A year after losing the SJM Macao Open in a playoff, Taiwan's Wang Wei-hsuan returned to the same course, found himself in the same position and this time walked away with the trophy, his first title on the Asian Tour.
Wang chipped in for eagle on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with South Korea's Sungjae Im, a multiple winner on the US PGA Tour, then beat him with a birdie on the first extra hole at Macau Golf and Country Club on October 18. Both players finished regulation at 17 under par, with Wang posting rounds of 67, 63, 66 and 67 for a total of 263.
The win was worth US$180,000 (about NT$5.84 million) from a US$1 million purse, the Liberty Times reported.
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How Wang Forced The Playoff
Wang and Im began the final day tied for the lead, four shots clear of the field, and the tournament quickly turned into a two man race.
Wang made birdies on the 12th and 13th holes to keep pace, but it was his finish that changed the tournament. On the par five 18th, he chipped in from the edge of the green for an eagle that briefly put him one shot ahead at 17 under, according to the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
Wang credited his caddie, Ray, for reading the shot. He said he had asked him to check the slope of the green, and Ray confirmed it was flat all the way to the hole. "I executed exactly how I wanted it, and just let the ball roll into the hole," Wang said.
Im answered with birdies on the 17th and 18th to draw level and send the tournament to extra holes.
A Birdie On The First Extra Hole
The playoff was played on the 18th. Im's third shot came out too hot and ran past the hole, leaving him a par. Wang's approach finished in a good spot on the green, and he rolled in the birdie putt to win.
The scene was a near replay of 2025, when Wang also finished 72 holes at 17 under and 263 at the same event, only to lose to Germany's Dominic Foos on the second playoff hole. Wang said that defeat was on his mind as he walked back to the 18th tee.
"After I chipped in on the 18th and then went to the scoring and then came back for the play-off, I could only think of last year," he said, adding that he was very happy he could get the job done this time.
A Win Dedicated To His Late Mother
Speaking after the round, Wang choked up as he thanked his wife and family, who were in Macau to watch him, and his mother, who died three years ago.
"I'm really happy to win this title, and I hope my mother, who passed away three years ago, can see it from heaven," Wang told Taiwan's Central News Agency. "I've competed on the Asian Tour for many years alongside the senior players, and now I have an Asian Tour title just like them."
Wang joins a short list of Taiwanese champions at the event, which was first held in 1998. Wang Ter-chang won in 2005, Lu Wen-teh in 2007 and Chan Yih-shin in 2011.
A Breakthrough Season For Wang
The Macao Open title caps a strong year for Wang. He has won twice on the Taiwan PGA Tour in 2026 and made his debut for Taiwan at the Asian Games in Nagoya, where he finished fifth in the individual competition.
Behind the two leaders, Charles Porter of the United States took third place alone at 14 under, after a final round 61 that was the lowest score of the week. Porter said he had felt unwell all week. American Austen Truslow was fourth at 13 under, while China's Wu Ashun and Thailand's Danthai Boonma shared fifth at 12 under, Macau Shimbun reported.
The SJM Macao Open was played from October 15 to 18 at Macau Golf and Country Club on Coloane Island. The following week, the Asian Tour moved on to the US$2 million Link Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
