Hong Kong, SAR, China: Asian Games individual gold medallist Taichi Kho will lead Hong Kong, China’s bid for glory when the 15th National Games takes to The Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC) from November 13-16.
Kho, Matthew Cheung, Jason Hak Sun-yat and Jeffrey Shen Wang Ngai have been selected to represent the SAR on the men’s side of the draw with Tiffany Chan, Ginnie Ding, Arianna Lau and Sophie Han set to fly the flag in the ladies’ competition.
Runner-up at the 2021 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai, Kho, now aged 24, has made a successful switch to the professional game, notably striking gold at the 2023 Asiad and becoming the first Hong Kong golfer to win on the Asian Tour.
At the Hangzhou Asiad, Kho held off the chasing pack, including Korean PGA Tour stars Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo, to claim a one-stroke victory that also helped the SAR capture an historic bronze in the men’s team event.
At the HKGC in March 2023, Kho won his first professional title with a two-stroke victory in what was just his third Tour start. He went on to be named Asian Tour Rookie of the Year for a debut professional season in which he placed ninth in the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit standings.
While Shen was part of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) team that won the Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy against the European Golf Association in the UAE in January, amateur stars Lau and Han represented the region in the women’s equivalent Patsy Hankins Trophy at the same venue.
Lau is a two-time winner of the APGC Junior Girls’ Championship, while Han has savoured success on the China CLPG Tour.
Golf Association of Hong Kong, China CEO Danny Lai said: “Co-hosting the 15th National Games will be an historic occasion for the city and to have the golf competition here shows just how far the game has come in Hong Kong.
“It has taken years of planning to get ready for the big event, just as it has taken years of training for our players to get to where they are today on the international stage. There is no doubt they will do us all proud.
“When I expressed interest to host the National Games golf tournament in Hong Kong back in 2019, Hong Kong received tremendous support from the other two co-hosts in Guangdong and Macau. It was a big dream and it has been a long wait but now the dream has come true.
“We’d like to thank our partners at the National Games Co-ordination Office in Hong Kong, the China Golf Association and The Hong Kong Golf Club.
“Together we are helping the National Games dream become a reality here in Hong Kong. With the squad announcement the excitement will build towards the big date and towards what will no doubt be spectacular golf.”
Hong Kong, China’s squad will compete for four medals across both individual and team competitions at the National Games and they’ll be competing against squads from eight provinces, along with Macau.
