May 14, 2026

The NT$7 million purse 2026 Sun Flower & TPGA Championship teed off today (May 14) at Taiwan Golf & Country Club. However, due to continuous heavy rain, tee times were delayed twice. Among the 150 players in the field, only the 72 players from the morning wave were able to complete 18 holes before darkness fell. Japan’s Yuta Yoshikuwa carded a 1-under-par 71 to temporarily hold the lead, while Taiwan’s Chan Shih-chang sits alone in second place with an even-par 72.

Taiwanese players Kao Teng, Shapiyate Mako, and Wang Hsi-an each posted 73s.

Heavy rain fell throughout last night and continued into this morning, forcing two delays to the first-round start time. The first delay postponed play by two hours from 6:50 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and a second delay pushed it back another hour. Eventually, the first group from the morning wave teed off at 10:00 a.m., while the final group started at 11:55 a.m. The 72 morning-wave players completed their rounds at 5:15 p.m.

The afternoon wave of 78 players did not begin until 2:40 p.m. and were unable to finish their first rounds before darkness suspended play at 6:30 p.m. All unfinished groups will resume the first round at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow. The second round is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. with a two-tee start.

Yoshikuwa recorded five birdies and four bogeys today. After the round, he said his driving, iron play, and putting were all solid, although his chipping was not ideal. He especially praised his putting, needing only 29 putts, including two long birdie putts—33 feet on the 4th hole and 23 feet on the 14th.

Starting from the 10th hole, Yoshikuwa faced heavy rain throughout holes 10 to 18. He birdied the 13th and 14th holes but also made four bogeys due to mistakes around the greens and with the putter, shooting 38 on his opening nine. After the rain stopped on the back nine, he rallied with three birdies for a 33.

Yoshikuwa also mentioned that he has been focusing on strength training over the past few months, resulting in increased driving distance. Reflecting on his past appearances at this venue, he noted that he tied for 40th at last year’s Sun Flower & TPGA Championship. He also competed in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters held at the same course last September, where he opened with a solid 70 but unfortunately withdrew during the second round. He hopes to produce a strong result at both this course and this tournament this year.

Chan Shih-chang recorded two birdies and two bogeys today. He explained that because he played in the morning under difficult weather conditions, he adopted a conservative strategy and felt that even par would be a good score. He successfully achieved that goal. Chan added that his putting was solid with 30 putts, and his driving was better than it had been over the past three months, although his iron play has not yet fully returned to form.

Chan revealed that he has been resting and undergoing physical therapy due to an issue with his right trapezius muscle three months ago, which also affected his swing. His recent tournament performances have suffered as a result. Today, improved driving combined with reliable putting helped him produce an acceptable score.

The tournament is contested over four rounds and 72 holes through May 17. A total of 150 professional players are competing, including 56 international players from eight countries and regions: Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United States, and Thailand, along with 94 Taiwanese players. The champion will earn NT$1.5 million and the championship trophy.

This prestigious event marks its 59th edition this year and is jointly organized by Sun Flower Cotton Industrial Co., Ltd., the Sun Flower Charity and Education Foundation, and The PGA of Taiwan, with co-organization support from the 107-year-old Taiwan Golf & Country Club.

This is also the 11th consecutive year that Sun Flower has served as title sponsor of the event. Prize money distribution includes NT$1.5 million for the champion, NT$700,000 for the runner-up, and NT$380,000 for third place.

The tournament is also the first major event of this year’s TPGA Taiwan Tour season. Eligibility includes the top 60 players from last season’s Taiwan Tour money list, past champions of Taiwan’s four major tournaments, and the top 62 players from the annual qualifying school rankings.

Since its inaugural edition in 1966, the TPGA Championship was historically regarded as one of Taiwan’s three major tournaments alongside the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and the Taiwan Open. After the Taiwan Open was discontinued, the YEANGDER TPC Championship took its place, while the TPGA Championship has maintained its tradition as one of Taiwan’s premier events.