Taiwanese amateur Xu Li (李煦) produced a hole-in-one on the eighth hole at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in New Zealand on Saturday, 31 October. He said the flag was 140 yards away and that he used a P-wedge for the shot at Te Arai Links South Course.
A perfectly timed shot on a challenging links course
Speaking to Taiwan's Liberty Times, Li described aiming slightly left of the flagstick. The ball went straight into the cup, giving him a memorable moment in an otherwise demanding third round. The championship's official course guide confirms that the eighth is a par 3. An opening-shot hole-in-one is therefore also an eagle, two strokes under par for that hole.
The distinction matters: a hole-in-one requires the very first stroke from the teeing area to find the hole. A ball holed with a later stroke is a hole-out, not an ace.
The rest of the scorecard tells another story
The spectacular shot did not translate into an outstanding whole-round score. Li signed for a 75 and stood on 230 strokes (+17) after three rounds, tied for 48th at the close of play on 31 October. He acknowledged making several bogeys but said the ace made him feel better about the day.
Of the five players representing Taiwan who made the 36-hole cut, Chen Jiqun (陳季群) was the highest placed through 54 holes at 223 (+10), tied for 33rd. Xie Chengwei (謝承洧) was on 226, Guo Shiqi (郭時祈) on 231 and Lin Juyou (林居佑) on 233, as reported by Liberty Times. These are third-round figures, not final tournament placements.
A Taiwan story played out in New Zealand
The Asia-Pacific Amateur was contested from 29 October to 1 November 2026 at Te Arai Links South Course in Tomarata, New Zealand. The links-style layout, coastal conditions and undulating greens formed the setting for the region's leading male amateurs. The players' home golf affiliations should not be confused with the host nation.
After his ace, Li spoke of taking the last round one shot at a time, without placing extra expectations on himself. It was an apt response: one exceptional shot can become the highlight of an amateur championship without defining the entire scorecard.
Sources: Liberty Times, 31 October 2026; official Asia-Pacific Amateur course guide and player gallery.
