Matthew Cheung, Adam Coull, Poom Pattaropong, and Nicklaus Chiam share lead at nine-under as Asian Development Tour opens 2026

THE 2026 Asian Development Tour (ADT) season opener is headed for a nail-biting finish after Thursday’s third round at the PKNS Selangor Masters produced a four-way tie atop the leaderboard at Seri Selangor Golf Club.

Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung fired a superb six-under-par 66 to join halfway leader Nicklaus Chiam of Singapore (73), Australian rookie Adam Coull (67), and Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong (69) at nine-under-par 204. The quartet holds a two-stroke advantage heading into Friday’s final round of the US$175,000 tournament.

Cheung Rebounds After 2022 Disappointment

For Cheung, Thursday’s bogey-free round—featuring three birdies and an eagle—marked a redemptive return to a venue where he missed the cut in 2022.

“My game feels like it’s there. I’ve worked a lot on my short game and my putting, and it’s finally come through,” said the 30-year-old, who is expecting his first child in April. “I’m excited for tomorrow. I missed the cut here in 2022, so it’s actually nice to come back and see how much my game’s improved.”

Pattaropong’s Love Affair with Seri Selangor Continues

Pattaropong, who finished third at this event last year, remains confident about his chances on a course he believes suits his game perfectly.

“I just love this golf course!” declared the 30-year-old from Bangkok. “Coming from the off-season, I feel like my distances are a bit shorter, and my dispersion is tighter. This course is tight, so my misses are still in play. I’m excited about tomorrow—that’s why you play, to be in contention.”

Rookie Coull Unfazed by Pressure

Perhaps the most remarkable story among the leaders is that of Adam Coull, who turned professional just last November and is competing in only his sixth professional tournament—and his first on the ADT.

The 25-year-old from Sydney, who earned his ADT status through last year’s qualifying school, has shown remarkable composure with consistent rounds of 69, 68, and 67.

“I’m enjoying life as a professional so far, and I like the travel,” Coull said. “Seri Selangor is a really good course, demanding off the tee. You must have a good gameplan.”

Chasing Pack Stays Within Striking Distance

Just two shots off the pace at seven-under-par are Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong (66), American Marcus Plunkett (69), and England’s Matt Killen (71).

Killen, who won the ADT’s Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in 2025, was among the frontrunners for most of his round before a wayward drive at the 18th hole found water, resulting in a double bogey.

“I hit it OK, but a lot of things didn’t go my way, and I missed a few short putts,” said the 36-year-old Englishman. “Would have been nice not to have dropped those two strokes at the last, but I’m just two behind. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Malaysian Hopeful Varadan in Contention

Local favorite Khavish Varadan sits in a tie for eighth place at six-under-par 207 following an even-par 71. The 25-year-old leads the race for the RM10,000 bonus awarded to the best Malaysian professional.

“My 71 today doesn’t really translate to how well I played out there,” Varadan said. “I hit the ball really good, especially off the tee, and just had some bad breaks. Overall, I’m quite pleased.”

Varadan, who earned his Asian Tour card for 2026 with a joint 22nd finish in the final stage of qualifying school, is the best-placed local among the seven Malaysians who made the halfway cut.

High Stakes for ADT Players

With the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for the 2027 season, the 144-player field—comprising 80 ADT players, 40 from the Professional Golf of Malaysia Tour, and 24 invitees—has strong motivation to start the year on a positive note.

The 13th edition of the PKNS Selangor Masters concludes Friday at the challenging Ross Watson-designed par-72 layout, known for its tight fairways, strategic bunkering, and fast, tricky greens.

Leading Third Round Scores:

204 (-9)

• Matthew Cheung (HKG) 66-72-66
• Adam Coull (AUS) 69-68-67
• Poom Pattaropong (THA) 68-67-69
• Nicklaus Chiam (SGP) 64-67-73

206 (-7)

• Runchanapong Youprayong (THA) 69-71-66
• Marcus Plunkett (USA) 69-68-69
• Matt Killen (ENG) 70-65-71

207 (-6)

• Jonathan Wijono (INA) 71-68-68
• Khavish Varadan (MAS) 70-66-71
• Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 65-68-74

 The Sun Malaysia