With a total prize purse of NT$3 million, the Tian Zheng Chang Wah TPGA Pro-Am Legacy Tournament, the season-ending event of this year’s Taiwan Tour, teed off today (17th) with the opening round at Hsin Yi Golf Club in Kaohsiung. Taiwanese professional player Su Chin-hung fired a superb 9-under-par 63 to take the outright lead and also tie the course record for lowest score.
Thailand’s Tawit Polthai carded a 64, trailing by one stroke in second place; amateur Juan Yi-kai posted a 66 to sit third, while Tsai Shang-kai and Lu Sun-yi both signed for 67 to share fourth place.
Su Chin-hung was outstanding on the greens today, needing just 23 putts—the fewest in the field—while recording one eagle, seven birdies, and no bogeys. On the par-5 fourth hole, his third shot from 30 yards out was chipped directly into the hole for eagle. His longest birdie putts of the day were two 18-footers on holes 9 and 14.
After the round, he said his iron play was also solid, hitting 14 greens in regulation and creating numerous birdie chances. “My fairway hit percentage wasn’t high today—otherwise the score could have been even better!” he noted, having found the fairway on seven holes.
He explained that after returning to Taiwan following the conclusion of the ADT season in late November, he focused heavily on regaining his putting feel. “From today’s performance, it seems the putting touch is back,” he said, hoping to maintain that form over the remaining two rounds. He also pointed out that Hsin Yi Golf Club is his training base, giving him a familiarity advantage. “I just followed my own swing rhythm without forcing anything, and the execution today was very good.”
Su Chin-hung played 12 events on the ADT this season, finishing 16th on the season money list, with his best result being a runner-up finish at the Indonesia Pro-Am on October 9. He currently ranks 13th on the Taiwan Tour money list.
Thailand’s Tawit Polthai recorded nine birdies and one bogey today, with what he described as “very, very good” putting, totaling 25 putts. His iron play and driving were also strong, hitting 15 greens and 11 fairways. Three of his birdies came on par-5 holes, with his longest birdie putt being an 18-footer on the 18th hole. His best hole of the day was the ninth, where he tapped in a 2-foot birdie putt.
Starting from the 18th hole, Tawit drained a long birdie putt on his opening hole, giving himself a big confidence boost. He then birdied holes 1 through 4, rolling off five consecutive birdies. He went out in 30 and came home in 34.
Having captured the ADT season money title this year, Tawit has secured a full Asian Tour card for next season. He also claimed a victory earlier this year at the PKNS Selangor Masters on January 22 and recorded six top-10 finishes during the season.
Amateur Juan Yi-kai posted six birdies with no bogeys. He was delighted to play a bogey-free round for the first time in official competition and to record a personal-best 66 at Hsin Yi Golf Club. His woods and irons performed well, and his short game was sharp, saving par on three holes. Two of his birdies came on par-5 holes, with his longest birdie putt being a 12-footer on the par-3 17th; the others were all around six feet.
The 20-year-old is currently a sophomore majoring in Sports and Leisure Management at CTU University. Just last month, on November 27, he won the Chinese Taipei Golf Association National Team Selection Tournament at Nan Pao Golf Club, and he carried that momentum into another strong performance today.
In addition, the tournament staged a special legacy instruction program titled “Chase Your Dream” this afternoon. After the completion of the first round, U.S.-based Taiwanese player Kevin Yu conducted a sharing and instructional session attended by more than 30 junior amateur players. Today’s theme was Deciding the Greens — Kevin Yu’s Putting Philosophy.
Drawing from his PGA Tour experience, Kevin Yu shared insights on mental approaches under pressure and during slumps, as well as mindset breakthroughs for crucial putts. He emphasized facing everything with a positive mentality—“I can do it!”—and demonstrated practical putting drills, including structure, time allocation, practice plans, and essential steps in the pre-shot routine. The one-and-a-half-hour session concluded successfully with interactive Q&A and hands-on demonstrations.
The 27-year-old Kevin Yu has competed on the PGA Tour since 2023, earning his first PGA Tour victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship on August 11 last year. He has recorded two top-10 finishes this season and currently ranks 66th on the season money list.
Tomorrow, December 18, Lee Chieh-po will conduct the next instructional session from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hsin Yi Golf Club practice green. All golf fans are welcome to attend, with free admission.
The tournament is contested over three rounds and 54 holes, featuring 72 professional and amateur players from three countries, with the champion set to earn NT$600,000. The event is organized by Tian Zheng International Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., Chang Wah Group, and The PGA of Taiwan (TPGA), with Hsin Yi Golf Club serving as co-organizer.
This also marks the first time Tian Zheng International Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. has jointly title-sponsored a Taiwan Tour event, while Chang Wah Group is co-title-sponsoring a Taiwan Tour tournament for the first time after four consecutive years as sole title sponsor of the season-opening event.
This tournament is the final event among the 20 tournaments on this year’s Taiwan Tour. Although the Taiwan Tour Money Leader title has already been secured by Wang Wei-hsuan, the players ranked second, third, and fourth on the season money list remain in close contention for the top three year-end bonus awards. The final standings and prize money from this event will determine the recipients of those bonuses. Currently, Hung Chien-yao ranks second, Shen Wei-cheng third, and Thailand’s Suteepat fourth, with all three competing in this event.
The top three players on the Taiwan Tour season money list will also receive additional bonus awards sponsored by Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Chairman Lin Jui-chang, with NT$500,000 awarded to first place, NT$300,000 to second, and NT$200,000 to third.
Players from three countries—Japan, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei—are competing in this tournament, totaling 72 participants, including 40 professionals and 32 amateurs. Professional eligibility is limited to the top 30 players on the 2024 Taiwan Tour season money list, with an additional 10 professionals invited by the organizer. Amateur players are representatives from the 11 Taiwan Youth Cup affiliated clubs, with priority given to trainees from southern-region golf clubs.
The tournament is played as a three-round stroke-play event with no cut, with prize money awarded to the top 40 finishers. The champion will receive NT$600,000, second place NT$330,000, and third place NT$210,000.
Tomorrow’s second round will again use a shotgun start, with all 72 players divided into 24 groups of three, teeing off simultaneously from all 18 holes starting at 6:40 a.m. The round is expected to conclude before noon.
Hsin Yi Golf Club features a total course length of 7,459 yards, favoring long hitters, though accuracy off the tee remains essential. Reading the greens and short-game execution around the putting surfaces also present significant challenges. In preparation for this season-ending Taiwan Tour event, the course has been meticulously conditioned to optimal standards to allow players to perform at their best.
The tournament also offers special awards:
Hole-in-One Awards:
Holes No. 3, 6, 13, and 17 — NT$20,000 cash prize provided by the golf club.
Hole No. 3 (OUT 3): One pair of Biao Hu golf shoes and one Lake View Suite accommodation voucher at Kaohsiung Grand Hotel.
Hole No. 6 (OUT 6): One-night weekday twin room stay at Jiu Yi Hotel.
Hole No. 13 (IN 4): One-night Garden Suite stay at E-Da Skylark Hotel and 20 dozen V PLUS TPU three-layer golf balls.
Hole No. 17 (IN 8): One-year supply of Fiji Water (365 bottles of 500ml) and six bottles of 17-year Pierce whisky.
(All four holes feature pre-designated sponsor prizes provided by the golf club.)
At Hole No. 17, Tung Hui Watch Co. will provide one ORIS wristwatch valued at NT$122,800. The prize will be awarded to the first professional player to make a hole-in-one during official competition.
Unlimited-hole Hole-in-One Award: Da An Group will provide one complimentary night in the Presidential Suite at Lishan Guest House, valid on both weekdays and holidays.
Lowest Score Award (Rounds 2 & 3):
Sponsored by SOCH Furniture | Diandiansleep, the lowest round score in each of the final two rounds on December 18 and 19 will receive NT$10,000. In the event of a tie, the prize money will be evenly split.
Course Record Award:
NT$20,000 for breaking the course record of 63, held by amateur Chen Chi-chun (provided by the golf club). No prize will be awarded if preferred lies are in effect.
Bolwell Group and Cheng Guan Yuan Golf Driving Range will provide complimentary unlimited practice access to all tournament participants during the event.
Free sports injury prevention services will be provided during the second and third rounds (18th and 19th).
Spectators are permitted on the course during the tournament. Visitors should proceed to the starting area to pay a NT$30 facility cleaning fee, complete registration with volunteers, and receive a spectator pass. All spectators must remain on cart paths, and no inter-hole shuttle service will be provided. For safety reasons, children under the age of six and pets are advised not to enter the course.
This tournament will be broadcast on a delayed basis, with the final two rounds edited into a 60-minute highlights program scheduled to air at 4:00 p.m. on January 1 and January 2, 2026. Broadcast platforms include the TPGA Facebook page, Zhi-Lin Sports Channel, and YouTube. Tournament news and updates will also be available via the TPGA official website, LINE platform “Golfourit,” LINE Today, and Yahoo Sports.
