Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam claimed his first Asian Development Tour title in dramatic fashion at the PKNS Selangor Masters, prevailing in a three-way playoff after a chaotic finish at Seri Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The US$175,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) season opener appeared to have slipped away from Chiam as he signed for 10-under-par from the penultimate group and watched events unfold ahead of him.

Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung stood on the 18th tee at 13-under, with Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong one shot behind. But the final hole turned everything on its head.

Cheung pulled his drive left and was forced to chip back into play, finding the right rough. His third shot found the hazard, and after taking a drop and making the green he could only two-putt for a triple-bogey seven.

Pattaropong’s approach sailed long and left of the green. Attempting a delicate, high lob wedge to check near the flag, the ball refused to stop and trickled well past the hole. Needing only a bogey to secure a playoff place, he three-putted for a double-bogey six.

The late drama left Chiam, local favourite Khavish Varadan and Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong tied and heading back to the 18th tee for a playoff.

Poom Pattaropong

Runchanapong exited with a bogey at the first extra hole, leaving Chiam and Varadan to duel. After they matched pars on the second playoff hole, Chiam finally sealed victory with a birdie on the third extra hole — a putt he will long remember.

Nicklaus Chiam admitted the final day was an emotional rollercoaster.

“Today especially was really up and down — a lot of emotions,” he said. “There weren’t many birdies, but there were bogeys and a few mistakes. But with that last playoff birdie, I just let myself go.”

The winning putt was from around 20 feet.

“It was about 20 feet, right to left and downhill a little bit, a slider. I thought maybe a grip outside the hole and it broke quite a bit. As soon as it came off the putter face I felt it had a chance, and as it got closer I could see it was going to be close — and then, yes!”

Chiam described Seri Selangor as a stern but rewarding examination.

“It’s a difficult course. Not easy, but very challenging — and I like that. It’s a different kind of course that really tests your skills.”

Although he arrived with ambition, his approach remained measured.

“Of course I came here to contend and to win, but my goal was to take it one shot at a time, hole by hole, and just do what I can.”

Matthew Cheung

Chiam also credited his girlfriend Olivia, who has been on the bag since last year and shared in his first ADT victory on Valentine’s day.

“I don’t have a professional caddie. She only started caddying for me last year, so she’s learning a lot, but she’s actually helping me a lot throughout the game.”

Chiam added: “Khavish played really, really well. The three playoff holes were phenomenal. We were both nervous and excited.”

Varadan, who narrowly missed out in the playoff, was gracious in defeat.

“It’s always tough losing in a playoff, but I’m really proud of myself,” he said. “There’s not much more I could have done. Overall I had a great week.”

Despite the disappointment, Varadan saw positives.

“It’s not a golf course that I usually feel that comfortable on, so to be in contention means a lot to me. That’s a big positive.”

Leading amateur Koshin Nagasaki was also encouraged by his performance.

“It was a really good experience,” he said. “Playing four rounds against professionals taught me a lot.”

Chiam’s victory continues a strong run for Singaporean golf. It marks the second consecutive ADT win for a Singaporean player, following James Leow’s triumph at the Aramco Invitational Tournament in Saudi Arabia at the end of last season.

Action continues on the ADT next month with the Nam A Bank Masters at Royal Long An Golf & Country Club in Vietname. The US$100,000 three day event begins on March 17.

Main picture: Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore celebrates with girlfriend and caddie Olivia after winning the PKNS Selangor Masters.

Nicklaus Chiam had to dig deep to stay in contention at the PKNS Selangor Masters today, dropping five shots after a promising start before posting a two-over-par 73 to finish the day in a four-way share of the lead.

An eagle at the par-five fifth and a birdie at the sixth proved crucial in keeping the Singaporean level with the charging Matthew Cheung of Hong Kong (66), Australia’s Adam Coull (67) and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong (69).

Chiam admitted he did not strike the ball as well as in the previous two rounds but was pleased to remain in the mix.

“It wasn’t as good today — I didn’t hit it as well as I did the last two days — but my short game helped me a lot,” he said. “I gave myself a few chances but the putts just didn’t drop.”

Despite the tougher day, he remains upbeat heading into the final round. “I’m still in contention and it’s the first ADT event of the year, so it’s going to be exciting. I just want to enjoy the moment as much as possible and see what tomorrow brings.”

Matthew Cheung

Cheung rebounded from a 72 yesterday to share low-round honours at Seri Selangor Golf Club with an eagle and three birdies on a flawless card, alongside Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong and Weerawish Narkprachar.

Two shots off the lead in fifth place, Runchanapong recovered from an early setback with an eagle at the fifth and four further birdies on a largely clean card, joining Marcus Plunkett (69) and England’s Matt Killen (71).

Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono carded his second consecutive 68 to head the group in eighth place on six-under-par, alongside Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan (71) and Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto (74) in the US$175,000 Asian Development Tour season opener.

Hamamoto will be ruing his round after a shaky start that featured four bogeys in his opening stretch. Although he responded with two birdies, two further dropped shots stalled his progress before the turn. He picked up two strokes on the back nine but gave one back at the last to sign for a disappointing 74.

Poom Pattaropong

Pattarapong, who finished tied third here last year, said he feels comfortable at Seri Selangor. “I just love it. I feel like the course really suits me,” he said. “Even though it’s tight, my misses are still in play.”

He added: “You have to hit it straight off the tee and know which side to miss it on because it’s quite slopey. I’m playing smart golf here and that’s why I’ve been consistent.”

Killen felt his round could easily have been better despite a frustrating finish.

“I hit it okay, but a few things didn’t go my way,” he said. “I missed a couple of short putts and then made a mistake on the last. Apart from that, it was alright.”

The Englishman closed with a double bogey but remains firmly in contention. “It would have been nice not to finish with a double, but I’m only two shots back,” he added. “That’s not much.”

Matt Killen

Australia’s Adam Coull credited a fast start and solid driving for his strong round.

“I hit it pretty well off the tee and got it in play,” he said. “I was five under through six or seven holes, which helped me relax into the round.”

Making his first appearance in Malaysia, Coull described Seri Selangor as demanding but fair.

“It’s a really good golf course and very demanding off the tee. You need a good game plan and make sure you get it in play.”

Although the leading Malaysian after three rounds, Varadan admitted his score did not fully reflect how he felt he played.

“The score doesn’t really translate how I played,” he said. “I didn’t have my best on the greens.”

With 56 players remaining following the cut, final-round play will begin at 7.46am off two tees, with the leading group of Pattaropong, Coull and Cheung teeing off at 9.25am.

Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam strengthened his grip on the lead at the PKNS Selangor Masters today, posting a four-under-par 67 to maintain a two-shot advantage over Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto heading into the final two rounds.

Chiam, who sparkled with a superb 64 in the opening round at Seri Selangor Golf Club yesterday, dropped just two shots against six birdies to keep his momentum firmly on track.

England’s Matt Killen, winner of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament last August, recovered from an indifferent start to fire a 65, lifting him into a share of third place alongside Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong, who carded a 67.

Alone in fifth place on six-under-par 136 was Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan, who signed for a bogey-free 66. Seven Malaysians made the cut, which fell at two-over-par: Varadan (-6), 2022 champion Shahriffuddin Ariffin (-5), Galven Green (-3), Daeng Abdul Rahman (-2), Kenneth De Silva (-1), Sukree Othman (+1) and Seri Selangor ambassador Zia Izzuddeen (+1).

This is not the first time Chiam has led going into the final 36 holes of a professional tournament, although he admitted he could not recall the last occasion.

“I played steady golf and tried to minimise mistakes,” said Chiam. “I’ll stick to the same game plan tomorrow — shot by shot, hole by hole — but I’ll try to be aggressive when the opportunity arises.

“On this course you have to keep the ball in play. If you’re going to miss the green, you have to miss it in the right place.”

Khavish Varadan

Leading Malaysian Varadan was pleased with his approach play.

“I was hitting my numbers,” he said. “My goal is to hit as many greens as I can over the next two days. I love the layout.”

The second round produced the tournament’s third hole-in-one, courtesy of Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar, who used a seven-iron at the par-three eighth — the same hole aced by Hamamoto and Canadian Henry Lee yesterday. It was Akbar’s first hole-in-one as a professional and his third overall.

The round of the day belonged to Japan’s Naoki Sekito, who matched the Seri Selangor course record of eight-under-par 63. After opening with a six-over 77, Sekito bounced back in spectacular fashion, carding an eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey.

“Today I found more fairways and holed a few more putts, and that made the difference,” said Sekito. “After the 77 I wasn’t sure if I would make the cut, so I’m obviously very happy with today’s score.”

Two amateurs also progressed to the final 36 holes, making it on the number — Australia’s Josiah Edwards and Japan’s Koshin Nagasaki, winner of last week’s Selangor International Junior Golf Championship.

Defending champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand saw his title defence end after missing the cut by one shot following rounds of 72 and 73.

Twelve-year-old Malaysian talent Raja Muhd Syakir was also among those who missed out, but the highly rated youngster was upbeat after his first professional appearance. A student of the PKNS Golf Academy, Syakir is a prolific winner at junior level.

“The experience has been great, as I was able to meet and play with professional golfers,” said Syakir. “They are very good in all parts of their game and very precise in their practice. Hopefully I can learn from that.”

For the second consecutive year, the US$175,000 tournament serves as the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The 144-player field comprises 80 ADT members, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour and 24 invitees.

With the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the following season, there is plenty of incentive for ADT members to begin their 2026 campaigns strongly.

Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam made a sparkling start to the 2026 Asian Development Tour season with a seven-under-par 64 to lead the PKNS Selangor Masters after the first round at Seri Selangor Club in Malaysia.

The 30-year-old hit five birdies in a row on his back nine and dropped just three shots, leading by one from Thailand’s Amarin Kraivixien and Kosuke Hamamoto, who aced the par-three eighth hole on his way to a 65.

Matthew Cheung of Hong Kong holds solo fourth spot on five under par, ahead of the USA’s Berry Henson by one shot. Korea’s Jaeill Kim and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong share sixth place on three under.

Chiam (pictured above), who turned pro in 2021, will look to build on the momentum despite a handful of dropped shots. “I got very lucky,” he said after his round. “The highlight was the five birdies in a row from hole 11 to 15, that helped to keep me going,” he added.

“It’s not an easy course,” he explained. “I got lucky on some holes but the layout is really nice. You just have to keep it slow and steady. My girlfriend Olivia has been on the bag for the last couple of months so it’s really fortunate for her to be around, hopefully she’s my good luck charm.

“I’m just trying to go with the flow as much as possible,” he said, “Trying to enjoy every single shot and hopefully get lucky enough to win.”

Kosuke Hamamoto

Hamamoto, who like many young Thai men recently spent time in a monastery, showed signs of a return to form in his round today, and his hole-in-one was the highlight around the turn, despite opening with a bogey on the first hole.

“I started off pretty slow,” he explained, “ I was even par through seven and then I was last to hit on hole eight so I had a pretty good view for that shot. When the ball was in the air it looked really good and then once it landed it just rolled into the hole which was a bit of a surprise.

“From there I just tried to keep riding the wave and I was happy to finish with a good round,” he added. “As a professional I think that’s my fifth hole in one in a tournament, I’ve had six overall.

“I love coming back here, I think it’s a really nice golf course. It’s not long but the layout is nice, you have to keep the ball in front of you, keep it in play and miss it in the right spots. The greens are rolling really nice as usual. Last time I came here was two years ago and they are still as good.

“I did a lot of work with my coaches in the off season and I’m just trying to focus on what we’ve been working on. There are still three more days of this tournament and it’s still the beginning of the season so I am trying not to get too far ahead,” he added.

“Right now my tee to green game is much better compared to last year and I am starting to make some putts so I hope that will equal some good scores,” he said.

He spent part of his off season away from the course, which he said helped with his focus.

“I was in monkhood for a week,” he explained. “Back in our country we believe that it is a nice gesture for our parents, so it was nice to do that. I learned a lot of things and I am trying to apply this into my daily life as much as possible,” he added.

Playing in the afternoon session when conditions cooled with some showers, Kraivixien shrugged off heat exhaustion from his practice round to post 65. The 29-year-old was elated to be returning to Seri Selangor, where he has enjoyed some strong finishes including T5 in 2023 and T8 last year.
 
“I like this country in general, as it’s very similar to home. This golf course suits the way I place each shot, as I’m not a very long hitter, and having some good finishes here definitely helps with confidence. This is definitely the ADT event that I look forward to the most each year,” said Kraivixien.

Amarin Kraivixien

Gregory Foo achieved a rare albatross when his six-iron second shot at the 468-metre, par-five sixth hole ended up in the hole.
 
“I hit a good tee shot and was left with about 185 metres. From where I was, I could just see the top of the pin and went for it. I knew I carried the bunker and thought I had a chance for an eagle putt. When we got to the green, I couldn’t see my ball, until the scorer said the ball was in the hole,” said the Singaporean, who wound up with a round of one-under-par 70.

Marcus Plunkett of the USA shares ninth place on two under par with compatriot Henry Chung, Australia’s Adam Coull and the Indian duo of Khalin Joshi and Shaurya Bhattacharya.

Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong on three under and seasoned Malaysian campaigner Sukree Othman on two under par are among the 12 players who could not finish their rounds due to failing light. They will return to the course at 7.45am tomorrow.
 
2025 champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand carded a one-over-par 72 and lies T41.
 
For the second year in a row, the US$175,000 tournament is the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The field of 144 players is made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees.

With the top 10 on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the following season, there is much incentive for the ADT players to do well this week and start their 2026 campaigns on a positive note.

Golf fans can expect some early fireworks just a week before the Lunar New Year celebration, as the cream of the Asian Development Tour take on Malaysia’s finest at the PKNS Selangor Masters.

The US$175,000 tournament tees off tomorrow at Seri Selangor Golf Club and takes centre stage as the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The 144-player field features golfers from more than 30 countries, made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees. The top 10 players on the final 2026 ADT Order of Merit will earn Asian Tour cards for the following season.

2025 champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand (pictured above) is back to defend his title, seeking a return to form after missing the cut at the Asian Tour’s Philippines Golf Championship last week. The 31-year-old’s proven ability to handle the tight fairways and tricky greens of Seri Selangor keeps him firmly among the contenders.

“I’m very happy to be back at Seri Selangor after one year. Last year was great for me, as I had been trying to get my Asian Tour card for many years and I finally did it – and it all started here. This course demands good strategy and planning, and you can’t be too aggressive even on the shorter holes,” said Tawit, who went on to top the 2025 ADT Order of Merit.

“I didn’t play well in the Philippines, as I’m still working on some changes in my swing for more consistency. I’ll focus on the process this week and play my own game, and hopefully I will do well,” he added.

The Ross Watson-designed Seri Selangor layout may not be long by modern standards, but its slick, undulating greens are renowned for challenging even the most experienced professionals. Some rain over the weekend has softened the course slightly, potentially offering more receptive approach shots, though precision on the greens will remain the decisive factor.

As in previous editions, the par-five 18th hole will once again be converted into a par-four, setting the stage for a dramatic finish where accuracy and mental strength will be crucial. The three par-fives on the layout will be there for the taking, especially the downhill fifth where most players will be attacking with mid-irons – provided they avoid trouble in the trees from off the tee.

Local interest will be high with a number of Malaysian players carrying strong credentials. Ervin Chang arrives on the back of a strong finish in last season’s Asian Tour and a good start to this year, while Edven Ying continues to build momentum after becoming the first Malaysian to win the Thailand Open in January.

Former champion Shahriffuddin Ariffin, who claimed the title here in 2022, returns with fond memories of the venue and a proven blueprint for success. Rising talent Khavish Varadan is another local to watch, having earned his Asian Tour card with a tied 19th finish at last year’s five-round qualifying school in Thailand.

Seri Selangor ambassadors Marcus Lim, Zia Izzuddeen, Syahiran Syakir and Malcolm Ting will hope that ‘home-ground’ advantage serves them well this week.

Malaysia’s Ervin Chang

Chang is back on home soil in fine form following a top-five finish in the Philippines last week.

“It’ll be great if I can carry that momentum into this week. That’s what I’m striving for now, to be more consistent week in and week out. I’m really looking forward to playing at home – however I finish, I’ll take it. But it’ll be great if I win!” said Chang, who is Malaysia’s second highest-ranked golfer in 729th position on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Tawit and Shahriffuddin aside, there are two other former champions in the field – Ben Leong of Malaysia, who won in 2008 and Filipino Angelo Que, the 2010 champion. Other players to watch out for include Englishman Sam Broadhurst, Korea’s Minhyeok Yang, and the talented Filipino cousins, Carl Jano Corpus and Aidric Chan.

In line with the Selangor state government’s focus on golf development, several spots are allocated for amateur talents. These include last week’s boys’ individual winner of the Selangor International Junior Golf Championship, Japan’s Koshin Nagasaki, and Malaysian Aiden Tai John Roberts, who was the leading local player at that event. Malaysia-based Japanese teenager Daichi Hayashi is also in the mix as the champion of the 2025 Selangor Junior Masters.

Also flying the Malaysian flag this week are the top three finishers from January’s 36-hole qualifying tournament: veteran professional M. Sasidaran, amateur Farez Azihan, and Zia Iqmal Abdul Rashid who will be making first professional start.

With a course that rewards touch and tactical awareness, and a field blending international experience with homegrown ambition, the PKNS Selangor Masters is poised to deliver four days of high-quality competition and a potentially dramatic conclusion.
This is the 13th staging of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which is promoted by PKNS Golf Management Services, a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS). PKNS has been the title sponsor since 2022.