Taipei, Chinese-Taipei: Hung Chien-yao claimed victory at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters after a pulsating finish to end a two-decades long wait for his maiden Asian Tour title.

Hung drained a 20-foot putt for birdie on the final hole to beat Australian Wade Ormsby by one shot. The Chinese Taipei player had appeared to be cruising to victory before costly bogeys on 16 and 17. 

Hung fired a closing one-under-par 71 to finish on eight-under 276 at Taiwan Golf & Country Club. Ormsby did his best to spoil his party by shooting a 67 – the joint lowest round of the day.

Korean Wang Jeung-hun (71), Thais Jazz Janewattananond (71) and Suteepat Prateeptienchai (72), and Malaysian Gavin Green (73), the champion here in 2017, tied for third, three behind Hung.

Hung, whose wife, Nikki, was caddying for him, said: “I’m very excited and very, very happy. My whole body is still shaking. I’m thankful for all the people to come here to support me.

“I know a lot of people were coming here to watch me play, and I have to apologise to the spectators because I made people nervous because of my bogeys on 16 and 17. But on the last putt, I made it. I’m very happy with the final result.”

Hung began the final day with a one-shot lead and, playing in the last group, made the ideal start with a birdie on the first. By the turn, he led by two from Ormsby.

Ormsby, playing five groups ahead, did not take the pressure off on the second nine and closed the gap to one when he made birdie on 13 while Hung dropped a shot on 10.

The experienced Australian, chasing his sixth victory on the Asian Tour, parred his way home, meaning the tournament was Hung’s to lose.

Hung seemed to be in complete control when he birdied the 14th to go two ahead. But he missed a 10-footer on 16 and saw a six-footer on the penultimate hole slide by.

A sudden-death play-off looked a strong possibility before Hung’s stunning finish.

“It was actually 20 feet, uphill. I thought I had the line. I knew it wasn’t going to do much, so I just went straight at it. I needed to have good speed. I hit a good putt … and then finally the ball went in. My wife was really happy, she was crying, so thanks to her, too.”

The win is perfect preparation for the 34-year-old ahead of this week’s Asian Games in Japan.

The victory comes 21 years after Hung played in his first event on the Asian Tour when he was a 13-year-old amateur, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2005.

Having finished third in last week’s Yeangder TPC and having won the Ambassador ADT Open in July, for his third title on the Asian Development Tour, the signs were there that a first win on the Asian Tour was coming.

Since becoming a member of the Asian Tour in 2012, he has finished second once – in last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open – third four times, and fourth on four occasions.

He is now in sixth place on the 2026 Asian Tour Order of Merit, having earned a cheque for US$240,000.

The Asian Tour now takes a two-week break before heading to two of its most iconic events: the SJM Macao Open, followed by the Link Hong Kong Open. The former will be played at Macau Golf & Country Club from October 15-18, and the latter at the Hong Kong Golf Club from October 22-25.