Taiwan Masters and the 40th Mercuries Golf Invitational Tournament

Round 1 Press Release

Sep. b24, 2026

The first round of the 2026 Taiwan Masters and the 40th Mercuries Golf Invitational Tournament commenced today (September 24) at the historic Taiwan Golf Club (Old Tamsui Golf Course) under brilliant sunshine. Australia's Kevin Yuan fired a 5-under-par 67 to take the early solo lead. Taiwan's Lee Chieh-po, 2024 champion Jbe Kruger of South Africa, 2017 champion Gavin Green of Malaysia, and Thailand's Atiruj Winaicharoenchai all carded 68s, sitting just one stroke back in a tie for second place.

Taiwanese player Shen Wei-cheng shot a 69, tying for sixth place alongside New Zealand's Denzel Ieremia, Sweden's Charlie Lindh, South Korea's Minhyuk Song, and Pakistan's Ahmad Baig.

The 2026 Taiwan Masters and the 40th Mercuries Golf Invitational, one of Taiwan’s premier men’s professional golf events on the Asian Tour, teed off its opening round today (24th) at the century-old Taiwan Golf & Country Club (Old Tamsui Golf Course). Under sunny skies, Australia’s Kevin Yuan fired a five-under-par 67 to take the outright lead. Taiwan’s Lee Chieh-po, 2024 champion Jbe Kruger of South Africa, 2017 champion Gavin Green of Malaysia, and Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai were one stroke back at 68, sharing second place. Yuan also won the Chen Ho-Tung Memorial Award for the lowest score of the round, earning a prize of NT$30,000.

The 72-hole tournament runs through September 27. This year, the total prize purse has been elevated to a record-breaking US$1.2 million (approximately NT$37.2 million), making it one of the most lucrative men's professional events in Taiwan. The champion's prize has increased to US$240,000 (approximately NT$7.44 million), setting a new benchmark in Taiwan's professional golf history.

Celebrating its milestone 40th edition, the tournament is co-organized by the Asian Tour and the TPGA, hosted by the Taiwan Golf Club, and supported by Mercuries & Associates Holding Ltd., Mercuries Life Insurance Co., Ltd., and the Taiwan Masters Golf Promotion Foundation. The event is guided by the Sports Administration, with special thanks for receiving a subsidy grant under the Sports Administration's Taiwan Brand International Sports Events Program.

Kevin Yuan posted an eagle, five birdies, and two bogeys. Starting from the 10th tee, he hit a 4-iron onto the green and sank a 15-foot putt for his first birdie, adding two more birdies and a bogey to shoot 34 on his front nine. Turning to the back, he birdied holes 2 and 3, then capitalized on the short 333-yard par-4 5th hole by driving the green and sinking an 18-foot eagle putt to grab a two-shot lead. Despite a bogey on the 7th, he held onto the solo lead by a single stroke.

Yuan noted that the course features narrow fairways and thick rough, requiring disciplined recovery shots and sharp putting—finishing with 26 putts—to save pars and seize scoring chances. Born in Australia to parents originally from Chengdu, Sichuan, the 29-year-old currently ranks 31st on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Lee Chieh-po carded six birdies and two bogeys, expressing delight at shooting such a low score on this course after struggling here in the past. Sticking to a disciplined strategy of targeting fairways and greens, or leaving chips near the green for easy up-and-downs, Lee capitalized on his exceptional putting performance with just 24 putts. Starting on the 10th, he birdied both par-5s on the front nine before catching fire with three straight birdies from holes 1 to 3, highlighted by conversions from 21 and 15 feet. He added another birdie on the short par-3 8th from 12 feet, and expressed gratitude to local Tamsui caddie Chen Yu-jen for his invaluable green reads. Lee tied for 11th at last week's Yeangder TPC and has climbed to 22nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, making him the second-highest ranked Taiwanese player behind Hung Chien-yao.

Jbe Kruger carded an eagle, four birdies, and two bogeys, highlighting the immense challenge posed by the course's narrow tree-lined fairways, thick rough, and fast, undulating greens. The 2024 champion emphasized that maintaining absolute precision and focus on every shot is essential to score well.

Gavin Green, who played alongside Kruger today, posted five birdies and a bogey, fueled by a scorching 24-putt performance. Returning from a three-month injury layoff due to tennis elbow, the 2017 champion and former Asian Tour Order of Merit winner expressed pleasant surprise at his stellar opening round.

Shen Wei-cheng, playing in the morning wave from the 10th tee, carded six birdies and three bogeys. Despite a three-putt bogey, the newly switched putter felt comfortable in his hands as he drained a 30-footer on the 14th and a 15-footer on the 17th. He hit nine fairways and capitalized on three of the four par-5s, finishing with 30 putts.

Following the first two rounds, the field will be cut to the top 50 players and ties for the weekend. The champion will earn US$240,000, the runner-up US$144,000, and third place US$84,000, with all players completing all four rounds receiving a minimum of $6,600.

The elite field comprises 125 players from 23 countries and regions—including Australia, China, England, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, and hosts Taiwan—competing for the championship trophy, prize money, and the Green Jacket.

The Taiwan Golf Club (Old Tamsui Golf Course) measures 6,946 yards. Though relatively short, its narrow fairways, penal roughs, challenging greenside slopes, complex grass grain, and swirling winds will demand absolute precision and a complete all-around game.

On the opening day, traditional charity meal coupon sales reached 1,524 bowls (compared to 1,480 bowls on Day 1 last year), raising NT$89,916 for the Tamsui Cultural Foundation.

For four decades, the Taiwan Masters and Mercuries Golf Invitational Tournament has constantly strived for breakthroughs in its events and services. This year, the tournament continues to provide eleven thoughtful services and exciting activities for spectators and participants.

Among them, the tournament will provide a free shuttle service on September 26 and 27 starting at 8:30 AM, running between the Tamsui MRT Station exit and the golf club. Fans can catch the shuttle at Platform 1 of the MRT station shuttle bus area, where on-site staff will be available to assist.

The Mercuries Golf Charity Walk and Golf Day will take place on September 27 between Tamsui MRT Station and the Taiwan Golf Club. The Tamkang University Dance Club has been specially invited to perform two dynamic stage shows: the first at 1:00 PM at Tamsui MRT Station Plaza 9, and the second at 4:00 PM during the tournament awards ceremony at the golf course.

The traditional charity meal coupon remains priced at NT$59, redeemable for a bowl of Mercuries Beef Noodles or Sen-Goku-Don Beef Donburi. To express gratitude to spectators, Mercuries & Associates will provide a complimentary cup of green tea (available in limited quantities while daily supplies last). All proceeds from the charity sales will be donated to the Tamsui Cultural Foundation, giving back to the community of Tamsui that has supported the Taiwan Masters for 40 years, in the hope that the tournament remains a premier annual fixture for the region.

From September 26 to 27, a shaved ice food truck will operate in the vendor area, offering shaved ice with a choice of four rich toppings—red beans, tapioca pearls, mini taro balls, coconut jelly, and grass jelly—priced at NT$80 per bowl while supplies last.

Additionally, a putting practice area will be set up in the charity booth zone from September 24 to 27, allowing visitors to experience the fun of putting on-site, complete a survey, and receive a special souvenir.

Plaques celebrating past champions from the 1st to 39th editions of the Mercuries Taiwan Masters have been installed across holes 1 through 18 at the Taiwan Golf Club, allowing spectators to learn about past winners and reflect on the tournament's rich history while enjoying the action.

Furthermore, the tournament has established six special awards: First, the C.H. Chen Memorial Award awards NT$30,000 to the lowest scorer of each round (split equally in the event of a tie). Second, the Chizuko Kuchiho Memorial Award provides NT$60,000 for the closest approach to the pin on the 18th hole (2nd shot) during rounds 3 and 4 on September 26 and 27. Third, the Course Record Bonus offers NT$300,000 provided by Taiwan Golf Club Chairman Chen Yen-hao for breaking the 18-hole course record of 63, awarded to the lowest score or the first to sign their card in the event of ties. Fourth, the Tournament Record Bonus gives NT$100,000 for breaking the 72-hole tournament record of 273, split equally in the event of ties. Fifth, the Defending Champion Bonus provides NT$200,000 for back-to-back tournament victories. Sixth, the MIZUNO Award offers NT$60,000 for the closest tee shot to the pin on the 17th hole during the final round on September 27.

Live streaming and television broadcasts will be available to keep fans instantly updated on the action. The 2026 Taiwan Masters and the 40th Mercuries Golf Invitational Tournament will feature live coverage on September 26 for Round 3 and September 27 for Round 4 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Fans can watch via the TPGA Facebook page, the official Taiwan Masters website at http://www.taiwan-masters.com.tw, and YouTube by searching for the 2026 Mercuries Taiwan Masters. Cable channel Zhilin Sports on Channel 129 will broadcast live starting at 1:30 PM on both September 26 and 27, with simultaneous streaming on the Taiwan Masters Golf Tournament Facebook fan page. Fans are encouraged to tune in and cheer on the players.