Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand holed a four-foot birdie putt on the last hole to beat defending champion Kazuki Higa by one shot and win the Yeangder TPC, having led from start to finish. It is his first Asian Tour win in seven years, and it took him to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Pavit closed with a six-under-par 66 for a four-round total of 25-under at Linkou International Golf & Country Club in Chinese-Taipei. He had led by one shot after the third round. Higa of Japan, playing alongside him, also shot 66. Chinese-Taipei’s Chien-yao Hung took third on his own with a 65 after a birdie on the last, one stroke behind Higa. His compatriot Wei-hsuan Wang, with a 62, and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, with a 65, shared fourth.
How the final round went
Pavit began the day one shot ahead of Higa and eagled the par-five first. He played that hole in seven under for the week, with three eagles and one birdie. Lying three ahead with six to play, he had not made a bogey all week and was trying to become the first player in Asian Tour history to go 72 holes without dropping a shot.
A bogey on the 13th ended that, and a birdie by Higa cut the lead to one. Higa birdied the 14th as well, and the two were level with four to play. Pavit missed a 12-foot birdie chance on the 17th, so they went to the par-five 18th tied.
Pavit reached the front of the green in two. Higa’s second went left into a greenside bunker, and he splashed out to 20 feet. Pavit chipped to four feet. Higa’s putt slipped past the hole, and Pavit holed his.
“You know, words can’t describe this week’s game,” said the 37-year-old. “I think this is the most solid tournament I’ve played all year. I made only one bogey out of 72 holes, which is very fantastic. But yeah, a lot of low rounds. Still, I had to make the shots because the defending champion Kazuki Higa and me were playing together. He kept coming.” He called his four on the last the “best birdie of my life”.
First win since 2019
Pavit’s last Asian Tour win came at the end of 2019, when he won the Sabah Masters in a play-off. It was his second Tour title, after the Macau Open three years earlier, which was also decided in extra time. He won the Singha Laguna Phuket Open on the Asian Development Tour in 2024, where he has won a record eight times. Earlier this year he was second at the Philippine Golf Championship and joint runner-up at the International Series Japan.
His wife, Chorphaka Jaengjit, a professional on the Thai LPGA Tour, was at the course. The couple were celebrating 20 years together.
Higa and the chasing group
Higa was trying to become the first player to defend the title. The Yeangder Group is one of his main sponsors. Higa was last year’s Order of Merit champion, and this was his best result of the year on the Asian Tour.
“Thought I would just add some pressure to the other competitors like Pavit today,” Higa said. “I didn’t hit a good tee shot on the last, second shot I thought I hit it good, but it went into the bunker. I thought my bunker shots were the strongest part of my game but this week I was in the bunker four times and I only hit one good one. That was disappointing.”
Australia’s Travis Smyth, who led the Order of Merit before the week, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho and the Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena started the day on the leader’s shoulders but did not mount a challenge. Smyth shot 70 to finish nine back and Kho’s 71 left him eight behind. Tabuena, in the final pairing, shot 72 to tie with Smyth, who moved to second on the Order of Merit.
The Asian Tour stays in Chinese-Taipei for next week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters at Taiwan Golf & Country Club. Rattanon Wannasrichan is the defending champion.
