Singapore: Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang grabbed the early lead on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit after securing one victory and a third-place finish in the first four events of the 2014 season.


Chan, who won the PGM Lada Langkawi Championship three weeks ago, compiled total earnings of US$17,973 to stay atop the merit list while Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat, winner of the season-opening PGM Sime Darby Harvard Championship in February, trails by about US$5,784 in second place.

American Brett Munson takes the third place with total earnings of US$11,302 while Singapore’s Koh Deng Shan, after finishing second in Langkawi, is one spot back of Munson in fourth place.


Despite losing to Malaysia’s Danny Chia on the third play-off hole and missing out on his second ADT title, Thailand’s Sattaya Supupramai propelled from 39th to fifth place on the Order of Merit with his second-place finish at the PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship last week.


The burgeoning ADT, which started to offer Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points in 2013, has proved to be an important platform for aspiring players from around the region to advance their game to the next level.

Starting the year in 481st place on the world rankings, Chan rose to his career’s high of 328th courtesy of his win in Langkawi where he earned six OWGR points before taking 331st place this week.


“The players on the ADT are all very young and talented. I like playing on the ADT. I gained exposure and experience playing on the ADT and I get to earn world ranking points as well which is great,” said the 27-year-old, who claimed his breakthrough win on the ADT in Sabah last September.


Chan will become the fifth player from Chinese Taipei, following Hsu Chia-jen, Chiang Chen-chih, Kao Shang-hung and Hsu Mong-nan, to earn his Asian Tour card for the following season through the ADT if he stays inside the top-five on the merit rankings till the end of the season.


Chia, who successfully defended his title in Malaysia last week, also benefitted from the OWGR points on offer as he jumped 225 spots from 712th to 487th following his win.


This season, the ADT will be rewarding the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights in the 2015 Asian Tour season. Only the top three players on the final ADT Order of Merit for each season obtained their Asian Tour cards in the past.

Wisut hailed the ADT for offering more opportunities for players to advance on the Asian Tour as he takes aim at the top prize.


“It is my biggest goal to finish inside the top-five. I think it is a good decision to increase the number of players who earn the Tour card to five. It gives the younger players more chances. I think it is a very good move and it shows that the ADT is growing,” said Wisut.


The ADT, which was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011, 13 in 2012 and a record 16 in the 2013 season, has established itself as a gateway to the Asian Tour.


For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com.