The seventh event of the 2025 CHAU-SHI Series, the Qing Lian HDF Open with a total prize purse of NT$3.5 million, held its first round today (August 6) at Wu Fong Golf Course in Changhua. With summer heat returning in full force, Hung Chien-yao carded one eagle, five birdies, and no bogeys for a seven-under 65 to take the solo lead. Defending champion Wang Wei-hsuan shot a 68 to sit in second place.
Wen Cheng-hsiang, Hsieh Min-hsuan, Yeh Yu-chen, Chang Wei-lun, and Japan’s Taiyu Ogino each carded two-under 70s, tying for third place.
Among the five amateur players, the best score came from Juan I-ch’i, who shot a 73 and currently sits tied for 20th on the professional leaderboard.
Hung Chien-yao, who holds the solo lead, had a stellar day with both his woods and irons performing well, and his putting equally sharp. He delivered a bogey-free round with one eagle and five birdies. On the par-4 4th hole, he hit the fairway off the tee and holed out his 100-yard second shot for eagle. He also made birdies on two par-5s and two par-4s, including an 18-foot birdie on the 7th—the longest of the round.
He shared that since his amateur days, he often trained and competed at Wu Fong Golf Course. The late Chairman Tu Tieh-hsiung and his wife had always treated him like family, so playing here feels like returning home. He has great affection for the course, and playing in a relaxed mood contributed to his performance. He also noted that practicing with Liu Yen-hung helped improve his mindset, and he hopes to internalize that through tournament play for even better results.
Today, Hung hit 11 fairways and 14 greens in regulation, with 25 putts over 18 holes. He mentioned that although recent heavy rains made the greens grainier and slower, they felt similar to how they were during his amateur days, so he still felt comfortable.
Defending champion Wang Wei-hsuan adopted a more conservative approach due to the wet and soft fairways from days of rain. His tee shots on the front nine were inconsistent, but he sank back-to-back 15-foot birdie putts on holes 8 and 9 to shoot 33. On the back nine, his drives and iron shots improved, and he made birdies on three par-5s, all with chip-and-putt combinations. However, on the 14th, his second shot pulled left and missed the green, leading to his only bogey for a 35.
He said his chipping was solid and his distance control on approach shots was good, allowing him to get close to the pin. His total of 29 putts was “a decent putting day.”
Hsieh Min-hsuan putted exceptionally well with only 24 putts, which helped him score four birdies. However, a misplayed bunker shot led to a double bogey. Starting on hole 1, his first birdie came on the par-4 7th with a 10-foot putt, followed by a 16-foot birdie on the par-3 9th for a 33 on the front. He chipped and putted for birdie on the par-5 10th, but found the bunker on the par-3 11th, took three shots to reach the green, then missed a 3-foot bogey putt, resulting in a double bogey. He later added a 3-foot birdie on the 15th for a 37 on the back.
He commented that while his tee shots were adequate and iron distances were decent, directional control was lacking. “Putting saved me today. The biggest challenge on this course is reading the grain on the greens—it’s unpredictable and hard to judge the lines.”
Japan’s Taiyu Ogino made four birdies and two bogeys, excelling in his short game. On holes 3 and 10, he holed out chips from 10 yards for birdie. His other two birdies came on 10- and 13-foot putts. However, on the par-3 9th and 16th holes, he failed to hit the green off the tee and missed 3-foot par-saving putts, resulting in bogeys. He hit 9 fairways, 12 greens, and took 29 putts.
Yeh Yu-chen also carded four birdies and two bogeys. His putting was his strongest area with 25 putts, while his tee shots and iron play were both at a steady level. “I just played a solid round,” he said. He missed only two fairways and hit 10 greens. His longest birdie putt was 9 feet on the 8th hole.
Wen Cheng-hsiang and Chang Wei-lun each posted three birdies and one bogey. Wen’s highlights included two chip-and-putt birdies on par-5s from 4 feet, and a stunning 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th.
He commented that his driving and irons were both solid, with no major mistakes off the tee. However, heavy grain on the greens made putt reads difficult. He missed at least four birdie putts from 12 to 15 feet. He hit 13 greens and recorded 29 putts.
Chang Wei-lun also struggled with putting, taking 29 putts. All three of his birdies came on par-5s. On the only par-5 he failed to birdie—the 18th—his third shot reached the green but bounced to a tough spot, leaving a 15-foot putt which he missed for par. He noted that both his tee shots and irons were decent, but he missed several birdie chances due to putting.
For this event, Wu Fong Golf Course Chairman Tsai Kuo-chou has announced additional prize incentives. Players who complete the tournament with a four-round total of 270 (18-under) or better will each receive an additional NT$50,000. Those who score 263 (25-under) or better will earn NT$100,000. There is no limit to the number of recipients.
The second round will continue tomorrow with morning and afternoon waves. The first morning group will tee off at 6:50 a.m., and the last at 8:35 a.m. The afternoon wave starts at 11:30 a.m., with the final group teeing off at 1:05 p.m.
This 72-hole, four-round event runs through August 9 and features 126 players from five countries, including 121 professionals and 5 amateurs. The champion will receive NT$650,000, and the runner-up NT$330,000.
This tournament is title-sponsored by Mr. Wong Chau-shi, Honorary Chairman of the Mercuries Group. The event is organized by the TPGA, with Qing Lian Group & HDF Precision Technology Co., Ltd. as title hosts, and Wu Fong Golf Course as co-organizer. This is the second consecutive year that Qing Lian Group and HDF Precision Technology have hosted this event. It is the 10th tournament on the Taiwan Tour this season.
The CHAU-SHI Series was initiated by Mr. Wong Chau-shi, one of the founders of Mercuries & Associates and its Honorary Chairman. In 2021, as the pandemic drastically reduced the number of Taiwan Tour events and total prize money, he stepped in with full-title sponsorship, funding six events with NT$2 million each, totaling NT$12 million. This laid the foundation for the 2021 season. Now in its fifth year, this series continues with NT$1.5 million sponsorship per event. The number of CHAU-SHI Series events has increased from 8 to 10, helping the Taiwan Tour reach 20 events this year.
The CHAU-SHI Series also includes a special annual prize for the season’s money leader. The top earner will receive NT$200,000 sponsored by Chairwoman Lin Kuo-er of HONLIN CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD., with an additional NT$50,000 added last week, totaling NT$250,000, plus an exemption into the 2026 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Among the 126 players are 102 Taiwanese competitors (97 professionals and 5 amateurs), along with 24 international players from Australia, Japan, Thailand, and the United States.
After the first two rounds, the top 50 players (plus ties) will advance to the final two rounds.
The Wu Fong Golf Course measures 6,816 yards in total. To increase competitiveness, the 477-yard par-5 6th hole has been converted into a par-4, reducing the front nine to par 35. The back nine remains par 37, making par for the course 72.
Wu Fong Golf Course presents a strong challenge: though not long, it features narrow fairways, tough rough, and grainy greens that are difficult to read, making putting particularly tricky. With continued rain, the wet fairways require careful distance control, though the softer greens do help hold shots.
Special Prizes:
Hole-in-One Prizes: Holes 2, 9, 11, and 16 – NT$10,000 each provided by the course.
Hole 16: A Bell & Ross watch valued at NT$168,000, sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co., awarded to the first professional to make a hole-in-one during the four official rounds.
Any Hole: A one-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Guest House, valid on both weekdays and holidays.
Course Record Bonus: NT$20,000 for breaking the course record of 64 held by Hsieh Yu-shu, sponsored by Wu Fong Golf Course.
Lowest Round Bonus: NT$10,000 each for the lowest rounds in Rounds 3 and 4, sponsored by SOCH Furniture | Diandiansleep. If tied, the prize will be split.
Sports therapy stations will be available during the final two rounds on August 8–9.
Spectators are welcome to attend the tournament. To enter the course, spectators must register at the clubhouse front desk, pay a NT$20 cleaning service fee, and receive a viewing pass. Spectators must walk on cart paths only; golf carts are not allowed, and no shuttles will be provided between holes. For safety reasons, children under 6 and pets are not permitted on the course.
The final two rounds will be broadcast as 60-minute highlight programs on August 19 and 20 at 4:00 p.m. The broadcasts will be available on TPGA’s Facebook page, Smart Sports channel, and YouTube. Tournament updates will also be accessible via the TPGA website, LINE’s Golfourit and LINE Today platforms, and Yahoo Sports.
