2026 CHAU-SHI Series – Chang Wah Open

Pre-Tournament Press Release

2026/3/24

The 2026 TPGA Taiwan Tour season officially tees off tomorrow (March 25), with the opening event of the CHAU-SHI Series – Chang Wah Open taking place at Hsin Yi Golf Club in Kaohsiung. This tournament marks the first event of this year’s TPGA Taiwan Tour, featuring a total prize purse of NT$3 million, with NT$500,000 awarded to the champion. The tournament will be played over four rounds (72 holes) from March 25 to March 28, with a full field of 144 players, including 139 professionals from eight countries and five amateur players. Defending champion Su Chin-hung returns to defend his title.

This series is title-sponsored personally by Mercuries Honorary Chairman Wong Chau-shi, while Chang Wah Group serves as the title sponsor for the individual event for the fifth consecutive year. The tournament is organized by TPGA and co-organized by Hsin Yi Golf Club, which also hosts the season-opening event for the fifth straight year.

The field includes 34 players from Japan, 10 from Thailand, four from the United States, and one each from Italy, Canada, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, along with 92 players from Taiwan. The amateur contingent includes two players each from Taiwan and Thailand.

A one-day, 18-hole pro-am tournament was held today (March 24), featuring 26 professionals paired with over 70 amateur participants. The event adopted a scramble format, with Chen Yi-dong and three amateurs combining for a 10-under-par 62 to claim the title. Each amateur teammate received a PING G440 MAX driver.

At the awards banquet, Chang Wah Group Chairman Hung Chuan-cheng noted that this tournament has been held for five consecutive years since 2022. He expressed gratitude to TPGA Chairman Chen Jung-hsing, who will step down later this year, for leading the Taiwan Tour into the Official World Golf Ranking system since last year, elevating both the players and the tournaments onto the international stage. Chang Wah Group will continue to support professional golf in Taiwan.

To add excitement to the pro-am event, the organizers set up a fun challenge booth near the starter area—the Budweiser Challenge. Participants slid a Budweiser can across a platform, aiming to stop closest to the edge without falling. The winner received 12 bottles of Budweiser 330ml. Around 60 participants took part, with Takangshan Golf Club Chairman Cho Chien-hung emerging victorious.

The KBS professional Tour Van service was also on-site on March 23 and 24, providing real-time club fitting and customization support for professional players.

Chang Wah Group, which includes Chang Wah Electromaterials Inc., Chang Wah Technology Co., Ltd., and Phoenix Silicon International Corporation, are all publicly listed companies. The group has over 30 years of history and has long supported sports development in Taiwan, upholding the philosophy of giving back to society through corporate resources and fulfilling social responsibility.

The CHAU-SHI Series was initiated in 2021 by Wong Chau-shi, one of the founders of Mercuries, in response to the pandemic’s impact on the Taiwan Tour. He personally funded six events annually, contributing NT$2 million per event, totaling NT$12 million. Over the past three years, the number of events has gradually increased, and this year the same sponsorship model continues with a total of eight events.

The series also features a special Order of Merit bonus. The top money winner across the eight CHAU-SHI Series events will receive an additional NT$250,000, sponsored by HONLIN CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD Chairman Lin Kuo-er, along with an invitation to the following year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

This opening event gathers many of Taiwan’s top players. Nearly all of last year’s top 60 money list players are participating, including 16 of the top 20 players: Order of Merit champion Wang Wei-hsuan, runner-up Hung Chien-yao, third-place Shen Wei-cheng, sixth-place Chang Wei-lun (2024 champion), eighth-place Tsai Kai-jen, ninth-place Su Chin-hung (defending champion), as well as Chan Shih-chang (2022 and 2023 money title winner) and Hsieh Ting-wei (2025 ThreeBond Challenge Tour Order of Merit winner and Rookie of the Year).

Also joining the field are Lee Chieh-po, the first Taiwanese player to compete in the international LIV Tour, and Japan-based Yu Sung-po, further intensifying the competition.

International players are also strong contenders, including 10th-ranked Shotaro Ban (USA), 19th-ranked Warun Leamgaew (Thailand), and last year’s Ambassador ADT Open champion Gabriele De Barba (Italy).

After two rounds, the top 50 players based on total score will advance to the final two rounds. The champion will receive NT$500,000, while the runner-up will earn NT$250,000.

Hsin Yi Golf Club measures 7,459 yards for this tournament. While long hitters may have an advantage, precision in landing areas, approach shots, putting, and short game around the greens will be crucial challenges. The course has been meticulously prepared to provide optimal playing conditions.

The first and second rounds will feature split tee times from Hole 1 and Hole 10. Morning groups start from 6:30 to 8:25, while afternoon groups run from 11:05 to 13:00.

Special prizes include:

Hole-in-one prizes:

Hole 3, 6 (OUT) and Hole 13, 17 (IN) – NT$20,000 cash from the course.

Hole 3 – A pair of golf shoes, a Caesar smart toilet (CA1392), and six bottles of whisky.

Hole 6 – One-night hotel stay, 12 bottles of whisky, and a 10-liter whisky barrel.

Hole 13 – One-night garden suite stay, 20 dozen golf balls, and six bottles of whisky.

Hole 17 – Six bottles of Pierce 17-year whisky and six bottles of whisky.

Hole 17 (additional prize):

A Bell & Ross watch (valued at NT$130,000), sponsored by Tung Hui Watch Co., awarded to the first professional player to make a hole-in-one during the tournament.

No hole restriction prize:

A one-night presidential suite stay at Lishan Guest House, sponsored by Da An Group.

Course record prize:

NT$20,000 for breaking the course record (currently 63, held by amateur Chen Chi-chun).

Players also receive complimentary practice access from March 24 to 27, sponsored by Bai Wei Group and Cheng Guan Yuan Driving Range.

Sports protection services will be provided free of charge during the final two rounds (March 27–28).

To promote sustainability, TPGA has launched the “Green Swing Initiative” this season. Single-use bottled water has been eliminated and replaced with reusable bottles for each player to reduce plastic waste.

TPGA Chairman Chen Jung-hsing stated that every swing is not only a pursuit of performance but also a commitment to environmental responsibility, aiming to create a sustainable and professional international golf tour.

Spectators are welcome during the tournament. A NT$30 insurance fee is required at the starter area to receive an entry pass. Spectators must walk along cart paths, as no shuttle service is provided. For safety reasons, children under six and pets are not permitted on the course.

The final two rounds will be broadcast in highlight format on April 7 and 8 at 4:00 PM across platforms including TPGA Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo Sports, LINE (Golfourit), TPGA official website, ELTA Sports, and Line Today.