Staff WriterThe Moutai Singapore Open returned with a bang at Singapore Island Country Club, and Jeunghun Wang made it his stage. The Moutai Singapore Open opening day belonged to the 30-year-old Korean, who signed for a scalding eight-under-par 64—nine birdies, one blemish—to grab the outright lead on the New Course.
It’s the tournament’s first appearance since 2022 and the first time in a quarter of a century that SICC has hosted it. Wang treated the homecoming like he owned the keys, pouring in birdies and walking off with the kind of number that makes the rest of the field suddenly interested in early-night stretching routines.
He’s one clear of a three-man chase pack at 65: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Gunn Charoenkul, plus Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent. Kiradech looked nailed-on to share top spot until a watery misadventure at the last.
Germany’s in-form Dominic Foos (your SJM Macao Open winner three weeks ago), Americans Micah Shin and Ollie Schniederjans, Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, and American rookie thumper Caleb Surratt are tucked in at 66.
Singapore’s 16-year-old amateur Troy Storm thrilled the home crowd with a tidy 67—bogey at the last, but still the leading local after a day he’ll remember long after his GCSEs.
Wang Finds The Afterburners
There was a time, just under a decade ago, when Wang was stacking European Tour titles like souvenirs—three in a flash, including the 2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour. Then came 18 months of national service in Korea and the long, patient climb back.
“I haven’t won a tournament in almost eight years, so I really want to get a win again,” said the 30-year-old.
“My irons were really good today — I hit the ball solid all day. My putting was hot too, and I didn’t really miss any shots. Overall, I’m very happy with how I played.”
Since returning, he’s posted two runner-up finishes and two other top-fives on the Asian Tour. Today looked like the next step toward closing that eight-year loop.
Kiradech’s Bookend Bogeys And A Swim
Kiradech, the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, made nine birdies but bracketed his card with bogeys on the 1st and 18th. The closer stung: a four-iron that turned over and took a bath on the par-five.
“Not the way I wanted to start and finish,” he said. “A lot of positives in there, a whole lot of good putts, and hitting. A lot of great shots today, looks like everything going the right plan.
“The rough pulled the clubface a little bit on the last. It turned the ball over right to left and into the water.”
Still—65. Plenty of runway left.
Gunn Grinding For His Card
Gunn Charoenkul’s timing is sharp. He arrived this week 56th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with four events left, battling both health and hardware through a bumpy season. A driver tweak seems to have woken things up.
“It’s not been a very smooth season,” he said. “Been a bit of a struggle on the second half of the season with my health, as well, and, you know, and some of the equipment not performing the way I need it to. So, with those two issues, you know, I’m borderline at the moment.
“I really want the win this week, you know. So, try to have confidence but not expecting anything. So yeah, hopefully it all turns out.”
If 65 is “borderline,” most of the range rats would love to live there.
Vincent Feeds Off A Hot Group
Kieran Vincent—brother of International Series Rankings leader Scott— kept the family standards high, riding the momentum of last month’s T-3 in Jakarta. Pairings matter, and today’s three-ball ran on shared adrenaline.
“I was trying to play catch up to my playing partners. They got off to a flyer as well. And I’m like, I can’t miss out on this party. And so, yeah, it was just kind of, we’re feeding off some good energy out there, both Dominic and Micah.
“And so between the three of us, you know, we kind of saw a couple of putts go in. And, you know, from there, it was just kind of feeding off each other. And I thought, yeah, we did a really good job between three of us.”
Local Buzz: Teenager Troy Storm Rolls A 67
On home turf and barely old enough to drive a car, Storm tamed nerves and the New Course with a polished 67. A late dropped shot couldn’t spoil a leader-in-the-clubhouse feeling for Singapore’s top amateur after representing the nation at the World Amateur Team Championship.
Order Of Merit Watch
Asian Tour OOM leader Kazuki Higa opened with a 70—nothing a quick putting session can’t fix.
Scott Vincent, who tops The International Series Rankings, posted a 72 and will fancy moving day to actually move.
