEH MIN HSUAN, CHEN PO HAO, TSAI YU-TA, and Lee Shih Hung. Chan Ting Li is leading with a total amount of NT$325,124, followed closely by LU SUN YI with NT$284,000, and SHOTARO BAN with NT$279,475.
The president of TAIWAN FU HSING INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., Lin Rui Zhang, is sponsoring the prize money for the TPGA Taiwan Tour and ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winners for the fifth consecutive year. The prize money has been increased, with the Order of Merit Winner receiving NT$50,000, the second-place finisher NT$30,000, and the third-place finisher NT$20,000. This also applies to the Taiwan Tour.
The awards ceremony for the ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit Winner will be held at the professional-amateur pairing event banquet on November 17.
The event organizers have also introduced special awards for this tournament – Hole-in-One Awards.
- On holes 3, 7, 10, and 16, Tao Yuan Golf & Country Club is providing a cash prize of NT$10,000 for a hole-in-one.
- For the 16th hole, Tung Hui Watch Co. is offering a prize of an ORIS watch with a market value of NT$118,000. The first player to score a hole-in-one during the official competition's second round will be the recipient.
- The Hole-in-One award for the 3rd hole is sponsored by SOUNDBEST INTERNATIONAL SOURCING INC. Chairman Ji Si Min, with a cash prize of NT$20,000. The first player to achieve a hole-in-one during the official competition's second round on the 3rd hole will receive this award.
The first round of the tournament will take place tomorrow, with players starting simultaneously from both the first and tenth holes based on their scores. Two players form a group, and the first group will tee off at 7:00 AM, while the final group, leading the field, will start from the first hole at 8:30 AM.
Established in 1979, the Tao Yuan Golf & Country Club boasts 27 holes with wide and flat terrain. The club is committed to maintaining environmental greenery and upgrading hardware facilities. With lush fairways, lake ponds, and green forests, the club combines unique aesthetic landscapes with a rich natural environment and cultural scenery. Notably, the first hole of the East Course was originally 756 yards, a par-6 and the longest hole among Taiwan's golf courses. For this competition, the hole is planned to be 680 yards, par-5, presenting a challenging feature.
ThreeBond is a multinational enterprise that originated from the manufacturing of professional adhesives in Japan. Introduced by former TPGA chairman and current ThreeBond Challenge Tour executive director Chen Tze Chung, ThreeBond has been the title sponsor of the TPGA Challenge Tour for nine years, which is a remarkable achievement.
This year's ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour consists of nine events, each with a total prize money of NT$1 million. The champion's prize money for each event is NT$150,000. The total prize money for the Close Station is also NT$1 million, with the champion receiving NT$180,000, an increase of NT$30,000 compared to other stations.
The organizers welcome golf enthusiasts to come and watch this intense and highly anticipated competition at the Tao Yuan Golf & Country Club.
During the tournament, spectators are allowed to watch from designated areas, and family members are also welcome (a fee of NT$40 for cleaning and facility usage is required; spectators need to fill out a disclaimer at the starting point to obtain a spectator pass). Spectators should wear the pass visibly for staff inspection. Spectators are not allowed on the fairways and must maintain a safe distance, paying attention to their own safety. Walking paths must be used, and the use of golf carts is prohibited. The course does not provide shuttle service between holes. For safety reasons, children under six and pets are not allowed on the course. Wearing tight-fitting rhythmic pants and overly revealing attire is also not permitted on the course.
