2025 ThreeBond TPGA Challenge Tour
ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour
Round 2
2025/10/9
The ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour, with a total purse of NT$1.1 million, concluded today (9th) at Hsin Yi Golf Club in Kaohsiung. Starting two shots behind, Tsai Kai-jen fired a sizzling 7-under-par 65 for a two-round total of 135 (9-under) to stage a comeback victory, earning the champion’s prize of NT$250,000. This marks Tsai’s third career title on the ThreeBond Challenge Tour, fifth professional win overall, and notably, his second consecutive victory, following last week’s triumph at the CHAU-SHI Series Wealthy Family Open on the Taiwan Tour.
This win also propelled Tsai up the ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour money list, jumping from seventh to second place. Lee Jui-shen now leads the standings, with Hsieh Ting-wei in third.
Tsai shared the Low Round Award with Yang Hsiao-che, both shooting 65 today. The prize, provided by Wang Fu-chung, Chairman of Haijie International Co., Ltd., was NT$30,000, split evenly for NT$15,000 each. Yesterday’s Low Round Award went to Tsai Chin-yang, who shot a 68 and received NT$30,000.
Yang Hsiao-che’s putting was exceptional, carding a 7-under total of 137 over two rounds to finish runner-up, two strokes behind Tsai, and earning NT$75,000. Peng Hsiung shot 69 today and finished third at 138.
Tseng Ssu-en, a trainee player from Hsin Yi Golf Club, posted a 71 to total 145, capturing the amateur championship by one stroke and finishing tied for 19th overall among professionals. Hsieh Yao-yu, who had led by three strokes after the first round, shot 75 for second place at 146, while Feng Chi-mou finished third with a 72 for 149.
The 18-year-old Tseng earned the amateur winner’s prizes, including five dozen SRIXON Z-STAR XV balls sponsored by DUNLOP and an OMNIX golf bag provided by Shang Chung International Co., Ltd.
The top three amateurs each received a TaylorMade Golf Qi 35 driver sponsored by Advanced International Group.
During yesterday’s opening round, professional Huang Chun-hao aced the 199-yard 6th hole using a 5-iron, winning NT$100,000 from Advanced International Group, NT$20,000 from Hsin Yi Golf Club, and additional prizes including a ceramic art piece, a weekday double-room stay at Hotel Sunshine Kaohsiung, and a Hitachi dual-inverter air conditioner.
In addition, Advanced International Group sponsored the Closest to the Pin (2nd Shot) contest on the 9th hole, awarding NT$20,000 per round. The first-round winner was Chang Hsun-chen (120 cm), and the second-round winner was Tsai Kai-jen (163 cm).
This victory marks Tsai’s third career win on the Challenge Tour, following titles at the 2021 Challenge Tour Opening Event at Pan-Chi-Hua Golf Club and the Southern Taiwan Challenge at Hsin Yi, as well as two wins on the Taiwan Tour in 2023.
“I’m thrilled to win another Challenge Tour title,” Tsai said. “This tour was where I first honed my skills after turning professional, so it feels great to win again here at Hsin Yi Golf Club.”
On winning back-to-back titles, he added, “It feels almost unreal! I was still in the adjustment phase not long ago, so to win two weeks in a row is amazing. It shows that all my practice is paying off, and this really boosts my confidence.”
He thanked the tournament organizers, sponsors, TPGA, and Hsin Yi Golf Club, as well as his family, sponsors Titleist and FENIX, and coaches Peter and Tsai Ting-hung for their support.
Starting two shots behind, Tsai said his plan was to play aggressively. “I wanted to go for as many birdies as possible to post a low number,” he said. “My long game was steady today, and my short game from 50–60 yards plus putting all felt great.” He carded nine birdies and two bogeys, including six birdies on the front nine for a 31, moving one stroke ahead of Tsai Chin-yang by the turn.
Yang Hsiao-che also had an impressive round, shooting 30 on the front nine, his career-best for nine holes, with five consecutive birdies. After 14 holes, he was tied with Tsai at 7-under for the tournament. On the par-4 16th, Tsai hit his driver into position and followed with a second shot to 16 feet, holing the birdie putt. Yang, meanwhile, made a bogey on the same hole, giving Tsai a two-shot lead that he maintained through the finish to secure the victory.
This event marked the eighth consecutive year that Advanced International Group has served as the title sponsor of a men’s professional golf event in Taiwan. It is the seventh stop and third-to-last event on the 2025 ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour schedule.
The winner’s prize was NT$250,000 (increased from NT$150,000 through an additional NT$100,000 contributed for the fourth straight year by Peikai Corporation Chairman Lin Chao-hsien), with NT$75,000 for second and NT$50,000 for third.
Advanced International Group first co-hosted the ThreeBond Advanced Fusing Challenge with Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co. in September 2018, then became the sole title sponsor in 2019, continuing its commitment for eight consecutive years.
This year, Advanced International also prepared special souvenirs from the century-old pastry brand Chiu Zhen Nan, gifting them to all players as a gesture of southern Taiwan’s warm hospitality.
The next two events on the 2025 ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour will be the Yeangder Challenge (October 16–17) and the Elite Challenge Tour Finale (November 19–20), both held at Taipei Golf Club.
ThreeBond, a Japan-based global manufacturer specializing in industrial adhesives, has supported TPGA for over 30 years, sponsoring both former TPGA chairman and current Challenge Tour Executive Director Chen Chih-chung. This marks the 11th consecutive year of its title sponsorship of the TPGA Challenge Tour, which continues to feature nine events this season.
Lin Jui-chang, Chairman of Taiwan Fu Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd., has again provided NT$2 million in bonuses for the top three players on the year-end money lists of the Taiwan Tour and the ThreeBond Advanced Challenge Tour, awarding NT$500,000, NT$300,000, and NT$200,000 respectively.
