2025 CHAU-SHI Series – SL LINK Elite Invitational
Round 1
2025/10/22
The 2025 CHAU-SHI Series – SL LINK Elite Invitational, with a total purse of NT$3 million, teed off today (October 22) at the National Golf Country Club (NGCC) in Miaoli. Battling gusts reaching level 9, Lin Yung-lung showed both heart and consistency, carding an impressive 3-under-par 69 to take the solo lead. He was the only player to shoot under par, the only one with a round in the 60s, and the only one to make an eagle, contributing NT$7,000 to charity, which he said made him feel very content.
This morning at NGCC, players faced not only powerful winds but also steady rainfall, with temperatures dropping sharply to around 20°C. Cold, wet, and windy conditions made play extremely difficult. The rain stopped around 11 a.m., but the wind continued to blow fiercely, with gusts reaching level 9. Many players gave up wearing caps because they simply could not keep them on. As a result, scores were widely affected, with Lin Yung-lung the only player finishing under par.
Four professional players—Chen Shou-cheng, Wu Yao-wei, Yeh Yu-chen, and Thailand’s Tawit Polthai—each shot 1-over-par 73 to tie for second place.
Ho Yu-cheng, Liu Yen-hung, and Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno all recorded 74s to share sixth place.
Among the 20 amateurs, Kuo Chieh-lun posted the best score with a 77, which placed him tied for 17th overall on the professional leaderboard. On the par-3 8th hole, his shot landed just 70 centimeters from the hole, earning him the Round 1 Nearest-to-Pin “Yang Kuo-chih Memorial Prize,” worth NT$20,000.
In today’s opening round, all 80 players combined for 1 eagle (NT$3,000 donation) and 119 birdies (NT$119,000 donation). In total, the tournament contributed NT$122,000 to charity.
This elite invitational is a 54-hole, three-round competition featuring 80 professionals and amateurs from four countries and regions—Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan. Sixty male professionals are competing for the NT$500,000 champion’s prize and trophy, alongside 20 amateurs. The event continues its tradition of charity fundraising for the fourth consecutive year, with the number of beneficiary organizations increasing from three to four.
This men’s professional invitational offers a total purse of NT$3 million, with NT$500,000 for the winner and NT$250,000 for the runner-up. Prize money is awarded to the top 60 finishers, and all competitors 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.
Lin Yung-lung’s round featured one eagle and four birdies. Starting on the 10th hole, he eagled the par-5 16th by hitting his second shot—a 230-yard hybrid—onto the green, 26 yards from the hole, and sinking the putt. He birdied both par-5s on holes 3 and 7 with chip-and-putt birdies within six feet, and added birdies on the 15-foot putt at hole 1 and the 24-foot putt at hole 14.
He usually practices at the Old Tamsui Golf Course, which can also get windy, but noted that NGCC feels even more exposed and challenging. His strategy today was to drive the ball far and keep it in the fairway on downwind holes to set up short approach shots for birdie chances, while hitting low shots into the wind when necessary. “I hit nine fairways today, which is pretty good!” he said. His iron play was steady, and he managed 31 putts for the round.
Tawit Polthai carded five birdies and six bogeys. He said he had never played in such extreme wind conditions, calling it the “No.1 strongest wind” he had ever faced. Although he hit only eight fairways, his irons performed well and his putting was sharp, needing just 29 putts. Four of his birdies came from within six feet, and his final birdie was a 30-foot long putt on hole 17.
He added that after the rain stopped around the seventh hole, course conditions improved slightly, allowing more normal play. In the strong wind, he kept his shots low and aimed for the fairway, and when putting, he often waited for the wind to ease before stroking.
Currently leading the ADT money list, Tawit won one ADT event in January, has four top-10 finishes this year, and also captured the title at the TrustGolf Asian Mixed Series (second leg) co-sanctioned with the Taiwan Tour. He ranked 11th on the 2024 Taiwan Tour money list and is currently fourth this season.
Yeh Yu-chen also waited patiently before putting in the strong winds, explaining that he would hold off until the wind settled, as “the wind was so strong that both the putter and my body were shaking—it was impossible to make a stroke otherwise.” He had 31 putts, kept his drives low or used the wind when possible, but said it was very hard to get close to the pins with iron shots in such gusty conditions.
He made three birdies and four bogeys, including birdies on two par-5s and a 30-foot putt on the par-4 2nd hole. His drives missed only one fairway, but many of his second shots were blown off the greens, forcing him to rely on putting to save par. With 31 putts, he said he was satisfied with the outcome.
Chen Shou-cheng, a player trained at NGCC, enjoyed some home-course advantage but still recorded three three-putts and totaled 32 putts overall. He opened with three consecutive bogeys due to two early three-putts, shooting 39 on the front nine, but recovered on the back nine with three birdies and one bogey for 34. “Overall, it wasn’t bad,” he said, “but I’ve never played in weather like this!”
Wu Yao-wei, who practices at the windy Hsin Feng Golf Club in Hsinchu, adapted better to the gusts and putted well, taking only 28 putts. He hit 12 fairways, and his most memorable hole was the par-3 11th, where his low shot reached the green six feet from the hole for a birdie.
This event marks the 10th and final leg of the 2025 CHAU-SHI Series, serving as the decisive opportunity for the money title. If Tsai Kai-jen captures the championship and the NT$500,000 winner’s check, he will overtake the current leader and claim the season’s Order of Merit.
Currently, Wang Wei-hsuan leads with NT$1,771,000, followed by Tsai Kai-jen with NT$1,328,833 and Chang Wei-lun with NT$1,314,500. Both Wang and Chang are competing in the Asian Tour’s International Series – Philippines and are absent from this event, leaving Tsai with the chance to seize both the championship and the money title.
The charity fund from this tournament has steadily grown each year—NT$2 million in 2022, NT$2.05 million in 2023, and NT$2.4 million in 2024.
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 prize money, Mr. Wong personally sponsored six tournaments with NT$2 million each, totaling NT$12 million, reestablishing the foundation for Taiwan’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 increased from eight last year to ten this year, totaling NT$15 million in sponsorship and helping the Taiwan Tour reach 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 entry into the 2026 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
Da An Group continues to lead the charity initiative, donating NT$1,000 for every birdie and NT$3,000 for every eagle made throughout the three rounds. The total will be matched by Da An Group and supplemented by private donations, with proceeds donated to MacKay Children’s Hospital – Hsinchu Branch and the Yu-Din Global Cancer Research Foundation.
A fourth beneficiary has been added this year—the Shih-Kuang Social Welfare Institution, a Catholic service organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged individuals, particularly adults aged 18 and above with severe or multiple intellectual disabilities.
This charity initiative was first proposed by Da An Group Chairman Yang Hsien-kuei in 2022, combining competition and philanthropy to give back to society. SL LINK Chairman Wang Ching-tung took over the charitable leadership last year, continuing to support the cause. The organizers hope to further expand this act of kindness, using love and action to safeguard children’s health and care for those they cherish.
The Hsinchu City Government partnered with MacKay Memorial Hospital to establish the MacKay Children’s Hospital through a BOT project, officially opening in November 2022. The hospital provides 24-hour emergency and pediatric services for 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 of losing loved ones to cancer. With an average screening cost of NT$15,000 per family, this year’s campaign continues under the theme “With Love, We Plant the Seeds of Hope,” calling for more people to lend a hand to those in need and lead them toward healthier lives.
Additionally, the Miaoli Future Star Golf Association remains a beneficiary, supporting youth golf development and nurturing future talent for Taiwan’s professional golf scene.
Dedicated to children’s health and the welfare of underprivileged groups, the ultimate goal of these efforts is a “cancer-free world.” Chairman Wang Ching-tung continues to apply his expertise to “chase” medical excellence, “link” society with compassion, and “nourish” it through persistent effort, contributing both to public health and the growth of Taiwan golf.
National Golf Country Club has hosted numerous international and professional tournaments. The course measures 7,047 yards, and over the past six months, NGCC has renovated all its greens to achieve optimal playing conditions. The contours and speed of the greens remain the course’s greatest challenge.
Hole-in-One Awards:
Holes 5, 8, 11, and 14 (OUT 5 & 8, IN 2 & 5) – NT$10,000 cash or equivalent goods provided by NGCC.
Hole 11 – An ORIS watch valued at NT$122,800, sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co., will be awarded to the first professional making a hole-in-one during the three official rounds.
Da An Group – One-night stay in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Guesthouse, valid on any date, with no limit on 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 sticker. All spectators must stay on cart paths and are prohibited from riding golf carts. No shuttle service will be provided between holes. The course is open for viewing throughout all three rounds. For safety reasons, children under six and pets are not allowed on the course.
This tournament will be broadcast as a highlights program on November 4 and 5 at 4:00 p.m. across multiple platforms, including TPGA Facebook and YouTube, Yahoo Sports, TPGA official website, Golfourit, LINE TODAY, and Chilin Sports Media. Additionally, Golf Media Network—the only nationwide golf digital media network—will simulcast the event across 20 golf courses throughout Taiwan.
