Yosuke Asaji is the most recent winner of the Singapore Open – after claiming the title in 2025 at Singapore Island Country Club.
He defeated Korea’s Jeunghun Wang on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to become the first player from Japan to win it in nearly 50 years.
Asaji made a birdie putt from six feet in the play-off, on the par-five 18th on the New Course, after Wang found water with his second and ended with a six.
His victory could not have come at a better time as the tournament had become part of The International Series – 10 upper-tier events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.
He went on to finish second on the Rankings to secure a much sought after place on the League.
It marked the first time the tournament had been played since Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana was triumphant in January of 2022, just after play resumed on the Asian Tour following a two-year break due to the global pandemic.
He tasted victory on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, beating Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa and Tom Kim from Korea by three strokes.
Sadom succeeded American Matt Kuchar, who claimed the title in 2020. Kuchar fought back from a triple bogey and held off a strong charge from former world number one Justin Rose down the stretch to win and add his name to the famed trophy. The American staged a grandstand finish with birdies at the 16th and 18th for a three-stroke victory over Rose.
Kuchar took the mantle from Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond who held off challenges from world stars Paul Casey and Matthew Fitzpatrick – both from England – to win in 2019.
In 2018, one of the most famous names in golf was inscribed on the trophy when Spain’s Sergio Garcia triumphed.
The reigning Masters champion and then world number 10 won by a comfortable five strokes for his sixth victory in Asia.
He succeeded Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng, who received an early birthday present when he lifted his 10th Asian Tour title at the 2017 Singapore Open. Prayad turned 51 the following week.
A year earlier Korean Younghan Song upstaged Jordan Spieth from the United States, who at the time was the world number one, to claim the title following a Monday morning finish.
It was the 50th edition of Singapore’s national Open and also marked the first time the event had been played since 2012.
Between 2016 and 2022, the tournament had been jointly-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation. From 2009 to 2012 the Asian Tour had jointly-sanctioned it with the European Tour.
The year 2012 saw Italian teenager Matteo Manassero triumph after a play-off victory over South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen.
Australia’s Adam Scott has the honour of winning Singapore’s national Open the most with a record three victories. He won back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 and completed a hat-trick of victories in 2010 – the latter finishing on Monday morning due to inclement weekend weather.
Two-time Major winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina triumphed in 2007, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh took top spot the following year while Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter from England won in 2009.
Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano was successful in the 2011 edition by beating Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines in a sudden-death play-off – which like 2010 and 2016 also finished on Monday.
Other notable winners of the event include 1998 champion Shaun Micheel from the United States, who won the US PGA Championship in 2003.
Australian Peter Fowler was victorious in 1987, Greg Turner from New Zealand won in 1986 while one of Chinese Taipei’s most famous golfing sons, “TC” Chen, claimed top spot in 1985.
Five players have tasted victory more than once. As well as Scott and Arda the others are Phillips and Chinese Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon and Hsieh Yung-yo.
In its formative years and with a list of past champions that dates back to 1961, the Singapore Open earned its place in the history books as a tournament that helped build the foundations for the development of tournament golf in Asia.
The Lion City’s national Open was part of Asia’s very first professional golf circuit, which was made up of a handful of tournaments in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia and Japan.
Australian Frank Phillips – a two-time Australian Open champion – won the inaugural Singapore Open in 1961 and started the ball rolling for a succession of victories by overseas players.
South African Brian Wilkes triumphed the following year and was followed by countryman Alan Brookes before Australians Ted Ball and Phillips and Ross Newdick of New Zealand were victorious in the ensuing years.
It was Filipino Ben Arda who helped turn the tide in 1967 when he became the first Asian winner. He won again in 1973 and in fact it was not until Terry Gale’s success in 1978 that another non-Asian player claimed the title.
