Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam gave himself an early Chinese New Year ‘ang-pow’ worth US$30,625 with a dramatic playoff victory at the PKNS Selangor Masters.
The 30-year-old held his nerve on an exciting final day at Seri Selangor Golf Club, making a 20-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to edge local favourite Khavish Varadan. Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong had dropped out of the playoff earlier, after failing to match pars by Chiam and Khavish on the first extra hole at the tough par-four 18th.
The trio had finished 72 holes of regulation play tied on 10-under-par 274 in the US$175,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) season-opener, after Chiam signed in a closing 70, Youprayong a 68, and Khavish a 67.
Both Chiam and Khavish parred the first two playoff holes when the pin was cut to the tough back right upper tier. The hole was moved to the left rear section for the third extra hole, and both players found the green in two. After Khavish narrowly missed a tricky 30-foot downhill birdie putt, Nicklaus drained his right-to left slider to claim the title.
Chiam had led or co-led the tournament each day, and was in a four-way tie for the lead with Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung, Australian rookie Adam Coull, and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong heading into the final 18.
Coull fell out of contention early in the final round, dropping four shots in his first three holes and settling for joint 15th place on four-under-par 280 following a closing 76.
Cheung meanwhile was in the lead on 12-under-par playing the 18th hole, but had a messy triple bogey following an errant drive and a third shot into the water hazard that separates the green from the fairway. His closing even-par 71 placed him one shot out of the playoff, in joint fourth place on nine-under-par with Pattaropong (71) and Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono (68).
Pattaropong also endured a tough finish, making double bogey at the 18th after missing the green and hitting a chip that caught the downslope and rolled way past the flag.
Chiam’s victory was not only his breakthrough win on the ADT, but was his first-ever international professional title as well.
“My goal today was to play one shot at a time, hole by hole. Honestly, I didn’t think that I had a chance to be in a playoff. I was really fortunate,” said Chiam.
“When the ball left the putter face on my birdie putt at the third playoff hole, I felt like it had a chance – and it went in!”
Chiam, who has played in China and Japan since turning professional in 2021 and has a card for the 2026 China Tour, noted that the victory will make him refocus his time to playing more on the ADT.
The ADT has now had back-to-back Singaporean winners, following James Leow’s triumph at last year’s season-ending Aramco Invitational in Saudi Arabia.
“James is a year younger than me and we grew up playing golf together. Seeing a friend of mine win on the ADT was very inspiring,” noted Chiam, who won two local events run by the Singapore PGA in 2024.
A graduate of Washington State University, Chiam had his Chinese girlfriend Olivia on the bag this week. The win was a nice Valentine’s Day gift for the couple, who have been together for more than a year.
“Olivia just started caddying for me last year. She really helped take my mind off things when I got a little anxious. Her mum is here for a holiday as well, and we’ll probably go out for a nice dinner tonight,” said Chiam
Playing two groups in front of the leaders, Khavish set the clubhouse target of 10-under-par with a solid, bogey-free 67. The long-hitting 25-year-old gained many fans for his valiant effort, which is his best finish on tour since turning professional two years ago.
“I hit a great putt on the third playoff hole but, story of the week, it didn’t go in. Overall, I’m proud of myself, especially in the playoff with the pressure and everything. It’s a good start to the year and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” said Khavish.
Khavish Varadan.
“There are a lot of positives to take from this week. To be contending here, on a tough course like this, means a lot to me,” he added.
Khavish picked up a RM10,000 bonus as best Malaysian professional, in addition to his US$16,187.50 cheque for finishing as joint runner-up.
Khavish almost holed a 9-iron from 163 yards on the last hole of regulation play, resulting in a tap-in birdie. “I’ve been swinging it great all week. It was a perfect distance for me, and it nearly went in,” he said.
It was a great tournament for the local contingent, with three Malaysians placed in the top ten including Khavish. Galven Green and Shahriffuddin Ariffin were tied ninth on six-under-par 278, following excellent rounds of 66 and 67 respectively.
Japanese amateur talent Koshin Nagasaki, who won last week’s Selangor International Junior Golf Championship to get into the event, claimed best amateur honours with a joint 40th place finish on three-over-par 287.
“This is my first professional event overseas, and to make it to the final two rounds gives me confidence. The course set-up this week is longer than the Selangor Junior: the greens are firmer and faster, and the pins are tough pins. The experience of playing with international players was very enjoyable,” said Nagasaki, 18.
The field of 144 players was made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees. This is the 13th staging of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which is promoted by PKNS Golf Management Services, a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS). PKNS has been the title sponsor since 2022.
Final Scores (Top 10 and ties):
274 (-10) Nicklaus Chiam (SGP) 64-67-73-70, Khavish Varadan (MAS) 70-66-71-67, Runchanapong Youprayong (THA) 69-71-66-68
(Chiam won on third playoff hole)
275 (-9) Jonathan Wijono (INA) 71-68-68-68, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 68-67-69-71, Matthew Cheung (HKG) 66-72-66-71
277 (-7) Shaurya Bhattacharya (IND) 69-69-70-69, Matt Killen (ENG) 70-65-71-71, 278 (-6) Galven Green (MAS) 73-66-73-66, Shahriffuddin Ariffin (MAS) 71-66-74-67, Amarin Kraivixien (THA) 65-73-71-69
The stage is set for a thrilling finish to the PKNS Selangor Masters 2026, as a day of mixed fortunes for yesterday’s front runners resulted in a bunched-up leaderboard at the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT).
Halfway leader Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore battled to a round of two-over-par 73 at the challenging Seri Selangor Golf Club, and was caught by Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung who shot a superb 66, Australian rookie Adam Coull who carded 67, and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong with a round of 69. The four players share the lead on nine-under-par 204, two shots clear of another Thai, Runchanapong Youprayong (66), American Marcus Plunkett (69), and England’s Matt Killen (71).
This is Cheung’s second appearance at the PKNS Selangor Masters, following the 2022 edition when he missed the cut. The 30-year-old carded three birdies and an eagle in a blemish-free five-under-par round.
“My game feels like it’s there. I’ve worked a lot on my short game and my putting, and it’s finally come through. I’m excited for tomorrow. I missed the cut here in 2022, so it’s actually nice to come back and see how much my game’s improved,” said Cheung, who will be welcoming his first child in April.
Pattaropong finished third here last year and reckons that the Seri Selangor course suits him. “I just love this golf course! Coming from the off-season, I feel like my distances are a bit shorter, and my dispersion is tighter. This course is tight, so my misses are still in play. I’m excited about tomorrow – that’s why you play, to be in contention,” said the 30-year-old from Bangkok.
Coull is playing in only his sixth tournament as a professional and his first ADT event, having made the switch to the paid ranks last November. The 25-year-old from Sydney has shown no signs of nerves, carding rounds of 69, 68 and 67 to put himself in prime position for a maiden victory.
“I’m enjoying life as a professional so far, and I like the travel. Seri Selangor is a really good course, demanding off the tee. You must have a good gameplan,” said Coull, who earned his ADT status through last year’s qualifying school.
Killen was among the frontrunners for most of the round, but hit a bad drive at the last hole that ended up in the water hazard on the right. He wound up with a double bogey and a round of even-par 71. “I hit it OK, but a lot of things didn’t go my way, and I missed a few short putts. Would have been nice not to have dropped those two strokes at the last, but I’m just two behind. Let’s see what happens tomorrow,” said the 36-year-old Englishman, who won the ADT’s Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in 2025.
Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto, who was in second place, two shots behind Chiam, at the halfway stage, dropped to joint eighth place on six-under-par 207 following a third round 74.
Tied with Hamamoto are Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono and Malaysian Khavish Varadan, who signed in a round of even-par 71 to add to his earlier scores of 70 and 66. The highly-rated Khavish is the best-placed local among the seven who made the halfway cut, and leads the race for the RM10,000 bonus for best Malaysian professional.
“My 71 today doesn’t really translate to how well I played out there. I hit the ball really good, especially off the tee, and just had some bad breaks. Overall, I’m quite pleased,” said the 25-year-old Khavish, who earned his Asian Tour card for this year with a joint 22nd finish in the final stage of qualifying school.
For the second year in a row, the US$175,000 tournament is the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The field of 144 players is made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees. With the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the following season, there is much incentive for the ADT players to do well this week and start their 2026 campaigns on a positive note.
This is the 13th staging of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which is promoted by PKNS Golf Management Services, a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS). PKNS has been the title sponsor since 2022.
Leading Third Round Scores:
204 (-9) Matthew Cheung (HKG) 66-72-66, Adam Coull (AUS) 69-68-67, Poom Pattaropong (THA) 68-67-69, Nicklaus Chiam (SGP) 64-67-73
206 (-7) Runchanapong Youprayong (THA) 69-71-66, Marcus Plunkett (USA) 69-68-69, Matt Killen (ENG) 70-65-71
207 (-6) Jonathan Wijono (INA) 71-68-68, Khavish Varadan (MAS) 70-66-71, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 65-68-74
An albatross and a hole-in-one provided the fireworks in the opening round of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which saw Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore grab a one-stroke clubhouse lead with a scintillating seven-under-par 64 on the demanding Seri Selangor Golf Club layout.
Chiam lived up to his name in the sunny morning conditions for the season-opener of the 2026 Asian Development Tour, amassing ten birdies against three bogeys. The 30-year-old loves how the Seri Selangor course plays, but admitted he hadn’t been able to perform well in previous attempts.
“Today’s 64 was a pleasant surprise. My longest putt for birdie was from 14 feet, so I guess I performed well from tee to green. It’s a great start, for sure, and I’m definitely sticking to my game plan for tomorrow’s second round,” said Chiam, who was named after the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
In joint second place were two Thais, Kosuke Hamamoto and Amarin Kraivixien, who carded six-under 65s.
Hamamoto’s round included the tournament’s first ace, which he nailed at the par-three eighth hole with a six-iron from 195 yards. Thus was the 26-year-old’s sixth career hole-in-one and fifth as a professional.
“I last played here two years ago, and I absolutely love the layout. It’s not long but it’s tricky. I’m just hoping for a good finish this week,” said Hamamoto.
Playing in the afternoon session when conditions cooled with some showers, Kraivixien shrugged off heat exhaustion from yesterday’s practice round to match Hamamoto’s score. The 29-year-old was elated to be returning to Seri Selangor, where he has enjoyed some strong finishes including T5 in 2023 and T8 last year.
“I like this country in general, as it’s very similar to home. This golf course suits the way I place each shot, as I’m not a very long hitter, and having some good finishes here definitely helps with confidence. This is definitely the ADT event that I look forward to the most each year,” said Kraivixien.
Matthew Cheung of Hong Kong, China, lies fourth following a round of 66, one shot ahead of American journeyman Berry Henson.
Gregory Foo achieved a rare albatross when his six-iron second shot at the 468-metre, par-five sixth hole ended up in the hole.
“I hit a good tee shot and was left with about 185 metres. From where I was, I could just see the top of the pin and went for it. I knew I carried the bunker and thought I had a chance for an eagle putt. When we got to the green, I couldn’t see my ball, until the scorer said the ball was in the hole,” said the Singaporean, who wound up with a round of one-under-par 70.
The best-placed Malaysians to finish were Seri Selangor ambassador Zia Izzuddeen and Khavish Varadan, with rounds of one-under-par 70 to lie joint 16th.
Seasoned campaigner Sukree Othman was two-under-par after 15 holes, but was among 12 players who could not finish their rounds due to failing light. They will return to the course at 7.45am tomorrow.
2025 champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand carded a one-over-par 72 and lies T41.
For the second year in a row, the US$175,000 tournament is the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The field of 144 players is made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees. With the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the following season, there is much incentive for the ADT players to do well this week and start their 2026 campaigns on a positive note.
This is the 13th staging of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which is promoted by PKNS Golf Management Services, a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS). PKNS has been the title sponsor since 2022.
Overnight leader Nicklaus Chiam extended his advantage to two strokes with a solid second round of four-under-par 67 at the PKNS Selangor Masters.
The 30-year-old Singaporean nailed six birdies against two bogeys at Seri Selangor Golf Club for a two-day total of 11-under-par 131 (64, 67).
Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto carded a 68 to lie second on nine-under-par 133 (65, 68), while England’s Matt Killen and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong were joint third on seven-under-par 135.
Alone in fifth place on six-under-par 136 was Malaysia’s Khavish Varadan, who came home with a bogey-free five-under-par 66. Seven Malaysians made the cut, which was set at two-over-par – Khavish, 2022 champion Shahriffuddin Ariffin (-5), Galven Green (-3), Daeng Abdul Rahman (-2), Kenneth De Silva (-1), Sukree Othman (+1) and Seri Selangor ambassador Zia Izzuddeen (+1).
This isn’t the first time that Chiam is leading going into the final 36 holes of a professional tournament, although he can’t remember when was the last.
“I played steady golf, tried to minimise mistakes,” said Chiam. “ I’ll stick to the same gameplan tomorrow, shot-by-shot, hole-by-hole, but I’ll try and be aggressive when the opportunity arises.
“On this course, you have to keep the ball in play. If you’re going to miss the green, you have to miss it in the right place,” added the likeable player.
Leading Malaysian Khavish was pleased with his accuracy approaching the greens. “I was hitting my numbers. My goal is to hit as many greens as I can over the next two days. I love the layout,” he said.
The second round saw the tournament’s third hole-in-one, achieved by Kevin Akbar of Indonesia using a seven-iron at the par-three 8th hole — the same hole aced by Hamamoto and Canadian Henry Lee yesterday. It was Kevin’s first hole-in-one as a professional and third overall.
The round of the day belonged to Naoki Sekito, who matched the Seri Selangor low round of eight-under-par 63. The Japanese, who had a six-over 77 yesterday, carded an eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey.
“Today I found more fairways and holed a few more putts, and that made the difference. After the 77, I wasn’t sure if I would make the cut, so I’m obviously super happy with today’s score,” said Sekito.
Two amateurs also progressed to the final 36 holes, making it on the number – Australian Josiah Edwards and Japanese talent Koshin Nagasaki, the winner of last week’s Selangor International Junior Golf Championship.
2025 champion Tawit Polthai of Thailand saw his title defence end as he missed out by one shot, following rounds of 72 and 73.
12-year-old Malaysian talent Raja Muhd Syakir was among the players who missed the cut. However, the highly-rated youngster was in high spirits as he soaked in the experience of playing in his first professional event with much gusto. A student of the PKNS Golf Academy, Syakir is a prolific winner in his age-group at junior events.
“The experience has been great, as I was able to meet and play with professional golfers. The professionals are very good in all parts of their game, and they are really precise in their practice. Hopefully I can learn from that,” said Syakir, who admires Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
For the second year in a row, the US$175,000 tournament is the season-opening event of the 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT). The field of 144 players is made up of 80 players from the ADT, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, and 24 invitees. With the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the following season, there is much incentive for the ADT players to do well this week and start their 2026 campaigns on a positive note.
This is the 13th staging of the PKNS Selangor Masters, which is promoted by PKNS Golf Management Services, a subsidiary of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS). PKNS has been the title sponsor since 2022.
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita emerged victorious at the Maybank Championship 2025 held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) following a tense playoff against Australian Hannah Green and Korean Hye-Jin Choi, recalling the marathon nine-hole duel that decided the inaugural 2023 title.
Yamashita, competing in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, closed with a flawless seven-under-par 65 to finish on 18-under 270, joining Green (68,-18) and Choi (73, -18) in the playoff. Choi, who began the day with a four-shot lead, missed a decisive birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation play that would have sealed her first LPGA win. Rain and lightning twice halted play, extending the suspense before Yamashita clinched victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole to claim the Tiger Trophy, her second LPGA Tour title of the season after winning the AIG Women’s Open earlier this year.
“It’s my first time (playoff) on the LPGA Tour, so I was really nervous. In every tournament, I try to aim for a win, and I’m very happy to have won for the second time this season. As the year comes to an end, I’m truly encouraged by the support from my manager, my family and all my sponsors – their support means so much to me,” said Miyu Yamashita.
Throughout the week, the Maybank Championship once again showed that progress in the game is driven by shared ambition and collaboration, capturing Maybank’s intent to harness collective power for growth within and beyond golf.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand delivered a four-under 68 on Sunday to finish T4 at 17-under-par 271, securing her third consecutive top five at KLGCC. Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China put in a composed title defense, closing at 14-under-par 274 after a final round of 70, underscoring her reputation as one of the most consistent players on the LPGA Tour.
The Championship featured standout golf throughout the week, marked by birdie streaks, clutch recoveries and record-setting play. Highlights included a composed opening 67 from Malaysia’s Mirabel Ting, singled out by the LPGA as a “player to watch”, and whose fearless play drew some of the loudest cheers on home soil. Choi’s record-breaking pace, Green’s final-round charge, Thitikul’s late push and Maybank ambassador Kelly Tan’s surge on Saturday added to a memorable week of world-class competition.
For Malaysia, the Championship was a proud milestone that showcased the nation’s growing strength in women’s golf. Ting led the local contingent, finishing T49 at three-under 285 with rounds of 67, 75, 70 and 73, marking a composed and confident performance. Her finish also earned her a place in an Epson Tour event, a Maybank initiative that rewards the highest-finishing regional invitee with a direct pathway towards LPGA qualification.
Tan followed in T56 on two-under par 286, highlighted by a superb 68 on Saturday, while Genevieve Ling matched that position with steady play across four days. Ashley Lau and Liyana Durisic finished at two-over-par and four-over-par respectively, both showing consistency and control in front of home fans.
The field, headlined by Thitikul and Yin, also featured five ASEAN Qualifiers whose performances reflected the tournament’s role as a springboard for regional talent.
Among the ASEAN invitees, Thailand’s Cholcheva Wongras emerged as the top finisher at T64 on even-par 288, displaying poise throughout the week. Compatriots Namo Luangnitikul (a) and Achiraya Sriwong (a) finished T67 (+1) and T71 (+3) respectively, after steady showings that underlined the region’s growing depth. Kan Bunnabodee and Kritchanya Kaopattanaskul (a) rounded out the group, gaining valuable experience competing alongside the LPGA’s best. Together, they embodied the Championship’s purpose as a platform connecting ambition, opportunity and collective progress across ASEAN.
Dato' Sri Khairussaleh Ramli, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Maybank said, “At Maybank, we believe in the strength of ‘Harnessing Collective Power’, and the Maybank Championship is the embodiment of that belief. This year, we have been privileged to see golf at the highest level from our 2025 champion, Miyu Yamashita. Your skill and focus have been a thrill to watch, and I congratulate you on a well-deserved victory.
The Championship brought together world-class players, regional talents and dedicated partners in a true collective effort to elevate the game and the region. I am deeply grateful for the commitment and collaboration that made this week such a success.”
Around the course, the atmosphere was electric. Huge crowds thronged KLGCC throughout the week, drawn by both the calibre of play and the spirit that surrounded it. The shared energy among players, fans and partners reflected the unity that continues to strengthen women’s golf across the region.
As the curtain falls on the 2025 edition, the Maybank Championship stands as a living expression of its purpose where competition, collaboration and community move in unison to advance the sport and inspire new ambitions across ASEAN.
For more information on the Maybank Championship, visit www.maybank.com/golf
For the complete leaderboard, visit www.lpga.com/tournaments/maybank-championship/leaderboard
