ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour
ThreeBond Yeangder Challenge Tour
Ta Kang Shan Station
Round 2
2024/6/6
2024 ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour - Third Stop: Yeangder Challenge Tour took place today (6th) at Ta Kang Shan Golf Course in Kaohsiung. Local player Su Ching Hung showcased his stability, delivering a brilliant performance on the final hole with a 30-yard chip-in birdie, crushing his opponent's hopes for a tie and forcing an extra round. He finished with a score of 70, two under par, and a total of 135, nine under par over two rounds, claiming his first career title and a prize of NT$150,000.
This marks his second title in the ThreeBond Challenge Tour. In early September last year, he won both the professional and amateur titles at the ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour held at Hsin Yi Golf Club as an amateur.
Hsieh Min Hsuan scored a 71, finishing two strokes behind with a total of 137, unable to defend his title, and took second place with a prize of NT$75,000.
Chen Po Hao scored 68 and Lee Chin Chou scored 73, both finishing tied for third place with a total of 138 over two rounds. Lee Cho Chuan scored 71, finishing alone in fifth place with a total of 139.
Amateur player from Taipei Golf Club, Jiang Wei Tsun, scored 70, winning the amateur championship with a total of 141, and temporarily tied for 10th in the professional ranking. He also received SRIXON Z-STAR XV balls sponsored by DUNLOP and an OMNIX golf bag provided by Shang Chong International Co., Ltd.
In his victory speech, professional rookie Su Ching Hung expressed his excitement, stating that his mind went blank, only thinking about the final chip-in birdie on the last hole, ensuring his victory. "I always dreamed of winning my first professional title at my home course, and I did it!" He mentioned that there is another Taiwan Tour event at Ta Kang Shan Golf Course at the end of this year, and he hopes to secure his first Taiwan Tour title there as well.
He also thanked his two fellow players in the same group today for the excitement they brought, pushing him to perform at his best and achieve victory.
Su Ching Hung started the final round tied for the lead with Lee Chin Chou, both having scored seven under par in the first round. After nine holes, they remained tied at seven under par. Su Ching Hung made his first birdie on the 14th hole after 13 pars, while Lee Chin Chou had three bogeys and one birdie, extending Su Ching Hung's lead to three strokes after 15 holes. However, he sliced his tee shot on the 16th hole and missed a nine-foot par putt, resulting in a bogey, allowing Hsieh Min Hsuan, who made three consecutive birdies from holes 14-16, to catch up.
But Su Ching Hung regained the lead with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 17th hole, followed by a spectacular 30-yard chip-in birdie on the 18th hole, thwarting Hsieh Min Hsuan's chances for a tie and a playoff. Hsieh Min Hsuan made par with two putts, giving Su Ching Hung a two-stroke victory, which was met with cheers from the spectators.
Post-match, Su Ching Hung mentioned that his long game was off today, with frequent errant drives, relying on chipping and putting to save par for the first 13 holes. Fortunately, he played well on the last few holes, securing the win. He had hoped to play a stable round and win with a score in the 60s, but struggled early on, facing more pressure on the back nine with more supporters cheering for him. The key moments were the back-to-back birdies on the last two holes, especially the winning chip-in on the final hole, which thrilled him.
Having just turned 22 last month, Su Ching Hung has been practicing at Ta Kang Shan Golf Course since he was nine. He decided to become a professional player in sixth grade and is set to graduate from National Taiwan Sport University (NTSU) tomorrow. His former idol was the ex-world champion, British player Luke Donald, and now includes Northern Irish player Rory McIlroy.
Su Ching Hung announced his departure from amateur status last December at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open to compete professionally. He officially became a TPGA member this February after passing the TPGA Qualifying Test and Membership Qualifying School. In the first three Taiwan Tour events this year, he consistently ranked in the top 10, including eighth place at the Chang Wah Open, tied for seventh at the 2024 The 17th Chang Hua Open, and third place at the Sun Flower TPGA Championship.
In addition to thanking the tournament sponsors, he specially acknowledged his parents for their support, Chairman Cho and General Manager Cho of Ta Kang Shan Golf Course, General Manager Lin of Hsin Yi Golf Club, and coaches Zhang Ting Huan, Cai Ding Hong, and Zhang Xu Lun. He hopes to qualify for the 2024 Yeangder TPC Championship and Mercuries Taiwan Masters, aiming for a top 10 finish at the Yeangder TPC Championship and making the finals at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Today's award ceremony was attended by Katsuyuki Uematsu, President of ThreeBond Hong Kong, Chairman Cho Chung Chi and General Manager Cho Chien Hung of Ta Kang Shan Golf Course, and Chen Jung Hsin, CEO of Yeangder Sports Co., representing the Yeangder Group. Chairman Cho Chung Chi was especially delighted that a player trained at their course won the title, highlighting the challenging nature of Ta Kang Shan Golf Course.
This Challenge Tour is the first single-stop title sponsorship by the Yeangder Group this year. Ta Kang Shan Golf Course has previously hosted the Challenge Tour in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. The 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic, making this the seventh time they have co-hosted.
This year, Lin Rui Zhang, chairman of Fuhsing Industrial Co., Ltd., Taiwan, is adding a bonus, providing NT$500,000, NT$300,000, and NT$200,000 for the top three players in the ThreeBond Challenge Tour annual prize rankings.
ThreeBond is a Japanese international company specializing in the manufacture of professional adhesives and has been sponsoring former TPGA chairman Chen Chih Chung for 40 years. This year marks the 10th year as the title sponsor of the TPGA Challenge Tour. This event is organized by ThreeBond and TPGA, title sponsored by Yeangder Group, and co-hosted by Ta Kang Shan Golf Course.
Event Contacts:
Wu Bin Yang: 0936-104-481
Liu Ke Lun: 0936-198-346
Photos by TPGA / Lin Sheng Kai Photography
