CHINESE SENSATION WU ASHUN AND 21-TIME TOUR CHAMPION PAUL CASEY CONFIRMED FOR SJM MACAO OPEN 2026
TRIO OF AMERICAN PLAYERS AND TWO FORMER THAI CHAMPIONS ALSO CONFIRMED, MAKING ONE OF THE STRONGEST FIELDS IN TOURNAMENT HISTORY
[Macao SAR, 8 October, 2026]: Wu Ashun, one of the most decorated golfers from China, and 21-time professional tour champion Paul Casey are the latest names confirmed to join the stellar field at the SJM Macao Open 2026.
Kevin Na, Andy Ogletree, and Sihwan Kim will lead the American challenge, while former Thai champions Rattanon Wannasrichan and Pavit Tangkamolprasert will seek to become the fourth player — and the first since 2017 — to win the USD 1 million Asian Tour event twice.
Jointly organized by the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government (MSB), title sponsor SJM Resorts, S.A. (SJM) and IMG, and co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Macau Golf Association, the SJM Macao Open 2026 will take place from 15-18 October at the picturesque Macau Golf & Country Club.
Wu is a seven-time tour champion and has achieved several major milestones for men’s golf in China. The 41-year-old was the first Chinese player to win a European Tour event on home soil, at the China Open in Shanghai; the first Chinese winner on the Japan Golf Tour; and the first golfer from China to win in Africa.
The Fujian-born golfer said: “It is always nice to play at home and I am excited to be playing at the SJM Macao Open this year. The support and cheers of local fans always help me compete better and I am looking forward to playing well at the Macau Golf & Country Club.”
Englishman Casey will be making his SJM Macao Open debut. The 21-time tour winner has carded top 10 finishes in all four Majors, with his best result a tie for second at the 2020 PGA Championship.
Casey commented: “What a great opportunity to be playing in Macao. I have not played there before but have heard many great things about the city. We are approaching the end of the year, and it is always nice to travel to new places, especially locations with amazing energy such as Macao that everyone keeps telling me. I am looking forward to the golf as well as the amazing food and hospitality that the city has to offer.”
The United States will be strongly represented by Kevin Na, Andy Ogletree, and Sihwan Kim at the SJM Macao Open 2026, all hoping to become the first American champion since Jason Knutzon in 2004.
43-year-old Na has carded top 25 finishes in all Majors and is a nine-time tour champion. He is playing the Macao Open for the second time, having last visited in 2003.
Ogletree will be making his debut at the SJM Macao Open this year. The 28-year-old is a three-time Asian Tour winner and the tour’s Order of Merit winner in 2023.
Completing the American trio gunning for glory is 2004 US Junior Amateur Championship winner and two-time Asian Tour winner Kim, who will be playing at the SJM Macao Open for the third year in a row.
Since its first edition in 1998, the Macao Open has had three Thai Champions: Rattanon Wannasrichan (2024), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (2016), and Thaworn Wiratchant (2009). Wannasrichan and Tangkamolprasert, the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, will each aim to become only the fourth player in tournament history to win the title twice.
With 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, Korean star golfer Sungjae Im, Team China’s Asian Games 2026 team-event gold medalists Ding Wenyi and Sampson Zheng Yunhe, Chinese golfing legend and two-time Macao Open Champion Zhang Lianwei, Thai favorite Jazz Janewattananond, and two-time Asian Tour winner Travis Smyth already confirmed to play, fans can look forward to one of the strongest fields in action at the SJM Macao Open this year.
Seven of the top 10 players in the Asian Tour Order of Merit 2026 rankings are in the SJM Macao Open 2026 field. With points for the coveted Asian Tour Order of Merit title up for grabs, players will be keen to bring their A game to Macao.
The SJM Macao Open also plays an important role in supporting the development of Macao’s leading golfers. Ma Kaijun, last year’s top local finisher, has seized the opportunity and earned a place this season. Four other local talents – Jim Huang, Kelvin Si Ngai, Hung Chi Che and Bryan Luo – have also secured their places as the top four local finishers at the Qualifier Tournament on 24 September.
The SJM Macao Open 2026 continues to actively bring golf closer to Macao’s neighborhoods, sharing the joy and excitement of the sport with people from all walks of life, while extending its promotional efforts beyond the tournament itself to reach an even wider audience.
Admission to the SJM Macao Open 2026 is free to the public. Fans can register for complimentary tickets from today, with each person able to request up to four tickets. For more information and to secure your tickets, please visit www.sjmmacaoopen.com.