Italy’s Gabriele De Barba scored his first professional win in dramatic fashion today, clinching victory in a four hole play-off with Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei after the pair were tied on 14 under par after three rounds.

“I was confident during the play-off, but I didn’t quite seize the opportunity the way I wanted to, so I’m incredibly grateful to come away with the win,” said De Barba after a birdie sealed the deal.

“This is my first professional victory, and it means a lot,” he added. “I haven’t even told my family yet, but I’m so thankful to them and to my sponsors for supporting me through all the ups and downs.”

Finishing three groups ahead of the leaders, De Barba (65) scored the low round of the day, posting nine birdies to offset a double bogey on the par four sixth hole which was the only flaw on his card at the Hsin Feng Country Club.

Chan, who posted a five under par 67 for a bogey-free round, finished strongly with two birdies in his closing holes but was unable to secure the advantage he needed over the clubhouse leader in the US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event.

After scoring formalities were completed, the pair headed back to the 18th tee to begin their battle for victory. The first play-off hole was parred, followed by a birdie each, and for a third time down the 18th for par before heading to the 10th.

Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured in action during the final round of the Ambassador ADT tournament at Hsin Feng Country Club on May 31, 2025. The US$100,000 event is being played from May 28-31, 2025.

On 10, Chan found the bunker on approach and was unable to get up and down, while De Barba holed his birdie putt to put the result beyond doubt and to lift his hopes for the future.

“I turned pro in 2018 and spent several years playing in Japan without much success,” he said after the win, “so qualifying through Q-School in Taiwan and now winning here really gives me hope and new opportunities – especially with the chance to compete on the ADT.

“I first played this course during my debut in Taiwan, and it was very windy then. The conditions this week were much better, which definitely helped. It also reminds me of my home course, Naruo Golf Club in Japan – it’s similarly narrow, so I felt quite comfortable out there. I’m just really happy to finally break through,” he added.

In third place, Huang Yi-tseng (67) of Chinese Taipei eagled the last hole to best compatriots Liu Yen-hung (71) by one shot, followed by Ho Yu-cheng (69) and Chang Wei-lun (70) another shot further back in fifth.

In seventh place, Shotaro Ban (67) of the USA shared the spot with India’s Khalin Joshi (69) and the Thai trio of Amarin Kraivixien (69), Weerawish Narkprachar (69) and Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (70).

Lu Sun-yi (67) of Chinese Taipei, the USA’s Grant Godfrey (66) and Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu (68) and Sarut Vongchaisit (69) finished in 12th place, and rounded out the top 15.

After having the last two events reduced to 54 holes due to rain, the ADT now heads to hopefully sunnier climes with back to back events in the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech series. The first of the two US$125,000 tournaments takes place at Samanah Golf Club from June 19-22, followed by Al Maaden Golf Resorts from June 26-29.

Main picture: Gabriele De Barba of Italy pictured with the winner’s trophy after his victory in the Ambassador ADT tournament at Hsin Feng Country Club on May 31, 2025. The US$100,000 event is being played from May 28-31, 2025.

Liu Yen-hung took full advantage of his familiarity with the Hsin Feng course in the Ambassador ADT today, overcoming two shaky holes to post a three under 69 and take a two shot lead into the final round.

A couple of early birdies set him up well at the turn after starting on the back nine, but playing out of position on the par three second hole cost him two shots, and one more on the following hole as he fought to get his game back on track.

Playing on his home course though, with knowledge of the wind, allowed him to get three shots back against par on the run in, finishing on 11 under after the second round of the rain-shortened US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event.

He leads compatriots Chang Wei-lun (67) and fellow Hsin Feng Country Club player Chan Shih-chang (66) who share second place on nine under par alongside Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (73), who relinquished his opening round lead but still remains in contention.

Reduced to a 54 hole tournament due to heavy rains which rendered the course unplayable yesterday, the sun came out to gett he course in good shape, with the greens playing to the same speed as on day one.

The winds remained unpredictable though, but as several players highlighted in their post round interviews, if you can keep the ball in the fairway then you have a good chance to get it on the green and make birdie.

“My tee shots were very good, only one missed fairway,” said Liu Yen-hung after his round. “It’s not an easy course, but its my home course and I play every day when I can, so I know the wind.

“If tomorrow the wind is strong, the tee shot will be very important and a key point to win. You must get it on the fairway and then it’s easy to get to the green and get a birdie,” he added.

Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured in action at the second round of the Ambassador ADT tournament at Hsin Feng Country Club on May 30, 2025. The US$100,000 event is being played from May 28-31, 2025.

Japan’s Naoki Sekito (69), who teed off in the morning wave and posted an early lead, was equally confident once he managed to get his driver under control.

“Compared to the first round I wasn’t driving well today,” he said, “especially on my front nine – holes 10 to 18. The bogeys I made on 16 and 18, I hit it into the trees off the tee and i couldn’t get up and down. But on my back nine I could drive well and that gave me a lot of birdie chances.

“If you drive well off the tee, mostly it’s just an easy wedge shot to the green,” he added.

Liu Yung-hua (68) of Chinese Taipei, who shared fifth place with Sekito alongside compatriots Ho Yu-cheng (68) and Huang Yi-tseng (68), and Thailand’s Chanat Sakulpolphaisan (70), sank a long eagle putt after reaching the green on the par four fourth hole, and said after his round that he was relishing the pressure of competing with a strong field.

The cut was made at two under par after play today, and 57 players will be lining up for the third and final round. Play resumes at 7am off two tees, with the leading group getting underway at 8.39am.

Main picture: Liu Yen-hung of Chinese Taipei pictured in action at the second round of the Ambassador ADT tournament at Hsin Feng Country Club on May 30, 2025. The US$100,000 event is being played from May 28-31, 2025.

Due to persistent inclement weather, Round Two of the Ambassador ADT will not commence today and will take place on Friday, May 30, with tee times remaining as originally published.

With only two days of play remaining and expected rainy conditions to continue, organisers have decided to reduce the event to 54 holes. The third and final round will take place on Saturday, May 31.

Suteepat Prateeptienchai rediscovered a bit of form following a recent club change at the Ambassador ADT event in Chinese Taipei today, posting a first round score of 62 to take an early lead.

The Thai golfer has a particular affiliation with playing in Chinese Taipei, having scored three wins there on the Asian Tour, and is looking to restart his season with a good performance again there this week.

Starting on the back nine, he scored three straight pars before stretching his legs with five birdies before the turn, and two more before a hole out eagle cemented his lead.

A double bogey on the par four seventh hole was the only falw on hsi scorecard and he leads his close friend Liu Yen-hung (64) of Chinese Taipei by two shots.

“On seven I hit this big slice,” he explained posting his score in the US$100,000 Asian development Tour event. “I was in the hazard, chipped out, two putts,” he added.

“Otherwise today I did really well,” he said. “I missed only one hole, made double on seven but I putted very well today. I missed only two fairways but just in the rough, not in the jungle or the hazard.

“For my eagle, I hit the fairway, then hit a three wood over the green but I chipped in,” he explained.

He credited a recent change to Titleist for his recent form and said he was still getting used to the change in equipment and was looking forward to improving his results on the Asian Tour.

“This year I haven’t been playing well on the Asian Tour, I’ve played maybe five or six events but just made one cut. The course here is a bit different, the greens are a bit slower which makes chipping and downhill putts a bit easier,” he added.

After a first round with some drizzle, organisers are hoping for better weather tomorrow, although rain is forecast which may affect the course of play.

Thailand’s Chanat Sakilpolphaisan (66) holds solo third spot after the opening round, with three bogeys offset by seven birdies and an eagle on the par five ninth hole.

In fourth spot, with a first round score of 67, Ryoto Furuya of the USA is joined by Italy’s Michele Ortolani, Japan’s Naoki Sekito and Shariffuddin Ariffin of Malaysia.

In eighth place, Chinese Taipei players Ho Yu-cheng, Huang Yi-tseng, Chang Wei-lun, and Liu Yung-hua are joined by Grant Godfrey of the USA, England’s Matt Killen, Hoho Yue of Hong Kong and Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar.

Play will continue in the second round of this 72-hole tournament tomorrow with the first groups off at 6.50am. The afternoon wave will set off at 11.40am.

Main picture: Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai pictured in action at the Ambassador ADT event in Chinese Taipei.

Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand held his nerve in a rain-delayed Singha Laguna Phuket Open today, waiting out multiple stops in play to secure a nine stroke victory in the shortened 54-hole tournament.

Despite three stops today due to rain, the final round of the THB4 million Asian Development Tour event was no match for a determined Suradit, who posted a five-under-par 65 to secure the victory with the low round of the day.

The second place finishers on eight under, which included compatriots Thanpasit Omsin (68) and Nirun Sae-ueng (68), also featured Siddikur Rahman (67) of Bangladesh, who coincidentally holds the ADT record for the largest winning margin of 12 shots.

Co-sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour, the event was unfortunately hit by storms on each of the scheduled four days, and while organisers are keenly looking forward to the 10th anniversary of the event next year, they are also considering a date switch to avoid Thailand’s monsoon season.

Suradit, who lost his Asian Tour card last year after finishing outside the top 60 in the Order of Merit, is looking to recover status through the ADT this year, and a win here is likely to move him a long way towards achieving his goal.

Australia’s Darcy Brereton (72), who led after the first day, was in a position to challenge for the lead but despite an early birdie, a run of dropped shots left him off the pace and he finished in a share of fifth place alongside Thailand’s Panuwat Bulsombath (67).

Tawit Polthai (68), who won the PKNS Selangor Masters in January, shared sixth place on six under par alongside Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin (68).

In ninth place, on five under, Marcus Lim (68) of Malaysia was joined by Thanapol Charoensuk (68) and Sangchai Kaewcharoen (71) of Thailand.

After a distinctly damp week in Phuket, players will be looking for a brighter prospect next week when the tour moves to Taiwan for the US$100,000 Ambassador ADT event at Hsin Feng Golf Club, a 72-hole event that tees off on May 28.

Bad weather derailed the finishing of the second round of the Singha Laguna Phuket Open in Thailand today, with a lengthy delay at the start of the day which forced the organisers to reduce the event to 54 holes.

After more than three hours waiting in the clubhouse, players were finally able to finish their rounds when play restarted at 1pm but with so little of the day left, a truncation of play was inevitable.

Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai remains in the lead on 12 under par after concluding his round early yesterday, but first round leader Darcy Brereton of Australia is still a threat just three shots behind after today’s play.

An additional three shots further back on six under par and in third place, Argentina’s Miguel Carballo, Sean Ramos of the Philippines and the Thai quintet of Sarut Vongchaisit, Nirun Sae-ueng, Thanpisit Omsin, Parathakorn Suyasri and Sangchai Kaewcharoen are all poised to strike.

Round Three will start at 7am with a shotgun start to ensure all players have a chance to finish their round.

“Lot of rain in the morning today,” said Miguel Carballo after his round. “It was difficult to play to the fairway even with lift and place. Yesterday I played in the afternoon, good conditions but windy. Today was very soft with a lot of wind on a couple of holes,” he added.

Australia’s Darcy Brereton, who had to finish his second round in tough conditions today, was optimistic for tomorrow, matching Suradit’s 67 despite a double bogey on hole 16.

“I just hit a shank,” he said after his round, “which caught me off guard. I don’t think I’ve hit one in a tournament before but I had a bad lie in the rough, just heavy with all the mud and stuff. I just made a bit of a mess of it unfortunately.

“Today was a long day,” he said. “I’m happy where I am overall but just disappointed with my finish. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it’ll be a good challenge. Hopefully the weather will hold up so we can get the golf we need in, it’ll be great,” he added.

Main picture; Australia’s Darcy Brereton hoping for form at the finish in rain-shortened Singha Phuket Laguna Open.

Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai made the most of a weather-delayed second round at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open today, posting a three shot lead after completing his first round, and then pressing home his advantage to secure a five-shot lead as rain forced several stops during the day.

Following yesterday’s weather delays in the THB4 million Asian Development Tour event, co-sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour, players were able to complete Round One in the morning and make a start on Round Two, but bad weather forced a halt to proceedings at 9.21am.

After a more than two hour delay, play was finally restarted at 11.25 am, only to be called again ten minutes later.

A further 50 minute delay was needed before players could head out, and with revised starting times for the field, it was inevitable that play could not be concluded for the second round before the horn sounded at 6.37pm due to poor light.

A total of 67 players will resume their rounds tomorrow morning, including overnight leader Darcy Brereton of Australia and Thailand’s Sangchai Kaewcharoen who are the closest challengers at seven under par with holes still to play.

Sarut Vongchaisit of Thailand, who shared the overnight lead, is in the clubhouse on six under par, alongside compatriots Nirun Sae-ueng, Thanpisit Omsin, Parathakorn Suyasri and Sean Ramos of the Philippines.

Argentina’s Miguel Carballo and Panuwat Bulsombath of Thailand share fourth place while still out on the course, and both have half a round to complete, closely followed by Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin and Minwook Gwon of Korea.

Already in the clubhouse and sharing 13th place on four under par are Japan’s Takumi Murakami, Chanat Sakulpolphaisan and Pattaraphul Khanthacha of Thailand, England’s Ben Jones and Carl Jano Corpus of the Philippines.

Alongside them on the leaderboard but with holes still to play are Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, the USA’s Berry Henson and the Thai duo of Thitipan Pachuayprakong and Natipong Srithong.

Play will resume to complete Round Two at 6.40am, and the third round is scheduled to start not before 10.15am, with a shotgun start and times dependent on the conclusion of Round Two.

Australia’s Darcy Brereton finished his round in fine form at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open in Thailand today, posting an eagle and five birdies in his closing six holes to take the clubhouse lead after a rain-delayed start.

He was later joined in the lead by Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit who matched his six-under-par 64 with a bogey free round after the weather cleared in the THB4 million Asian Development Tour event, co-sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour.

Play was delayed for 95 minutes in the morning due to heavy rain but once the weather cleared play was restarted with preferred lies due to the heavy course conditions.

Playing in his first ADT event, the Melbourne native reflected on the contrast between the start and finish of his round.

“It was certainly a tale of two nines,” he said after signing his card. “I teed off on (hole) nine, I was in good positions, the only green I missed was 10 where I hit driver, it went through the green and into the water. Made the up and down and hit every green pretty close on that nine but missed a lot of putts,” he added.

“I got things going on the back nine, finished with an eagle and five birdies in a row, which was a good way to finish.

“It’s a great layout here, I love golf in Asia and I think it really suits my game so I’ve been desperate to get over here. It’s a big course, in good condition, it’s just the greens take a bit of getting used to,” he said.

In third place, Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom lies a shot back on five under par, one shot ahead of Singapore’s Joshua Yap and the Thai trio of Panuwat Bulsombath, Supravee Phatam and Pattaraphol Khanthacha.

In eighth place, on three under, Malaysia’s Marcus Lim and Shariffuddin Ariffin wrere joined by Thailand’s Nopparat Panichphol, Natipong Srithong and Kasidit Lepkurte, Berry Henson of the USA and Singapore’s Koh Dengshan.

The delay at the start of the day meant some players were unable to finish their rounds due to fading light and play will restart at 6.40am tomorrow morning. A total of 31 players remain on the course with a few holes to play and Round Two will start as scheduled.

Malaysian star Ervin Chang will make a much-awaited return to the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at the upcoming Singha Phuket Laguna Open in Thailand, marking his third consecutive appearance in the THB4 million (approx. US$120,000) event.

Coming off a solid T39 finish at the International Series Japan presented by Moutai earlier this month, Chang is hoping to maintain his return to form following a rocky start to this year’s Asian Tour season. Co-sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT), the Singha Laguna Phuket Open is staged at the highly-rated Laguna Golf Phuket course on the famed Thai resort island of Phuket, writes Jonathan Ponniah.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Laguna Golf Phuket which is one of my favourite tournament venues. The competition in Thailand is always tough, so it’s a good place to test yourself and gauge where your game’s at,” said Chang, whose last ADT start in August 2024 produced a top-10 finish at the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in Indonesia.

Chang has good memories of the Laguna Golf Phuket course, which opened for play in 1993 but was extensively upgraded and redesigned in 2014. He finished tied 31st at last year’s Singha Laguna Phuket Open, following a missed cut by just one shot the year before.

“Laguna Golf Phuket is an excellent golf course with a great layout and nice views. There are some tricky par-threes, some long holes, and a lot will depend on how the wind blows,” noted Chang.

While his ball-striking in Japan was solid, Chang was dissatisfied with his strategic play and course management at Caledonian Golf Club.

“Overall, I’m pleased with my performance but there’s a lot of room for improvement in terms of strategy and course management. I’m working a little bit differently with my coach, focusing on how to be more effective and efficient on the golf course,” said Chang.

Chang is a graduate of the ADT, having earned his Asian Tour card with a late season surge that catapulted him to 10th spot on the 2023 ADT Order of Merit. His first full Asian Tour season proved to be a real eye-opener, mixing solid performances with lacklustre outings en route to 103rd place on the 2024 Order of Merit. Chang went back to Q-School Final Stage last December and regained his card with a T23 finish at Lake View Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand.

“I played decently at certain tournaments in the first half of 2024, and then over the back half I kind of fell off a little bit. A lot of things came into play; mentally, physically and technically. I learnt a lot about what needed to be done … managing travel, recovery, practice plans, and also how to manage myself during tournaments,” revealed Chang, who turns 27 this July 17.

Chang’s best finish on the ADT came early in his professional career at the 2022 OB Golf Invitational presented by Jababeka in Indonesia, where he was runner-up by just one shot to Suteepat Prateeptienchai of Thailand. He turned professional in late May that year following his historic gold medal at the 2022 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam, giving Malaysia its first-ever individual golf gold medal at the regional meet.

In 11 ADT starts in 2022, Chang did well enough to finish 15th on the Order of Merit and earn the Asian Tour’s inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award.

Indeed, in less than three years as a professional, Chang has already racked up a closet-full of experiences but is still hunting for an international tour victory. He will be looking to fill that space on his CV at Laguna Golf Phuket against a strong field that includes 2025 ADT winners Aldric Chan of the Philippines and Tawit Polthai of Thailand, as well as established players and rising talents from the ATGT. Asian Tour stalwarts Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, American Berry Henson, and the Filipino duo of Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan, are also in the mix.

“I love playing in ADT events. It’s a great tour with a friendly vibe, and provides you a platform to the Asian Tour. The ADT gives you the chance to compete outside your own country against players from all around the world,” said Chang.

For 2025, Chang will be aiming to finish high enough on the Asian Tour Order of Merit to keep his card, while slotting in ADT and domestic events during off-weeks. Having been totally immersed in golf since he was a junior and subsequently for Liberty University on the U.S. collegiate circuit, Chang has also set some personal life goals.

“It would be great if I can win a tournament, locally or internationally. I’ve set some statistical goals and mental goals, and a few personal goals to maintain a little bit of balance in my life,” he said.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. I’m doing a lot of things differently and just hoping to have a good 2025.”

While it is the players who make a tournament, it is often the venue that elevates events beyond the ordinary. Story by Jonathan Ponniah.

Laguna Golf Phuket is one such venue. Located on the sunny southern Thai island of Phuket, the golf course forms part of the multi-faceted Laguna Phuket Resort and is one of the most popular destinations on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) as the home of the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, which starts on Thursday.

The event is co-sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour. It boasts a prize fund of THB4 million (approx. US$122,000), and is the fourth stop on the 2025 ADT schedule.

The tournament will bring an exciting mix of the region’s rising talents and globe-trotting journeymen to the sprawling beachside resort, located on a pristine site on the western coast of Phuket bordering the Andaman Sea. While the serious business of competitive golf understandably takes centre stage, the players will also enjoy a five-star experience at the 1,000-acre complex which offers six world-class hotels and a host of leisure activities and dining options.

“We are extremely excited to welcome some of the best professional golfers in the world to test themselves at Laguna Golf Phuket. The golf course preparations have gone well, and we expect conditions to be pristine for the tournament. Off the course, we have also been investing in our facilities, which includes upgrades to our PGA Golf Academy,” said Paul Wilson, Managing Director of Laguna Phuket.

“Aside from our golf course and facilities, there is so much for everyone to enjoy. In my opinion, Laguna Phuket is an unrivalled destination, having multiple hotel resorts, numerous dining options and recreational facilities, all interconnected with our complimentary shuttle buses and boats,” he added.

Wilson stressed that hosting the tournament helps elevate the international profile of Laguna Phuket, especially since the ADT first co-sanctioned the event in 2017. The resort is also one of 13 Asian Tour Destinations venues, an exclusive network of world-class golf facilities with connections to the Asian Tour.

“Hosting the Singha Laguna Phuket Open is extremely important for the overall destination marketing of Laguna Phuket. We are honoured to have partnered with the All Thailand Golf Tour and Singha Corporation for the past nine years with this tournament. Having the event co-sanctioned with Asian Development Tour further enhances the player field and global awareness through the Asian Tour’s extensive network,” noted Wilson.

Ken Kudo, General Manager of the ADT, noted that the players always look forward to the Laguna Phuket experience,

“The players are always excited to play at Laguna Golf Phuket as it offers the complete experience, from a beautiful high-risk, high-reward golf course, to incredible hotels on-site with more dining options than anyone can handle! The resort experience and nearby town reflect what the ADT is about; a small family-like community with friendly faces all around,” said Kudo.

While the course first opened for play in 1993 as the Banyan Tree Golf Club, it underwent an extensive renovation and redesign in 2014 helmed by Canadian architect Paul Jansen. The result is a world-class and memorable layout that not only challenges all levels of players, but is also a visual wonder with scenic waterways, pretty coconut groves and tantalising glimpses of the ocean.

Jansen noted that they added a lot of contours and water hazards to increase the strategic element. “The course can be played both easy and hard, depending on pin and tee locations. Our main goal was to make the course more environmentally sustainable, which we achieved by reducing the maintenance scope and giving the course a greater sense of place,” he said.

Wilson concurred, noting that strategy and decision-making are critical at Laguna Golf Phuket. “There are some exciting risk-reward holes that can offer low scoring opportunities; however, they are closely guarded by various hazards and have well-shaped greens.

“There is a tough start and finish to the course, so players need to be cautious and choose when to be aggressive. In the middle part of the round, holes seven through to 14, there are numerous opportunities to make birdies and eagles – players need to take advantage of this stretch if they want to see their names on the leaderboard,” Wilson advised.

It was Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert who managed the course best last April en route to winning the Singha Laguna Phuket Open by one shot, claiming an unprecedented eighth ADT title. His 72-hole aggregate was 15-under-par, which Wilson expects players to better this year.

“If we experience some showers prior to the event, I expect lower scores as the greens will be slightly softer and easier for the players to hit it close. I think the winning score will be around 18-under-par,” said Wilson.

A par-71 tract for normal play, the Laguna Golf Phuket course will be set up as a par-70 layout of around 7,000 yards for the tournament, with the par-five 7^th hole beefed up to a long par-four.

Laguna Phuket’s Director of Golf, Darren Robson, also expects lower scores this year. “I expect some low scoring with the rough not being as high and the greens in great condition. The greens are expected to run between 10.5 and 11 with a height of cut of 3.9mm, while the fairways will range from 22 to 25 yards wide,” shared Robson.

Whatever the winning score, the Laguna Phuket experience is bound to be a memorable one.