In what is becoming a recurring theme at Asian Tour events in Chinese-Taipei, Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai once again climbed to the top of the leaderboard at the end of the opening round Thursday in the US$1 million Yeangder TPC.

The 32-year-old Suteepat is a four-time winner on the Asian Tour, with three of those on Chinese-Taipei soil. The tournament’s defending champion also came to the week high on confidence, having recently won the Mandiri Indonesia Open three weeks ago.

As was expected, Suteepat got off to a flying start, reaching four-under by his fourth hole with two birdies and an eagle, and was solid throughout despite treacherous scoring conditions as wind gusts reached 50kmph at Linkou International Golf & Country Club.

At six-under par 66, Suteepat is one ahead of the six-feet-nine-inches-tall American Charles Porter (67), who brightened up an emotional week for himself and his mother with a solid start. Porter’s father had passed away last year and would have turned 75 this week.

Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena, who played in the morning session, posted a round of 68 for solo third place.

Another in-form star, Kazuki Higa of Japan, winner of last week’s 41st Shinhan Donghae Open, was among those tied for fourth place at 69. Bunched alongside Higa were the Chinese- Taipei duo of Chen Yi-tong, whose round included two eagles, and Wang Wei-hsuan; Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung, Germany’s Dominic Foos, and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Witchayapat Sinsrang.

Local amateur Hsieh Cheng-wei, who holds the record of being the youngest player to make the cut in an Asian Tour event (14 years and 33 days) in the 2022 edition of the tournament, delighted the home fans with a 70 start.

Suteepat made just one bogey in the round – on the fifth hole – but added three more birdies before closing with a gutsy par when he chipped in from off the green on the par-5 18th hole for par after being in trouble with his third shot and leaving his chip short.

“I made an incredible start. Four-under after four. It was good, because the conditions are really tough and very different from last year. It was a case of hanging in there, making putts and hoping they would drop and not get angry,” said Suteepat, who made a 35-footer eagle putt on the fourth hole.

“I have never played conditions like this in Taiwan before. I think I have confidence because I have done well here in the past. I am just thinking about the shot that I am hitting. We have three days more before the championship is decided, so I am not thinking of that already.”

On his season so far and his aims for rest of the busy Asian Tour season coming up, Suteepat added: “I am pretty happy with the way I have played so far. My ambition now is to win an International Series event this year. That would be cool.”

Porter, who was in contention in the Mandiri Indonesia Open before a frustrating final day saw him slip to tied 14th place, was happy to have made just one bogey on a tough day.

“I got a lot going on this week,” said Porter, who lost his card on the Korn Ferry Tour last year. “Personally, my mom’s out here from San Francisco. It’s great to have her for more support. My dad would have turned 75 today. He passed away last year, so I kind of felt like he was out there with me,” said the American.

“It was really tricky, especially with the wind. It was blowing all over the place for the first 15 holes we played. I just stayed super patient. Told myself, if I make bogeys, it’s okay. Just try not to make anything worse than a bogey. And I somehow made some birdies and hit some good putts.”

Hsieh, 17, is playing only his fifth professional tournament, but showed once again that he can mix with the big boys. A bogey late in the round was his only blemish in a round that included three birdies.

Taking time out from his school studies this week, Hsieh said: “I was surprised to be the youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour a few years back. I thought it was a very good experience for me, but I never thought that was the only time I would make the cut here!

“I think I’ve become a better player now. With my current distances, I feel like I’m able to compete with the big boys. Last time, my technique wasn’t as good as the rest. I think I can compete out here. I just need to show it in the tournament.”

Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Scores after round 1 of the Yeangder TPC being played at Linkou International Golf & Country Club – a par 72, 7,108-yard layout (am – denotes amateur):

66 – Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA).
67 – Charles Porter (USA).
68 – Miguel Tabuena (PHI).
69 – Chen Yi-tong (TWN), Matthew Cheung (HKG), Wang Wei-hsuan (TWN), Nitithorn Thippong (THA), Witchayapat Sinsrang (THA), Kazuki Higa (JPN), Dominic Foos (GER).
70 – Hsieh Cheng-wei (am, TWN), Takumi Murakami (JPN), Brett Rankin (AUS), Poom Saksansin (THA), Yuvraj Sandhu (IND), Ian Snyman (RSA), Travis Smyth (AUS), Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA).
71 – Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (THA), Joel Stalter (FRA), Prom Meesawat (THA), Jeunghun Wang (KOR), Ahmad Baig (PAK), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Settee Prakongvech (THA), Jose Toledo (GTM), Jbe Kruger (RSA), Danthai Boonma (THA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Kevin Yuan (AUS).
72 – Liu Yanwei (CHN), Shotaro Ban (USA), Yikeun Chang (USA), Tawit Polthai (THA), Wade Ormsby (AUS), Dodge Kemmer (USA), Wu Yao-wei (TWN), Lawry Flynn (AUS), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA), Micah Shin (USA), Shinichi Mizuno (JPN), Chang Tse-yu (TWN).
73 – He Chin-hung (TWN), John Lyras (AUS), Shawn Lu (USA), Poosit Supupramai (THA), Berry Henson (USA), Jaco Ahlers (RSA), Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA), Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA), Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN), George Kneiser (USA), Warun Ieamgaew (THA), Lien Lu-sen (TWN), Wang Hsi-an (TWN), Jaewoong Eom (KOR), Chase Koepka (USA), John Catlin (USA), Justin Quiban (PHI), Huang Yi-tseng (TWN), Lee Chieh-po (TWN), Naoki Sekito (JPN), Hsieh Ting-wei (TWN), Manav Shah (USA).
74 – Liu Yu-jui (TWN), Lin Keng-wei (TWN), Marcus Fraser (AUS), Rahil Gangjee (IND), Sampson Zheng (CHN), Steve Lewton (ENG), Austen Truslow (USA), Charng-Tai Sudsom (THA), Sean Ramos (PHI), Gunn Charoenkul (THA), Nick Voke (NZL), Viraj Madappa (IND), Sarit Suwannarut (THA), Shahriffuddin Ariffin (MAS), S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND), Lee Chao-hua (TWN), Miguel Carballo (ARG), Todd Sinnott (AUS).
75 – Bobby Bai (CHN), Roberto Lebrija (MEX), Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Sihwan Kim (USA), Hsieh Chi-hsien (TWN), Eduard Rousaud (ESP), Cho Yu-te (am, TWN), Liu Yen-hung (TWN), Ervin Chang (MAS), Hung Chao-hsin (TWN), Kelvin Si (MAC), Lu Wei-chih (TWN), Yang Hsiao-che (TWN), Maverick Antcliff (AUS), Bjorn Hellgren (SWE), Rashid Khan (IND), Fang Chuan-wei (TWN).
76 – Jakkanat Inmee (THA), Huang Chi (TWN), Christopher Hickman (USA), Tsai Shang-kai (TWN), Chang Chien Ko-yen (TWN), Lin Kuan-po (TWN), Tanapat Pichaikool (THA), Chang Wei-lun (TWN), Christian Banke (USA), Chen Wei-sheng (TWN), Tseng Fu-tung (TWN).
77 – Yeh Chia-yin (TWN), Aaron Wilkin (AUS), Carlos Pigem (ESP), Chan Shih-chang (TWN), Wen Cheng-hsiang (TWN), Gabriele De Barba (ITA), Yuta Yoshikuwa (JPN), Liu Yung-hua (TWN), Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA), Ryan Peake (AUS), Yeh Yu-chen (TWN), Shen Wei-cheng (TWN), Hsieh Min-hsuan (TWN), Naoyuki Kaneda (JPN).
78 – Jonathan Wijono (INA), Tsai Chin-yang (TWN), Scott Hend (AUS).
79 – Ekpharit Wu (THA), Charlie Lindh (SWE), Taichi Kho (HKG), Tsai Tsung-yu (TWN), Lin Yung-lung (TWN), Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA), Kao Teng (TWN), Lu Sun-yi (TWN), Hung Chien-yao (TWN), Yu Sung-po (TWN).
80 – M.J. Maguire (USA), Jack Thompson (AUS).
81 – Lee Jui-shen (TWN).
82 – Hsu Chih-kai (TWN), Su Ching-hung (TWN).
83 – Denzel Ieremia (NZL).

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