Featured Stories
New Zealand professional Daniel Hillier closed out his season with a strong showing at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, finishing T16 at 11‑under after a steady final‑round 70. The result capped an impressive year, although he narrowly missed securing a PGA Tour card by ending the season 18th on the rankings, just outside the top‑16 automatic qualifiers.
photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE
Kiwi veteran Steven Alker delivered another consistent performance on the PGA Tour Champions, finishing second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings after a closing 70 left him 18‑under for the tournament. American Stewart Cink claimed the title at 20‑under, edging Alker for the season‑long crown. The result adds another strong chapter to Alker’s late‑career surge on the senior circuit.
photo: JONATHAN BACHMAN
Asian Tour
Thai rookie Ekpharit Wuengsawang announced himself in stunning fashion, claiming his first Asian Tour title at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open with a composed final‑round 68. The 22-year-old finished at 13-under par, overcoming a tightly packed leaderboard to secure a breakthrough win in just his first year on Tour.
Ekpharit closed with three birdies on the back nine to pull clear of Korea’s Seung Park, who finished runner-up at 11-under, while local favourite Chih‑Wei Lu shared third. The victory caps a remarkable rise for the young Thai, who has shown steady improvement all season.
The Asian Tour now shifts to Vietnam for the next stop in its late‑season run.
photo: Graham Uden/Asian Tour
Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia
Queenslander Chris Wood captured his second Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title in unforgettable fashion, winning the 2025 Ford NSW Open at The Vintage after a four‑hole playoff against James Marchesani and Will Florimo. Wood finished regulation at six‑under, then outlasted both rivals in swirling winds to secure the Kel Nagle Cup—1,743 days after his last Tour victory.
The 33‑year‑old had been contemplating retirement and even work in the mines at season’s end, but the win—worth nearly $140,000 and earning him starts at the BMW Australian PGA and Australian Open—has prompted a reassessment of his future. “Never really thought I’d win again… I fought hard,” Wood said after sealing the title with a composed par on the fourth extra hole.
photo: Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia
Japan Tour
Japan’s rising star Kota Kaneko delivered a commanding performance at the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, winning by six shots after finishing at 17-under par (263) at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course. The 23-year-old, who also claimed the Kansai Open title earlier this year, described the week as “nearly perfect from the second round onwards.” Korea’s Lee Sang-hee finished runner-up at 11-under, while Japan’s Taiki Yoshida and Satoshi Kodaira completed the top positions. Kaneko now looks ahead to testing his game on the international stage.
photo: Japan Golf Tour
