May 27, 2026

The second event of the 2026 CHAU-SHI Series, the GIANT Open, featuring a total prize purse of NT$3 million, teed off today (May 27) at Hsinchu Hsin Fong Golf Club. Despite the scorching heat and strong winds, Tsai Kai-jen fired a six-under-par 66 to take the sole lead after the opening round. Defending champion Shapiyate Mako carded a 67 to sit alone in second place, one shot behind.

Four other players — Chen Shou-cheng, Chen Yu-yu, Lee Jui-shen, and Hsieh Chi-hsien — all posted three-under-par 69s to share third place.

Tseng Tzu-hao recorded a hole-in-one on the 160-yard par-3 2nd hole using a 7-iron, earning NT$20,000 provided by Hsin Fong Golf Club, along with a complimentary one-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Hotel sponsored by Da An Group. It marked the first hole-in-one of his professional career. He carded a 73 and is currently tied further down the leaderboard.

The Hsin Fong area experienced bright sunshine today, with temperatures reaching 32°C and a perceived temperature of 35°C. Although winds reached level-five strength, the conditions remained extremely humid, forcing players to battle the heat while staying focused on shot-making and judging the wind direction and intensity.

Tsai Kai-jen recorded one eagle, six birdies, and two bogeys. After the round, he said his long game was especially sharp, hitting 11 fairways, which proved to be the key to his strong performance. His short game was inconsistent — while it created birdie opportunities, several mistakes around the greens resulted in bogeys. His putting was average with 28 putts.

On the par-5 14th hole, he reached the green with his second shot from 140 yards and holed a 6-foot putt for eagle. On the other three par-5s — Nos. 5, 9, and 18 — he also reached the greens in two shots and made two-putt birdies. One of his best holes came at the downwind 514-yard par-5 9th hole, where he blasted a 420-yard drive, leaving 85 yards to the pin. He reached the green in two and made a two-putt birdie from 18 feet. He noted that the grain on the greens caused some misreads and hoped his putting would improve tomorrow.

He added that the weather was extremely hot, so in addition to using an umbrella for sun protection, he focused on staying hydrated and replenishing energy. The constantly changing wind strength and direction also made the course highly challenging.

Mako, another long hitter, also benefited from strong driving and sharp chipping, carding seven birdies and two bogeys. After his tee shots on many par-4 holes, he was left with short approaches of 30 to 50 yards, allowing him to create numerous birdie chances with precise wedges and putting. On Nos. 1 and 3, he converted birdie putts from 18 feet. On the 17th hole, he hit his second shot from 130 yards to within 15 feet and converted the birdie putt. He also birdied two par-5 holes comfortably.

Mako said the weather was very humid, though the wind was not overly strong. He felt that solid driving made the course much easier to score on, but the greens were difficult because judging the grain and controlling speed were both challenging. Still, his 27 putts represented a solid performance.

Lee Jui-shen recorded two eagles, four birdies, and five bogeys. His wedge play from around 100 yards and putting were strong, though several poor chip shots cost him strokes. Starting from the 10th hole, Lee made his first eagle at the par-5 14th after hitting his second shot from 138 yards onto the green and sinking a 7-foot putt. He later eagled the 9th hole after crushing a 390-yard drive downwind, reaching the green in two, and making a 3-foot eagle putt.

On four other holes, he used 50-, 54-, and 58-degree wedges along with solid putting to create birdie chances from 3 to 12 feet. His longest birdie putt came on the par-3 2nd hole from 12 feet. He finished with 28 putts and hit eight fairways, which he considered acceptable. After the round, he said the strong winds forced him to adopt a conservative strategy, avoiding overly aggressive shots, and he executed the plan well.

Chen Yu-yu carded six birdies and three bogeys. Both his driving and iron play were solid, and he hit 10 fairways. Many of his approach shots came from 30 to 50 yards, allowing him to create several birdie opportunities, including birdie putts from 4 to 9 feet. On the par-5 9th and 14th holes, he reached the greens in two and made two-putt birdies.

Although he made several birdies with his putter, he also suffered three three-putts that resulted in bogeys. He needed 31 putts for the round. He explained that on some holes, downhill putts combined with downwind and down-grain conditions made the greens extremely fast and difficult to judge.

Chen Shou-cheng enjoyed an excellent day on the greens with only 25 putts, making five birdies and two bogeys. He birdied two par-5 holes, with all birdie putts coming from within 15 feet. His short game also performed well. Trained at National Golf Country Club, Chen said he was accustomed to windy conditions there, so his wind-control shots were manageable today. Most of his tee shots either found the fairway or finished near the tree lines, which helped him avoid costly mistakes.

Hsieh Chi-hsien also putted exceptionally well with 25 putts, though his round was more inconsistent. He recorded one eagle, five birdies, two bogeys, and one double bogey, balancing gains and losses throughout the day. He shot 34 on the front nine and 35 on the back nine. His driving and greens-in-regulation statistics were balanced, hitting seven fairways and 11 greens.

The tournament will be played over four rounds and 72 holes through May 30. A total of 141 players from six countries — Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, the United States, and Taiwan — are competing, including 128 professionals and 13 amateurs. The field features 91 Taiwanese professionals and 37 international players, with Japan contributing the largest overseas contingent at 31 players. The champion will receive NT$500,000.

This marks the third consecutive year that GIANT Heavy Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. has served as the title sponsor of a TPGA Tour event.

The tournament is title-sponsored personally by Mercuries Honorary Chairman Wong Chau-shi, with GIANT Heavy Machinery Engineering Co., Ltd. serving as the presenting sponsor. The PGA of Taiwan (TPGA) is the organizer, while Hsin Fong Golf Club is the co-organizer.

This event is one of eight tournaments on this year’s CHAU-SHI Series schedule and serves as the second stop of the season. The series also features a special season-long money title bonus. The player who wins the money title will receive an additional NT$250,000 bonus provided by HONLIN CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD Chairman Lin Kuo-erh, along with an entry into the 2027 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

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 a youthful, professional, and energetic corporate culture.

The company specializes in transportation and hoisting of large-scale equipment, providing customized solutions for oversized and overweight cargo while prioritizing safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Its operations span science parks across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, as well as industries including petrochemicals, technology, power generation, wind energy, and offshore wind power, continuing to support Taiwan’s industrial and green energy development.

The CHAU-SHI Series was founded by Wong Chau-shi, one of the founders of Mercuries and Honorary Chairman of the Mercuries Group. Beginning in 2021, when the pandemic severely reduced the number of Taiwan Tour events and total prize money, Wong personally stepped in as title sponsor to support six tournaments, contributing NT$2 million per event for a total of NT$12 million, helping rebuild the foundation of the Taiwan Tour. This marks the sixth consecutive year of the CHAU-SHI Series under the same model, with each event now carrying NT$1.5 million in sponsorship support. The 2026 season consists of eight tournaments.

After two rounds, the top 50 players and ties 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 uses the East and West Courses at Hsin Fong Golf Club, measuring 6,618 yards in total. Known for its tree-lined fairways, narrow landing areas, and strong winds, the course will provide a stern test, especially with forecasts calling for intense heat and scattered showers. The thick rough, demanding greenside conditions, and difficult green-reading further increase the challenge facing the players.

The first and second rounds feature morning and afternoon tee times from both the 1st and 10th tees. The first group in the morning starts at 6:30 a.m., while the first afternoon group tees off at 11:20 a.m.

Special prizes for the tournament include:

Hole-in-One Awards:
NT$20,000 and additional course-designated prizes provided by Hsin Fong Golf Club on East Course holes 2 and 8, and West Course holes 3 and 6 (tournament holes 2, 8, 12, and 15).

NT$100,000 sponsored by ThreeBond Hong Kong Limited for a hole-in-one on the 12th hole.

A Bell & Ross watch valued at NT$130,000 sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co. for the first professional player to make a hole-in-one on the 15th hole during the four official rounds.

Da An Group is also offering a complimentary one-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Hotel, valid on both weekdays and holidays, for any hole-in-one regardless of hole number.

A course-record bonus of NT$20,000 is also available for breaking the East-West course record of 62, currently held by Suteepat Prateeptienchai.

Spectators are welcome during the tournament. Fans wishing to enter the course must pay a NT$20 facility and cleaning fee at the clubhouse counter, complete registration information, and exchange for a spectator pass before entering. Spectators must walk along the cart paths, as no shuttle transportation is provided between holes. For safety reasons, children under six years old and pets are discouraged from entering the course.

The final two rounds of the tournament will be recorded and broadcast on June 9 and June 10 at 4:00 p.m. Coverage platforms include the TPGA Facebook page, YouTube, Yahoo Sports, LINE platform Golfourit, the TPGA official website, VL Sports, and Line Today.