Asian Tour: Hong Kong golfers Cheung and Kho make strong starts in Taiwan, as Chan struggles in Korea
- Matthew Cheung fires seven-under 65 in first round of Yeangder TPC, with Taichi Kho carding a 67
- Tiffany Chan named in Aramco Team Series field on challenging first day at Hana Financial Group Championship
Hong Kong’s golfers don’t arrive in Hangzhou until Monday, and the side’s three senior players are getting some time on the course doing their day jobs this week.
Matthew Cheung and Taichi Kho are in Taiwan competing in the Asian Tour’s Yeangder TPC tournament, while Tiffany Chan is taking on some of the world’s best at the Hana Financial Group Championship in Korea.
Of the three, Cheung had the best day on Tursday, firing a seven-under-par 65 at Linkou International Golf and Country Club to sit in a five-way tie for third alongside defending champion Travis Smyth.
Thailand’s Natipong Srithong set the early pace with a nine-under 63, with Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren alone in second a shot behind.
Kho hardly struggled, and on a day of good scoring the only blemish on his first round five-under 67 was a bogey on the par-3 fifth.
“Got off to a really hot start, birdied my first five holes, which was nice, and then just kept it going, chipped in for birdie at the last, so nice finish to the day,” Cheung said.