At Macau Golf & Country Club, Wang made full use of the three par-5s on the back nine, making birdies on the 12th and 13th before the eagle on the 18th.
IT was redemption time for Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan, who won the $1 million (RM4m) SJM Macao Open in a play-off, having lost the tournament last year in extra holes.
The 27-year-old Wang chipped in for a stunning eagle on the 18th hole in regulation to go one ahead of Korean superstar Sungjae Im at 17-under par.
Im levelled the scores with a birdie, but Wang then birdied the first extra hole to win his first title on the Asian Tour.
At Macau Golf & Country Club, Wang made full use of the three par-5s on the back nine, making birdies on the 12th and 13th before the eagle on the 18th.
Im edged ahead with a birdie on the 15th, but immediately handed back the advantage on the next hole. He then birdied the last two holes, but Wang’s magic chip from the edge of the green tied them up.
America’s Charles Porter defied illness and shot the lowest round of the tournament, a nine-under 61, to jump to solo third place at 14-under, one ahead of compatriot Austen Truslow (64). China’s Wu Ashun and Thailand’s Danthai Boonma recorded identical scores of 65 to tie for fifth place.
Sadom Kaewkanjana (65) and his Thai compatriot Pavit Tangkamolprasert (68) were tied seventh at 12-under.
In 2025, Wang tied with Germany’s Dominic Foos at the same score, before losing on the second extra hole.
“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.
“I’m very happy that I could get the job this time and win, and I’m really happy that I could do it in front of my wife and family,” said Wang, who dedicated the win to his mother.
“Before I made the chip on the 18th (in regulation), I asked my caddie Ray to make sure the slope on the green was flat or whatever else, and then Ray confirmed that 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.”
The round of the day belonged to the tall Porter. Not feeling very well throughout the tournament, he put together four birdies in his first six holes, then added a stretch of four holes with another three from the 12th, and then closed in majestic fashion with an eagle on the final hole.
The 61 included two early chip-in for birdies and helped close the gap against the leaders, but fell short by three shots in the end.
“It was completely out of nowhere. Physically and mentally, this week has been a complete grind, and I felt terrible, to be honest. My body’s felt horrible.
“So, to shoot 61 out of nowhere and make a couple chip-ins in the first five holes was unexpected, but that’s how golf is sometimes,” said Porter, who smashed a 390-yard drive on the par-5 18th hole to set up his eagle.
“I saw Sungjae was at 14, and I knew that I needed an eagle to have a chance. Who knew what would happen, but I needed to make it and I made it.”
The Asian Tour moves to Hong Kong next week for the $2 million (RM8m) Link Hong Kong Open.