2025 CHAU-SHI Series – SL LINK Elite Invitational

Press Conference & Pro-Am

2025/10/21

The 2025 CHAU-SHI Series – SL LINK Elite Invitational, with a total purse of NT$3 million, will be held from October 22 to 24 at the National Golf Country Club (NGCC) in Miaoli. The 54-hole, three-round event will feature 80 elite players from four countries, including 60 male professionals competing for the NT$500,000 champion’s prize and trophy, and 20 amateur players. This year, the tournament continues its tradition of charity donations for the fourth consecutive year, with the number of beneficiary organizations increasing from three to four.

This tournament marks the 10th event of the 2025 CHAU-SHI Series and serves as the season finale, representing the final opportunity for players to fight for the Order of Merit title. As of now, if Tsai Kai-jen captures the championship and the NT$500,000 top prize, he will rise from second place in the season money list to claim the money title.

Currently, Wang Wei-hsuan leads with NT$1,771,000, followed by Tsai Kai-jen in second with NT$1,328,833, and Chang Wei-lun in third with NT$1,314,500. As both Wang and Chang are competing in the Asian Tour’s International Series – Philippines this week, they are not participating in this event, leaving Tsai with a key opportunity to secure both the tournament victory and the money title.

This men’s professional invitational offers a total purse of NT$3 million, with NT$500,000 for the champion and NT$250,000 for the runner-up. The top 60 finishers will receive prize money, and all competitors will play three rounds under a no-cut format.

This tournament joins the CHAU-SHI Series as one of its official events this year, with overall title sponsorship by Chairman Wong Chau-shi, title host sponsorship by SL LINK Corporation for the second consecutive year, major sponsorship by Da An Group, organization by The PGA of Taiwan (TPGA), and co-organization by National Golf Country Club.

SL LINK Corporation Chairman Wang Ching-tung has been a major sponsor since the 2023 Da An Elite Invitational. Starting last year, SL LINK became the official title host for the SL LINK Elite Invitational.

Today (Oct. 21), the press conference and 18-hole Pro-Am tournament were held. Twenty-seven professional players teamed up with more than 80 amateur participants in a New Scramble format. The weather at NGCC was partly cloudy with comfortable temperatures, and players experienced challenging wind conditions ranging from Force 7 to 9, making for a unique and memorable day of play.

In the end, the team led by professional player Wen Cheng-hsiang shot an 11-under-par 61 to win the title. Each amateur teammate received a PXG 0811XT driver sponsored by New Order Technology.

During the morning press conference, SL LINK Group’s Chief Strategy Officer Lin Shang-kai shared his personal experience of recovering from a sports injury thanks to SL LINK’s treatment technology. He also brought good news: SL LINK’s new cancer detection technology has successfully been listed on the U.S. stock market as of August 31. This listing represents an important milestone for the company and highlights the international recognition of Taiwan’s biotech research capabilities.

Da An Group Chairman Yang Hsien-kuei stated that this tournament embodies the spirit of combining golf and charity, emphasizing that using sports to promote charitable giving is the best form of public welfare.

SL LINK Chairman Wang Ching-tung, though currently in the United States, shared his message through a pre-recorded video interview. He expressed his joy in seeing the charity fund continue to grow year by year, from NT$2 million in 2022, NT$2.05 million in 2023, to NT$2.4 million in 2024. He hopes that more individuals and companies will join this charitable cause and that the tournament will continue to grow in both prize money and scale.

The field consists of 80 professional and amateur players from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand. Only the top 30 players on the 2024 Taiwan Tour money list were invited to participate. Among the notable Taiwanese players are Su Chin-hung, Shen Wei-cheng, Tsai Kai-jen, Huang I-tseng, and Hsieh Ting-wei. Su, who ranked 8th on last year’s Taiwan Tour and currently sits 12th, also competes on the ADT Tour, where he ranks 8th in prize money. He captured the title at the CHAU-SHI Series opening event earlier this year and now seeks his second victory of the season.

Tsai Kai-jen and Huang I-tseng each have one CHAU-SHI Series victory this year, while Shen Wei-cheng earned a Taiwan Tour title. Tsai aims for his fourth Taiwan Tour victory, and Hsieh Ting-wei, who finished runner-up at this year’s CHAU-SHI Series – Chasing Dream Open, is determined to claim his first Taiwan Tour championship in this final event of the season.

The international lineup includes Thailand’s Tawit Polthai, champion of the TrustGolf Asian Mixed Series (second leg) co-sanctioned with the Taiwan Tour. He ranked 11th on the 2024 Taiwan Tour and currently sits 4th this year, aiming for his second title of the season.

The CHAU-SHI Series was initiated by Wong Chau-shi, Honorary Chairman of Mercuries Group and one of its founders. In 2021, amid the pandemic when the Taiwan Tour saw a sharp decline in events and total prize funds, Mr. Wong personally served as title sponsor, funding six events with NT$2 million each for a total of NT$12 million, laying the foundation for that year’s professional circuit.

Now in its fifth consecutive year, the CHAU-SHI Series continues under the same model, with Mr. Wong contributing NT$1.5 million per event. The number of tournaments has increased from eight last year to ten this year, totaling NT$15 million in sponsorship and helping the Taiwan Tour reach a total of 19 events this season.

The CHAU-SHI Series also offers a special year-end bonus for the money title winner: an additional NT$250,000 provided by HONLIN CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD Chairperson Lin Kuo-er, along with a guaranteed spot in the 2026 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

Da An Group continues to lead the tournament’s charity initiative, in which every player donates NT$1,000 for each birdie and NT$3,000 for each eagle made throughout the three rounds. The total number of birdies and eagles will be matched by Da An Group and supplemented by private donations. The final amount will be donated to MacKay Children’s Hospital – Hsinchu Branch and the Yu-Din Global Cancer Research Foundation.

This year adds a fourth beneficiary, the Shih-Kuang Social Welfare Institution, a Catholic welfare organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged individuals, particularly adults aged 18 and above with severe or multiple intellectual disabilities.

Hsinchu City Government partnered with MacKay Memorial Hospital to establish MacKay Children’s Hospital through a BOT project, which officially opened in November 2022. The hospital provides 24-hour pediatric emergency and medical services to over 300,000 children in the Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli region.

The Yu-Din Global Cancer Research Foundation, founded by SL LINK Chairman Wang Ching-tung, aims to help at least 10,000 families each year avoid the grief and hardship caused by cancer. The average cost for one family’s screening is about NT$15,000, and this year’s theme, “With Love, We Plant the Seeds of Hope,” continues to encourage collective support and compassion to help those in need overcome illness and achieve a healthy life.

Additionally, the Miaoli Future Star Golf Association continues as one of the charity recipients, supporting youth golf development and fostering future professional players in Taiwan.

In pursuit of medical excellence and social impact, Chairman Wang Ching-tung continues to “chase the sun” through innovation and “link society” with compassion, promoting both health and the long-term growth of Taiwan’s golf community.

National Golf Country Club has hosted numerous international tournaments and men’s and women’s professional events. The total course length for this event is 7,047 yards. Over the past six months, NGCC has extensively renovated all its greens to provide top playing conditions. The greenside layout, slopes, and speed remain the most challenging aspects of the course.

Hole-in-One Awards:

Holes 5, 8, 11, and 14 (OUT 5 & 8, IN 2 & 5) – NT$10,000 cash prize or equivalent goods provided by the club.

Hole 11 – An ORIS watch valued at NT$122,800, sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co., will be awarded to the first professional to make a hole-in-one during the three official rounds.

Da An Group – One-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Guesthouse, valid for any date, no restriction on number of guests or holes.

Course Record Bonus: NT$60,000 (current record: 64 by Hsieh Tung-hung), sponsored by National Golf Country Club.

Nearest-to-Pin Awards: Hole 8 – Round 1: Yang Kuo-chih Memorial Prize (NT$20,000); Round 2: Yang Hsien-chin Memorial Prize (NT$20,000); Round 3: Lin Chia Memorial Prize (NT$20,000).

Spectators are welcome to attend by registering at the clubhouse front desk to receive a viewing pass. All spectators must stay on cart paths and are prohibited from riding golf carts or using inter-hole shuttles. The course will be open for spectators during all three rounds. For safety reasons, children under six years old and pets are not permitted on the course.

This tournament will be broadcast as a highlights program on November 4 and 5 at 4:00 p.m. on multiple online platforms, including TPGA’s Facebook and YouTube pages, Yahoo Sports, the TPGA official website, Golfourit, LINE TODAY, and Chilin Sports Media. Additionally, Golf Media Network, Taiwan’s only nationwide golf digital broadcasting network, will simulcast coverage across 20 golf courses around the island.