May 26, 2026
The second event of the 2026 CHAU-SHI Series, the GIANT Open, featuring a total purse of NT$3 million, will be held from May 27 to 30 at Hsin Feng Golf Club in Hsinchu. The tournament will be played over four rounds and 72 holes, attracting a total of 141 players from six countries, including 128 professional golfers and 13 amateur players. The champion will receive NT$500,000 in prize money. This marks the third consecutive year that GIANT Heavy Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. has served as the title sponsor of a Taiwan PGA Tour event. Last year’s champion, Shapiyate Mako, returns to defend his title.
This tournament is personally title-sponsored by Mercuries honorary chairman Wong Chau-shi. GIANT Heavy Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. serves as the presenting sponsor for this event, while TPGA is the organizer and Hsin Feng Golf Club is the co-organizer. A pre-tournament press conference and an 18-hole pro-am tournament were held on May 26.
Representatives attending today’s press conference included GIANT vice general manager Huang Yi-min, special assistant to the general manager Sun Ching-wang, chairman Hu Han-yan of Chideh Crane Engineering Co., Ltd., and TPGA chairman Chen Jung-hsing.
Speaking at the press conference, GIANT vice general manager Huang Yi-min stated that this is the third consecutive year that GIANT has title-sponsored the event. Each year, the tournament is held at a different golf course, bringing unique challenges, and he hopes all participating players can continue striving for outstanding results. At the same time, the event also provides GIANT with opportunities to meet its business partners and enjoy golf together.
Special assistant to the general manager Sun Ching-wang noted that GIANT was originally known as a synonym for heavy machinery, usually seen only at ports or construction sites. However, through sponsoring this tournament, the company has stepped onto the green fairways, allowing people not only to see the operation of steel-like heavy machinery, but also to witness the company’s softer side in giving back to society and supporting sports. It has also helped their international partners understand that GIANT is a Taiwanese company willing to commit long-term and fulfill its social responsibilities.
Today’s pro-am tournament adopted the New Scramble format. Thirty professional players teamed up with nearly 100 amateur participants from the community. In the end, professional player Chen Yi-tung and his three amateur teammates combined to shoot a 12-under-par 60 to win the pro-am title. Each amateur participant on the winning team received a Srixon ZXI hybrid club.
This tournament is one of the eight events on this year’s CHAU-SHI Series schedule and also the second event of the 2026 CHAU-SHI Series season. The series additionally features a special Order of Merit bonus award each year. The player who wins the money title will receive an additional NT$250,000 bonus sponsored by HONLIN CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD chairman Lin Kuo-er, along with an exemption into the 2027 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
A total of 141 players from six countries are competing this week, including 128 professionals and 13 Taiwanese amateurs. Besides the 91 Taiwanese professionals, there are 37 foreign players from Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and the United States, with Japan having the largest overseas contingent at 31 players.
Since its establishment in 2013 under the leadership of chairman Chang Lin-kuei, GIANT Heavy Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. has grown into a professional team of 160 employees with an average age under 35, reflecting the company’s youthful, professional, and energetic corporate culture.
The company specializes in the transportation and lifting of large-scale equipment, providing tailor-made solutions that emphasize safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness for oversized and overweight machinery. GIANT is dedicated to solving complex transportation challenges for clients. Its professional services can be seen across major science parks in northern, central, and southern Taiwan, as well as in petrochemical, technology, power generation, wind energy, and offshore wind power projects, continuing to support Taiwan’s industries and green energy development.
The CHAU-SHI Series was initiated by Wong Chau-shi, one of the founders of Mercuries and honorary chairman of the Mercuries Group. Due to the impact of the pandemic beginning in 2021, the number of Taiwan Tour events and total prize money sharply declined. Wong personally stepped forward as the overall title sponsor, specially supporting six tournaments with NT$2 million for each event, totaling NT$12 million, helping establish the foundation of the 2021 Taiwan Tour season. This year marks the sixth consecutive year that the series has continued under the same model with Wong serving as the overall title sponsor. Each event receives NT$1.5 million in sponsorship support, and there are eight tournaments scheduled this year.
Many of the country’s elite players are in the field this week, including most of the top-60 exempt players from last season’s Taiwan Tour money list. Seven players currently ranked inside the top 10 on this year’s Taiwan Tour money list are competing, including No. 2 Warun Ieamgaew of Thailand, No. 3 Peng Hsiung, No. 4 Hung Chien-yao, No. 6 Lu Sun-yi, No. 7 Chan Chia-han, No. 8 Hsieh Ting-wei, and No. 9 Su Chin-hung.
Last year, Shapiyate Mako defeated Lu Wei-chih in a playoff to claim the title and returns this week seeking a successful title defense, while Lu Wei-chih is also back aiming for redemption. Hung Chien-yao and Hsieh Ting-wei both finished tied for fourth at the Sun Flower & TPGA Championship on May 17 and arrive this week in strong form chasing victory. Rookie Peng Hsiung captured the season-opening Chang Hua Open title earlier this year and now seeks his second CHAU-SHI Series victory of the season.
Thailand’s Warun Ieamgaew tied for second at the season-opening Chang Hua Open and then battled through difficult weather conditions to finish solo runner-up at the Sun Flower & TPGA Championship on May 17, once again showcasing his strength. He returns to the Taiwan Tour this week in pursuit of the title.
After two rounds, the top 50 players and ties based on total score will advance to the final two rounds. The champion will earn NT$500,000, while the runner-up will receive NT$250,000.
This week’s tournament will be played on the East and West Courses at Hsin Feng Golf Club, measuring a total of 6,618 yards. The course is already known for its tree-lined fairways, narrow layouts, and strong winds. This week’s weather forecast calls for extreme heat and intermittent rain, while the thick rough, green-side conditions, and difficult green reading will further increase the challenge, presenting a stern test for all competitors.
The first and second rounds will feature morning and afternoon tee times, with play starting simultaneously from the 1st and 10th tees. The first group in the morning will tee off at 6:30 a.m., while the first afternoon group begins at 11:00 a.m.
Special prizes for the tournament include:
Hole-in-One Awards:
East Course holes 2 and 8, and West Course holes 3 and 6 (tournament holes 2, 8, 12, and 15) will each offer NT$20,000 provided by the golf course, along with the course’s existing prizes.
Hole 12: ThreeBond Hong Kong Limited offers a NT$100,000 prize.
Hole 15: Tung Hui Watch Co. offers a Bell & Ross watch valued at NT$130,000.
The prize will be awarded to the first player to make a hole-in-one during the four official tournament rounds and is limited to professional players only.
Any Hole: Da An Group offers one complimentary night in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Guest House, valid on both weekdays and holidays.
Course Record Award (East and West Courses)
(Current record: 62, held by Suteepat Prateeptienchai)
Provided by Hsin Feng Golf Club with a NT$20,000 bonus.
Spectators are welcome on the course during the tournament. Visitors are required to pay a NT$20 facility and course maintenance fee at the golf club reception desk, complete registration information, and receive a spectator pass before entering the course. Spectators must walk on the cart paths at all times, and no shuttle service between holes will be provided. For safety reasons, children under the age of six and pets are advised not to enter the course.
In addition, highlights from the final two rounds of the tournament will be broadcast via recorded coverage on June 9 and June 10 at 4:00 p.m. Platforms this year include the TPGA Facebook page, YouTube, Yahoo Sports, LINE platform Golfourit, the TPGA official website, VL Sports, and Line Today.
