Ekpharit Wu of Thailand. Photo: Taiwan PGA.
Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu secured his maiden Asian Tour victory on Sunday, outduelling local favourite Hung Chien-yao down the stretch to win the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open by two shots.
Wu, 26, closed with a five-under-par 67 at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club to finish at 20-under. The rookie capitalised on a costly late slip from Hung, who carded a 70 after back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes.
The triumph lifts Wu from 73rd to 28th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and confirms his place in next week’s US$5 million PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers in Riyadh.
Hung’s consolation was a 53-place rise on the Merit list, from 110th to 57th, effectively securing his Tour card for 2026 and extending his streak to 12 consecutive seasons.
Guatemala’s Jose Toledo posted the day’s low round of 65 to tie for third at 12-under alongside Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (71). Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (70) slipped to solo fifth after a bogey on the par-five 18th. Korea’s Heemin Chang (67) and Wooyoung Cho (70) shared sixth place before being joined later by Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai (70).
Wu began the day one shot behind Hung and drew level with his fourth birdie on the seventh. Hung edged ahead again with a birdie on the par-three eighth—where Wu made a hole-in-one the previous day—before his late collapse on the 15th and 16th opened the door.
Hung was unable to take advantage of the par-five finishing holes, laying up on the 17th after finding a left fairway bunker and finding thick rough off the tee on the 18th.
With his wife Pam on the bag, Wu called the win “very emotional,” adding: “All the hard work is for moments like these. I just wanted to relax and trust myself with every shot.” He acknowledged Hung’s bogeys as “a bit of a cushion,” but said he remained focused: “I still had a job to do.”
Wu also paid tribute to his father, who is from Chinese Taipei and taught him the game.
Hung, reflecting on the near miss, said: “I think I just didn’t have the luck to get it done today. I tried my best. Maybe God wants me to work harder and has planned something even bigger.”
Toledo, who charged home in 31 on the back nine, said his performance was overdue: “I’ve been hitting the ball well for a while but the results weren’t matching. This is my best finish of the season and I’m proud I’ve likely secured my card for next year.”
Lindh, hindered by a double bogey on the fourth, said: “That took me back and I didn’t have a chance to win. Still, it’s my best Asian Tour finish.”
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open was the 18th event of the Asian Tour’s 2025 season, which continues next week in Riyadh for the PIF Saudi International presented by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
