[Hong Kong, 12 October 2026]: Hong Kong Golf Club teaching pro Michael Regan Wong and fellow Hong Kong-based professional Sam Maltby have earned their spots at the prestigious Link Hong Kong Open (LHKO) 2026, having claimed the two tournament spots at the Qualifying Tournament today.
Twenty-nine-year-old Wong carded a total 131, nine-under-par over the Old Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club to win by three shots, while Englishman Maltby secured the second qualifying spot after a tense playoff against Hong Kong amateur Timothy Chan Nok Him. In total, 30 local golfers including 15 Golf Association of Hong Kong, China squad players took part in the 36-hole, stroke play tournament, held over the Hong Kong Golf Club’s Old Course in Fanling, with the two lowest scores earning the right to play in LHKO 2026.
Wong, the Hong Kong Open Amateur champion in 2014, said, “Today was really good. I got a lot of birdies in the first round, and was steady in the second. Got some putts in near the end, which was really good. Today was all about staying in the present, staying loose and relaxed, I didn’t think much about the future.
“I am excited about playing the Hong Kong Open, it is always an honour to represent Hong Kong Golf Club at such a great event. This is my fourth time, and with my experience, I hope to play well and do better than I have done before.”
Maltby and Chan both carded a total 134, six-under-par after two rounds, and after the fifth play-off on the 18th, the former emerging victorious from the fiercely contested battle.
Maltby commented: “The playoff was quite a long process, I thought we were going to run out of daylight! We both made plenty of putts and I thought someone would eventually make it, and I was happy it happened to me. Congratulations, though, to Tim, who was playing well all day. I don’t get to compete on this kind of stage too much so I am looking forward to testing myself against world class players and really enjoying the experience.”
The Hong Kong Open and its historic venue, the Hong Kong Golf Club, have served as the foundational bedrock for nurturing elite home-grown golfing talent for decades. The tournament, Asian Tour’s flagship event, provides local players with invaluable, direct exposure to world-class international competition on their home turf. Crucial to this ecosystem is the Hong Kong Open Qualifying Tournament, which offers a unique pathway for local professionals and top-ranked amateurs to secure a coveted spot in the main field. By testing their skills against elite global fields in front of local fans, athletes gain the critical competitive experience and confidence required to transition from regional standouts to successful international competitors.
The Hong Kong Open is the city’s oldest professional sporting event – joining only one other club worldwide as hosts of the same tournament for over six decades, the other being Augusta National Golf Club and the US Masters. LHKO 2026 champion will earn an automatic invitation to compete at the Masters at Augusta National and a direct starting spot as part of the Open Qualifying Series at St Andrews in 2027, making the event one of the most important and appealing to players on the Asian Tour.
The world class LHKO 2026 field is led by the 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, former world number one Lee Westwood, and 21-time tour champion Paul Casey. Also in the field are one of the sport’s most compelling comeback stories Anthony Kim, South Africans Branden Grace who has recorded top-10 finishes in three of the four Majors and 14-time tour winner Dean Burmester, as well as two of America’s finest golfers – Harold Varner III and Talor Gooch – have also confirmed for this year’s event.
Hometown hero Taichi Kho will spearhead the local challenge. The 25-year-old first played the Hong Kong Open as the youngest amateur in 2017. Since turning professional in 2023, Kho has won two titles, including the World City Championship that year on home soil. His other accolades include individual gold and team bronze in the men’s competition at the Hangzhou Asian Games and a victory earlier this year in Morocco.
With its history and international prestige, the tournament has been playing an integral role in showcasing Hong Kong as a top global events destination and sport tourism hub for over six decades.
Admission to the opening rounds of the Link Hong Kong Open 2026 on Thursday and Friday, 22 and 23 October, is free for the public.
In keeping with the tournament and title sponsor’s vision to take golf to all communities of Hong Kong, ticket prices for the Link Hong Kong Open 2026 have been frozen at current prices since 2023.
The Link Hong Kong Open 2026 is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
Daily prices for Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 October, are HKD200 per day or HKD300 for a weekend pass. Weekend passes are also free for spectators 18 and under.
For more information please visit: www.thehongkongopen.com