On 25 October 2026, Matthew Cheung achieved something no home player had done in the history of the Hong Kong Open. The 31-year-old Hong Kong professional completed the tournament on 15 under par, 265 strokes, sharing second place with Finland's Kalle Samooja. American John Catlin took the title at 20 under, five strokes clear.
A landmark nearly three decades in the making
Until this week, the best finish by a Hong Kong player in the city's Open was Dominique Boulet's fourth place in 1996. Cheung has now moved that benchmark to tied second in the 65th edition of the tournament at Fanling. It is a significant result for a competition that has long attracted international stars but has never had a Hong Kong winner.
The route to the record was far from straightforward. On Friday, Cheung fired a bogey-free 62, combining an eagle with six birdies. Rounds of 64 and 62 placed him on 14 under at halfway and gave him a three-shot lead. Saturday was harder: a round of 72 dropped him back to 12 under, two shots behind a four-way tie at the top. His response on Sunday was a three-under 67, good for a 15-under total.
The final-hole twist
Catlin's closing 64 put the trophy out of reach, but Cheung's historic placing was not secure until the finish. Samooja reached the 18th holding a one-stroke edge over the local favourite. A closing bogey left the Finn level with Cheung, and the pair shared second.
More than a runner-up finish
The Hong Kong Open was staged for the 65th time in 2026 at Hong Kong Golf Club. Cheung played in front of a home gallery that had rallied behind his bid through the week. Earlier in the event, he told organisers that changing to a long putter had improved his confidence on the greens. His performance ultimately produced the strongest finish by a local professional in the tournament's history.
Catlin earned the winner's exemptions for the 2027 Masters and The Open. Cheung did not win those places simply by finishing joint second. His achievement stands on its own: an important new benchmark for Hong Kong golf and an example of how a home player can contend deep into a major regional event.
Reporting basis: South China Morning Post and Reuters, 25 October 2026; Asian Tour and Link Hong Kong Open event material. Image: archival view of Fanling's 15th hole by Wpcpey / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; it does not depict Cheung or the 2026 tournament.
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