Defending champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand
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 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.
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.
