July 8, 2026 The Ever Glory ADT Open 2026 got underway today (July 8) at Dong Hua Elite Golf Club, where Taiwan's Shen Wei-cheng fired a brilliant 7-under-par 65 to take the outright lead after the opening round. Hong Kong's Matthew Chang and the Philippines' Sean Ramos carded matching 6-under-par 66s to share second place, one stroke behind the leader. Six players are tied for fourth place after posting 5-under-par 67, including Taiwan's Hsu Yu-cheng, Malaysia's Justin Chan (Chinese name: Chen Wan-shun) and Shahriffuddin Ariffin, together with Americans Shotaro Ban, Carson Herron, and Nathan Han. The tournament is a 72-hole, four-round event with a total prize purse of US$100,000 (approximately NT$3.1 million), with the champion receiving US$17,500 (approximately NT$542,500). A total of 144 players from 25 countries and regions are competing this week. It marks the first time that Ever Glory Construction has sponsored a professional golf tournament in Taiwan and also its debut as the title sponsor of an Asian Development Tour event. The tournament is jointly organized by Ever Glory Construction, the Taiwan Professional Golfers' Association (TPGA) and the Asian Development Tour (ADT). It is the eighth tournament of the 13-event ADT season and the seventh event on the 2026 TPGA Tour schedule. It also serves as the first of three consecutive ADT tournaments to be staged in Taiwan over the next three weeks. Shen Wei-cheng produced an impressive round featuring eight birdies and one bogey. His iron play and putting were outstanding throughout the day, particularly on the greens, where he required just 27 putts while hitting 16 greens in regulation. At the par-4 second hole, Shen hit his approach from 141 yards with a 50-degree wedge to within one foot, leaving himself a simple birdie tap-in. He followed that with another birdie at the par-3 third, where his tee shot finished 18 feet from the hole before he holed a spectacular right-to-left breaking putt. He was unfortunate not to birdie the par-5 17th. After reaching the edge of the green with his second shot, his chip finished six feet from the hole, but he required two putts to complete the hole. His only bogey came at the par-3 sixth, where his tee shot finished about 30 feet beyond the flag. After leaving his first putt seven feet short, he missed the par-saving attempt. Shen said that although the course was affected by the wind, he judged it well throughout the round, allowing him to minimize its impact. He also admitted that his form has been inconsistent since winning the San Hua TPGA Championship in May last year. For more than a year, one part of his game would perform while another struggled—either his driving would be good but his iron play or short game would falter, or vice versa. Today, however, every aspect of his game—driving, iron play and putting—came together, enabling him to post an excellent score. Looking ahead to the second round, Shen said he plans to approach it as if it were the final round because there remains uncertainty over whether Friday's play could be cancelled due to the approaching typhoon. Hong Kong's Matthew Chang, now a familiar face at both Asian Tour and ADT events in Taiwan, carded an impressive bogey-free round of six birdies. His precise approach shots and solid putting were the keys to his success. He also needed only 28 putts while hitting 16 greens in regulation. Chang praised the excellent condition of Dong Hua Elite Golf Club, saying that both the fairways and greens perfectly suited his style of play. Combined with his accurate iron shots into the greens, he was delighted to begin the tournament with such a strong performance. Earlier this year, he finished tied for second at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open on the Asian Tour. Sharing second place with Chang is the Philippines' Sean Ramos, who overcame an inconsistent day off the tee. Ramos found only three fairways throughout the round, but relied on his outstanding iron play and putting to compile eight birdies against two bogeys for a six-under-par 66. Ramos said he always enjoys playing in Taiwan and praised the excellent condition of Dong Hua Elite Golf Club, which allowed him to play aggressively and showcase his strengths. He hopes to improve his driving accuracy in the second round and post an even lower score. Taiwan's Hsu Yu-cheng, who teed off in the morning from the 10th hole, carded a flawless 5-under-par 67 with five birdies and no bogeys. After the round, Hsu said his opening nine (holes 10–18) was extremely smooth, with every aspect of his game performing well. His approach shots consistently finished close to the flag, creating numerous birdie opportunities, and he collected four birdies over the inward nine. At his opening hole, the par-4 10th, Hsu hit his second shot from 161 yards to within six feet, converting the birdie putt. His highlight came at the par-4 14th, where he drained a spectacular 37-foot birdie putt, helping him complete the inward nine in 32 strokes. Although his outward nine was not as sharp, Hsu remained patient. His iron shots were unable to finish as close to the hole as they had earlier in the round, and his only birdie over the final nine holes came at the par-4 sixth, finishing the outward nine in 35 strokes. Malaysia's Justin Chan, who graduated from university only last year, is making his first competitive appearance in Taiwan. This week also marks his third Asian Development Tour event of the season. Chan recorded six birdies and one bogey in his opening round. Although he felt his putting was not as accurate as he would have liked, his precise iron play created plenty of birdie opportunities and enabled him to post a solid score. He was delighted to learn the meaning of his Chinese name, Chen Wan-shun (陳萬順), for the first time, joking that he hopes everything will indeed go "smoothly" throughout the tournament. American Nathan Han also posted a bogey-free 5-under-par 67, highlighted by five birdies. Han said every aspect of his game worked well, including his driving, iron play and putting. He birdied three of the four par-5 holes, while particularly enjoying the birdie putts he made at the par-4 eighth and the par-3 13th. He praised the excellent condition of the golf course and said it allowed him to play comfortably throughout the day. According to Han, the most important challenge at Dong Hua Elite Golf Club is positioning tee shots correctly. Once a drive finishes in the rough or on the wrong side of the fairway, attacking the green with the second shot becomes extremely difficult. American Carson Herron produced one of the day's most spectacular scorecards, recording two eagles, four birdies and three bogeys in his opening-round 67. His first eagle came at the par-5 eighth, where he reached the green with a 4-iron on his second shot before holing a 30-foot eagle putt. He added another eagle at the 545-yard par-5 12th. After finding the fairway with his drive, Herron struck a 3-iron from 255 yards onto the green and converted the eagle putt. Herron said that despite the strong winds, he tried to take full advantage of his length off the tee to create additional birdie opportunities. He admitted, however, that he lost momentum late in the round. A three-putt at the 16th was followed by another bogey at the 17th after his tee shot found the deep rough, leading to mistakes with both his recovery shot and putter. Fortunately, he bounced back by making a birdie on the final hole to finish the day on a positive note. For Ever Glory Construction, serving as title sponsor represents far more than supporting a single tournament. It reflects the company's long-term commitment to sports and its broader strategy of contributing to society through athletic development. Chairman Hsieh Chien-kuo, a former national basketball player, has long been dedicated to nurturing sporting talent and passing on the spirit of competition. The company's corporate culture has likewise been deeply influenced by the values of sportsmanship. As an entrepreneur giving back to the basketball community, Chairman Hsieh, an avid basketball supporter, has organized the Ever Glory Cup Charity Basketball Tournament for 12 consecutive years, investing approximately NT$15 million annually to cultivate young basketball players. The tournament provides opportunities for grassroots athletes while promoting the development of youth sports in Taiwan and encouraging international exchange. Chairman Hsieh's support extends well beyond basketball to sports and education. Ever Glory Construction has also donated funds to support the volleyball team at the National Taipei University of Education, demonstrating its continued commitment to the development of grassroots athletes. This year, Chairman Hsieh has expanded his support into professional golf, helping Taiwan's golf industry establish an even closer connection with the international stage while giving back to society and the sporting community in a broader and more meaningful way. Through hosting an ADT tournament, Ever Glory Construction hopes to provide Taiwanese golfers with greater opportunities to achieve success on home soil and familiar courses. More importantly, the company hopes to help local players use the ADT as a stepping stone to earn Asian Tour membership and ultimately compete for titles at a higher level. The objective of sponsoring an ADT tournament is to create more opportunities for Taiwan's young golfers who aspire to compete internationally. As the TPGA Tour now awards Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, staging more international tournaments in Taiwan enables players to earn additional world ranking points while providing the ideal platform to support the next generation of Taiwanese golfers in pursuing their dreams. Professional golfers competing regularly on the TPGA Tour, particularly younger players, will also benefit from the opportunity to compete alongside emerging talents from across Asia, gaining valuable experience and further raising their competitive standards. To further encourage local success, Chairman Hsieh Chien-kuo has announced an additional incentive exclusively for Taiwanese players. Should a Taiwanese golfer win the Ever Glory ADT Open, the champion will receive an additional NT$1.5 million as a home purchase down payment toward an Ever Glory residential development. This special bonus, available only to Taiwanese players, exceeds the tournament's official first-place prize money. Chairman Hsieh hopes the incentive will motivate Taiwan's professionals to keep the championship trophy on home soil. In addition, the scheduling of the Ever Glory ADT Open, together with the following two consecutive ADT tournaments, enables Taiwanese players currently competing on the Asian Tour, including Lee Chieh-po, Wang Wei-hsuan, Chang Wei-lun, Chan Shih-chang, Hung Chien-yao, and Liu Yung-hua, to compete in their home country while earning ADT Order of Merit points and Official World Golf Ranking points, further increasing Taiwan's chances of retaining the championship trophy. The tournament has attracted 144 competitors from 25 countries and regions, including 81 overseas professionals, 62 Taiwanese professionals, and one Taiwanese amateur. Participating countries and regions include Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, Denmark, England, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Macau, Morocco, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. Following the completion of the first two rounds, the leading 50 players and ties will advance to the final two rounds. The course is set to play 7,176 yards, presenting a demanding test from tee to green. Both driving accuracy and approach-shot positioning are critical, while the thick rough, challenging areas surrounding the greens, and subtle putting surfaces further increase the course's difficulty. Both domestic and international competitors will be thoroughly tested throughout the week. Special Awards Hole-in-One Awards Holes 3 & 6 (OUT) / Holes 4 & 7 (IN) Players making a hole-in-one on any of these four designated holes during the tournament will receive prizes sponsored by the golf club's existing partners, together with a NT$20,000 cash award provided by Dong Hua Elite Golf Club. Holes 6 & 13 A NT$100,000 cash prize sponsored by Ever Glory Construction. Hole 16 The first professional player to record a hole-in-one during the four official tournament rounds will receive a Bell & Ross watch valued at NT$130,000, sponsored by Donghui Timepieces Co., Ltd. Any Hole Courtesy of Daan Group, any player making a hole-in-one during the tournament will receive a complimentary one-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Hotel, valid on both weekdays and weekends. Since 2013, the Asian Development Tour (ADT) has awarded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. At the end of each season, the top 10 players on the ADT Order of Merit earn playing privileges on the Asian Tour for the following year. The tournament's final two rounds will be recorded for delayed television broadcast and will be aired on BOSS GOLF Channel 2 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on July 11 and July 12. The tournament is open to the public free of admission. Spectators are required to pay a NT$30 cleaning fee at the clubhouse reception before proceeding to the starter's area to complete registration and receive a spectator pass. While on the course, spectators must remain on the designated cart paths at all times. Riding in golf carts is strictly prohibited, and no shuttle service is provided between holes. For safety reasons, children under the age of six and pets are not permitted on the course. Golf fans are encouraged to take this opportunity to visit Dong Hua Elite Golf Club from July 8 to July 11 and enjoy the outstanding performances of professional golfers from Taiwan and around the world.
