Lee Chieh-po recently shared that he experienced one of the most joyful moments of his career when he brought his International Series Thailand trophy to his home club.
“I was incredibly proud to return with my first Asian Tour trophy last week,” said the golfer from Chinese Taipei, who is set to compete in the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open at Taifong Golf Club tomorrow.
His home club is located in Taoyuan City, where he has been a member since his teenage years.
This season has marked another significant achievement for the impressive 30-year-old.
He secured the International Series Thailand title three weeks ago and, with four additional top-10 finishes within a month, he has climbed to third place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and fifth on The International Series Rankings.
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Lee celebrated on the 18th green during the International Series Thailand event. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
With three lucrative tournaments upcoming in Hong Kong, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, he has an opportunity to top both rankings. Although American John Catlin currently leads both lists and may be difficult to surpass on the Merit list, the competition for The International Series—where the winner earns a spot in next year's LIV Golf League—is still very much open.
Despite the immense pressure, Lee is focused on maintaining his composure.
“It’s been an amazing couple of weeks,” Lee remarked, noting that he is sponsored by Taiwan Glass alongside fellow players Chan Shih-chang and Chang Wei-lun.
“Finally achieving my first win has relieved a lot of pressure. Honestly, though, I don’t expect much to change this week.
“My mindset and approach remain the same. Even at the BNI Indonesian Masters, just a week after my win, I maintained my routine. I’ve been doing everything right, so I’ll continue with my routine and see where it leads me by season's end.”
Reflecting on his previous success in Thailand, Lee noted that he won this event back in 2021 when it was part of the local tour due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was elevated from the Asian Development Tour to the Asian Tour last year. With a total prize pool of $400,000, while it may not significantly impact the Asian Tour merit list, a victory would be excellent preparation for the upcoming high-stakes events that are also part of The International Series.
He added: “I’m excited about having a chance at both the Order of Merit and Ranking titles. There are still several events left, and I know I’m performing well. I aim to maintain my good form and hopefully secure the Merit titles that everyone is striving for. Qualifying for LIV would be fantastic.”
Lee emphasized that staying fit, healthy, and improving his swing have been crucial in elevating his game this season.
A six-time winner on the local circuit—four of those victories occurring in 2021 when he claimed their Order of Merit—his first win came in 2014 while he was still an amateur.
Those early days hinted at his potential as a rising star, which he has now fully realized as one of golf's bright talents.