2026 CHAU-SHI Series – Chang Wah Open Round 1 Press Release 2026/3/25 The 2026 TPGA Taiwan Tour season officially teed off today (25th), with the CHAU-SHI Series – Chang Wah Open launching at Hsin Yi Golf Club in Kaohsiung. Hung Chien-yao fired a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 with six birdies to take the early lead. Hsieh Ting-wei sits in second place with a 68. Four players—Tsai Tsung-yu, Chan Chia-han, Shapiyate Mako, and Tseng Tzu-hao—are tied for third at 69. Hung Chien-yao delivered a very steady performance throughout the round. His driving was solid, consistently placing the ball in favorable attacking positions. With a newly adopted 46-inch long putter, his control has improved, successfully converting multiple birdie putts from 9 to 12 feet. He totaled 26 putts today. His longest putt came on the par-4 7th hole, where he drained a 15-foot left-to-right breaking putt for birdie. On the two par-5 holes, 8 and 18, he capitalized with precise chip-and-putt combinations to secure birdies. He noted that the wind was strong and unpredictable in the morning, making it difficult to judge. However, the greens were in better condition than before, with a smooth and consistent speed averaging 9.5, making putting feel very comfortable. Hung recently finished tied for fifth at the Asian Tour’s Philippine Championship in February, the best result among Taiwanese players, and is currently in good form. Hsieh Ting-wei recorded one eagle, four birdies, and two bogeys for his 68. Starting from Hole 1, he made an eagle on the par-5 4th hole, reaching the green in two with a 245-yard fairway wood shot and sinking a 9-foot downhill putt. His longest birdie putt came on Hole 14 from 18 feet downhill. He commented that both his driving and iron play were decent, but he was not satisfied with his putting, missing three birdie opportunities from 5 to 10 feet. He added that the weather was not too hot, the wind was light, and the greens were smooth, allowing for a comfortable overall round. Last year, Hsieh won both the Rookie of the Year award and the Order of Merit on the ThreeBond Challenge Tour, and he aims for an even better performance this season. Tsai Tsung-yu started from Hole 10. In his front nine, both his driving and putting were solid, collecting three birdies, including chip-and-putt birdies on the par-5 15th and 18th holes from 15 and 9 feet respectively, as well as a 12-foot birdie putt on Hole 12, finishing with 33 strokes. However, his back nine saw inconsistent driving and iron play, resulting in two birdies but also two bogeys for a 36. He also mentioned that heavy smog in the Kaohsiung area affected the air quality. Due to his allergies, he had to wear a mask throughout the round, combined with high temperatures causing discomfort while playing. Chan Chia-han carded four birdies and one bogey. His driving and iron play were solid, but his putting was extremely frustrating. He missed six birdie putts from 8 to 12 feet and three from 3 to 6 feet, finishing with 29 putts. He felt his putting distance control was sufficient, but his green reading lacked accuracy, costing him many birdie chances. Having secured a full card on the China Tour this year, he plans to focus on both the China Tour and the Taiwan Tour. Shapiyate Mako showed stable driving and iron play but was dissatisfied with his putting, recording 31 putts. He missed three to four birdie chances within 12 feet. His round included six birdies and three bogeys, with the longest birdie putt being 12 feet on Hole 3; the rest ranged between 6 and 9 feet. Tseng Tzu-hao relied on excellent putting, totaling 26 putts, to post four birdies and one bogey. His longest birdie putts came on Holes 12 and 17, both from 18 feet. He maintained a steady approach with his driver and irons. He mentioned that this was the first event of the Taiwan Tour season and that he felt a bit nervous at the start but gradually found his rhythm. This tournament is the first event of the 2026 TPGA Taiwan Tour, with a total purse of NT$3 million and NT$500,000 awarded to the champion. It is played over four rounds (72 holes) from March 25 to March 28, featuring 144 players, including 139 professionals from eight countries and five amateurs. The series is title-sponsored by Mercuries Honorary Chairman Wong Chau-shi, with Chang Wah Group serving as the event title sponsor for the fifth consecutive year. The tournament is organized by TPGA and co-organized by Hsin Yi Golf Club, which also hosts the season opener for the fifth straight year. The field includes 34 Japanese players, 10 from Thailand, four from the United States, and one each from Italy, Canada, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, along with 92 Taiwanese players. The amateur field consists of three from Taiwan and two from Thailand. Chang Wah Group includes Chang Wah Electromaterials Inc., Chang Wah Technology Co., Ltd., and Phoenix Silicon International Corporation, all publicly listed companies. The group has over 30 years of history and has long supported sports development in Taiwan, upholding its philosophy of giving back to society and fulfilling corporate 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 increased, and this year continues with the same sponsorship model, totaling 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. After two rounds, the top 50 players will advance to the final two rounds. The champion will receive NT$500,000, while the runner-up earns NT$250,000. Hsin Yi Golf Club plays to a total length of 7,459 yards for this tournament. While long hitters have an advantage, precision in fairway and green approaches, putting, and short game will be key challenges. The course has been meticulously prepared to provide optimal conditions for top performance. The second round will also feature split tee times from Holes 1 and 10. Morning groups start at 6:30, with the last group at 8:25; afternoon groups begin at 11:05, with the final group at 13:00. Special prizes include: Hole-in-one prizes: Holes 3 and 6 (OUT), and Holes 13 and 17 (IN), with NT$20,000 cash provided by 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. These four holes feature the course’s standard sponsor prizes. 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 four official rounds. 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 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 support global sustainability efforts, TPGA has launched the “Green Swing Initiative” this season, promoting environmental protection through concrete actions. Single-use bottled water has been eliminated, and each player is provided with a reusable bottle to reduce plastic waste at the source. 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 via TPGA Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo Sports, LINE (Golfourit), TPGA official website, ELTA Sports, and Line Today.
