ThreeBond Challenge Tour
Round 1
April 16, 2025
The 2025 ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour teed off today (April 16) at Bombax Golf Country Club in Tainan. Lee Jui-shen, a rookie professional, and Liu Tse-sen both shot impressive 7-under 65s to share the lead after Round 1. Chen Tze-chung and Lee Chao-hua sit two strokes back with rounds of 67, tied for third. The final round will be played tomorrow, with Lee Jui-shen, Liu Tse-sen, and Lee Chao-hua each chasing their first career title, while veteran Chen Tze-chung seeks his second Challenge Tour victory and aims to become the oldest winner in the event’s history.
Chen Hui-hung shot a 68 to tie for fifth, three strokes behind the leaders, and remains in contention for his first professional win. Among the amateurs, Tang He-jun and Chang Wei-lin carded rounds of 76, tied for 38th among professionals, making them the top-scoring amateurs of the day.
Rookie co-leader Lee Jui-shen recorded eight birdies and one bogey. His driver and irons were solid, hitting all but one green in regulation and missing only three fairways. However, he needed 32 putts. His average driving distance exceeded 300 yards, and he reached three of the four par-5 holes in two shots, converting all into birdies. On the par-4s, he sank birdie putts inside 12 feet on four holes, and had birdie chances within 20 feet on four more.
Lee Jui-shen, 24, turned professional just last September. A graduate of the National Taiwan University of Sport and a member of Nan Fong Golf Club, this is only his second Challenge Tour appearance. His first was at the Advanced Challenge Tour late last year, where he tied for seventh.
Liu Tse-sen, the other co-leader, is also a big hitter. He scored one eagle, seven birdies, and a double bogey. On the 510-yard 9th hole, his drive left him just 100 yards to the pin. He hit the green in two and holed a 12-foot putt for eagle. He reached the green in two on three of the four par-5s and made birdies on all three. His only major error came on the 13th hole, where his second shot went out of bounds, resulting in a double bogey.
Liu also hit 300-yard-plus drives on five par-4s, leaving approach shots of just 20 to 90 yards. He converted birdies from within 15 feet on each. On the 414-yard 14th, he left just 20 yards after his drive, chipped on, and made a short putt for birdie.
He noted after the round that his woods and irons were solid, hitting 15 greens in regulation. His putting was especially on point, with only 27 putts and several key birdies.
At 67 years old, Chen Tze-chung’s round of 67 was a rare feat. He mentioned that in Japan, he would have earned an "age shooting" award. He hit every fairway with precision, struck his irons cleanly, and putted effectively, notching seven birdies against two bogeys. The highlight was a 25-foot birdie putt on the 4th hole, with all other birdie putts inside 10 feet.
Chen shared that stepping back from administrative duties last year allowed him to play more on the Taiwan Senior Tour, helping him regain competitive sharpness. He’s kept up a daily routine of running and practicing, contributing to today’s strong performance.
Chen Hui-hung posted one eagle, four birdies, and two bogeys. His eagle came on the par-5 5th, where a drive and second shot left him near the green; the ball bounced from the bunker edge onto the green, and he holed a 7-foot putt. He also birdied two other par-5s and sank his shortest birdie putt—a 4-footer—on the 1st hole. He commented that his putting (27 putts total) was a major help, and his woods and irons were steady.
Weather conditions in Tainan’s Dongshan District were partly sunny and pleasantly warm. The course was in ideal shape, with smooth and well-paced greens drawing praise from the players.
This event is the opening leg of the 2025 ThreeBond Challenge Tour, with a total purse of NT$1 million and NT$150,000 awarded to the winner. Hosted by ThreeBond and co-sponsored by Bombax Golf Country Club, the tournament features 87 professional and 9 amateur players, including 3 Taiwan Tour seed players. The course plays to 7,182 yards.
This is the seventh consecutive year that Bombax Golf Country Club has hosted the ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour since 2019. After tomorrow’s awards ceremony, ThreeBond and the TPGA will hold a contract signing ceremony at the course, marking the 11th year of ThreeBond’s title sponsorship.
The final round will tee off tomorrow at 7:00 AM from both the 1st and 10th holes, with the final group starting at 8:50 AM. The tournament is expected to conclude around 2:00 PM, followed by the awards ceremony.
Spectators are welcome on-site. A facility maintenance fee of NT$20 is required at the starting area, where fans can sign in and receive a spectator badge. All attendees must walk along cart paths; shuttle service between holes is not provided. For safety, children under 6 and pets are discouraged from attending.
The tournament also features a hole-in-one prize on Hole 17 (Green Water Course, Hole 8, 199 yards), sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co.—an ORIS watch valued at NT$122,800 and a one-year club membership.
A course record prize is also available: NT$20,000 for breaking the current 66 held by Chang Tse-yu.
The top amateur prize includes 5 sleeves of SRIXON Z-STAR XV balls sponsored by Dunlop Taiwan, and an OMNIX golf bag sponsored by OMNIX GOLF.
ThreeBond, a multinational corporation based in Japan specializing in adhesives, has served as title sponsor of the TPGA Challenge Tour for 11 years. This year’s tour will again consist of nine events.
