Heimburg Wins Inaugural PDGA Asia Tour Opener in Taiwan
Date Published
The first tournament of the newly launched PDGA Asia Tour was held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with Calvin Heimburg emerging victorious in the MPO division and Chia-Fang Chen taking top honors in FPO. The event marked the beginning of a seven-stop tour that will visit five countries and regions over ten weeks, culminating in the championship tournament in Shanghai, China, in mid-March.
While disc golf may seem like a relatively new phenomenon in Asia, particularly in East Asian subregions such as Japan and Taiwan, its history stretches back further than one might expect. The PDGA Asia Tour is not a completely novel concept; the Asia Open began in Taipei in 1999 as The Friendship Cup, a biennial competition featuring neighboring Japan, before being revived under the current title in 2009. Kuan Chen, a pioneer of disc sports in the region and promoter of the first friendship cup, recalls introducing object frisbee golf on Taiwan's islands as early as 1983.
The tournament, held at Sun Yat-sen University's Renwu Campus, was attended by players from various countries, including Japan, China, and Hong Kong. The assembly brought together friends who have been competing against each other for many years, reflecting the sport's deep roots in Asia. Despite its popularity, disc golf is not a recent trend in the region; it has been growing steadily over the decades.
The presence of Calvin Heimburg in the field generated significant interest among fans and competitors alike. As Philo Brathwaite demonstrated in 2020 and 2024, Heimburg's performance was likely to be closely contested by Asian talent, including local players like Jacky Chen and Manabu Kajiyama from Japan.
The initial round saw Heimburg and Chen stay neck-and-neck, with the American throwing a remarkable shot on hole 16 – a partially obscured eagle putt after missing the basket. Chen gained a stroke back on the final hole but finished tied with Heimburg at eight under par.
Round two marked a turning point for Heimburg as he shot a provisionally 1071-rated 13-under-par 50, establishing a significant lead over Chen by seven strokes. The final round witnessed a thrilling performance from Jacky Chen, who carded two eagles in the last three holes but ultimately finished six strokes behind Heimburg.
Chia-Fang Chen secured her victory in FPO with a commanding four-stroke lead after the first round and extended it to seven strokes by the end of the tournament. The win marked Chen's third consecutive Asia Open title, following victories in 2024 and 2018. Her closest rival, Su Mei Yang, showed remarkable resilience but ultimately finished seven strokes behind.
As the inaugural PDGA Asia Tour event came to a close, organizers breathed a sigh of relief after months of meticulous planning. Aaron Herman, PDGA Asia Coordinator, expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support shown by players and fans alike, which has provided significant momentum for the tour's success.
The next stop on the PDGA Asia Tour will be the Siam Open at Lakewood Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand, from January 20-22.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/heimburg-and-chen-win