Yeangder TPC 2026

Round 1

Sep. 17, 2026

As one of the richest events on the Taiwan Tour and a premier fixture on the Asian Tour, the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship 2026 boasts a total prize purse of US$1.2 million (approximately NT$38.16 million). The tournament kicked off today (September 17) at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, where Taiwan's Hung Chien-yao, Thailand's Pavit Tangkamolprasert, and Malaysia's Ervin Chang all fired 8-under-par 64s to share the early lead. Defending champion Kazuki Higa of Japan, Taiwan's Wang Wei-hsuan, and New Zealand's Denzel Ieremia each carded 7-under-par 65s to sit tied for fourth place.

Six other players—Khavish Varadan of Malaysia, Thailand's Poosit Supupramai, 2023 champion Poom Saksansin, Jazz Janewattananond, Taiwan's Lee Chie-po, and Japanese amateur Daichi Hayashi—are tied for seventh at 66.

Hung Chien-yao put together a sharp performance with his driver, irons, chipping, and putting, creating numerous birdie opportunities. Starting from the 10th tee, he shot a 32 on his front nine with four birdies. On the back nine, he added an eagle and three birdies, starting with a brilliant chip-in from 20 yards out on the par-5 1st hole, followed by three consecutive birdies from holes 3 to 5. However, experiencing sudden leg cramps as he reached the 7th hole, he fought through the final three holes despite the physical toll. This discomfort caught up to him on the par-4 9th, where his third-shot approach left him short of the green, resulting in a two-putt bogey—his only blemish of the day—for another 32 on the back nine. He finished with 24 putts.

Hung noted that despite the struggle on the final three holes and his desire to keep a clean sheet, he failed to find the green in regulation on holes 7 and 8 (though he managed to save par both times) before breaking on the 9th. He expressed deep gratitude to his wife, who caddied for him today.

Having spent July and August grinding on the Taiwan Tour to adjust his long game and mindset, Hung claimed a victory at the Ambassador ADT in mid-July, which significantly boosted his confidence and mental maturity.

Thailand's Pavit Tangkamolprasert posted an eagle and six birdies with zero bogeys, displaying solid form across the bag. Starting from the 10th, he picked up four birdies on his opening nine for a 32. Turning to the par-5 1st, he crushed a great drive followed by a pitching wedge approach close to the pin to easily tap in for eagle, then added two more birdies to shoot another 32.

Pavit pointed out that his driving was good and his iron play was exceptional, hitting 14 greens in regulation with 26 putts. Though Linkou's greens are notoriously difficult, his precise iron shots consistently left him with 3-to-5-foot birdie looks, and his caddie's green readings were spot on.

Enjoying a stellar Asian Tour season with two runner-up finishes and a tenth place, Pavit currently sits sixth on the Order of Merit.

Ervin Chang carded nine birdies against a single bogey, fueled by a sharp short game and 24 putts—the key to his stellar round. He hit 14 greens in regulation and executed several brilliant recovery shots, including an 18-foot birdie conversion with a 6-iron from 185 yards out after a wayward drive on the 7th hole. On his final hole (the 9th), after a missed fairway and a wayward approach, he chipped directly into the cup for birdie, mirroring a similar chip-in birdie he made earlier on the 3rd.

Coming off a dominant seven-stroke victory at the Port Dickson Championship in Malaysia last August, Chang is riding a wave of great form. The 28-year-old turned professional in 2022, spent two years on the ADT, earned his Asian Tour card in 2024, and secured his career-best Asian Tour finish by tying for third at the Saudi Open late last year to rank 41st on the Order of Merit. His best finish this season was a tie for fifth at the Philippine Championship.

Kazuki Higa carded nine birdies and two bogeys, highlighted by a scorching streak of five consecutive birdies from holes 9 to 12. He noted that his driving was very stable and his overall ball-striking was solid, hitting 14 greens in regulation with 25 putts. Despite some gusty winds, he praised the pristine course conditions. Returning for his second appearance to defend his title, Higa—who is also supported by the Yeangder Group—approached the week with a relaxed, pressure-free mindset.

Though married to a Taiwanese wife, his wife and daughter currently reside in Japan while he travels globally to compete. Whenever he returns to Taiwan, he feels an overwhelming sense of coming home.

Wang Wei-hsuan shot a bogey-free round of seven birdies, noting that his driving was solid with only three wayward tee shots that still left him angles to attack the green. His touch within 100 yards and on the greens was excellent, reading lines accurately and creating plenty of chances mostly from 9 to 15 feet. He finished with 26 putts, with his longest conversion coming from 15 feet on the par-5 10th.

Wang shared that despite a two-month break from the Asian Tour, capturing two Taiwan Tour titles in August injected massive confidence into his game. Well-prepared for this week's Asian Tour showdown, he aims to push for a breakthrough finish. With five or six Asian Tour events remaining this season, his goal is to crack the top 20 on the Order of Merit (he currently ranks 50th).

New Zealand's Denzel Ieremia also fired a bogey-free 65 highlighted by seven birdies, displaying razor-sharp iron play that hit all 18 greens in regulation, though he required 30 putts.

The 72-hole tournament features 144 elite players from 28 countries competing for the championship trophy and a top prize of US$216,000 (approximately NT$6.86 million), setting a new record for the most countries and regions represented in tournament history.

Co-sanctioned by the Yeangder Group, the TPGA, and the Asian Tour, and assisted by the Linkou Golf Club, this marks the 15th staging of the international showcase over 17 years by the Yeangder Group, and the second of three Asian Tour events held in Taiwan this season.

Since its inception in 2010, the Yeangder TPC has grown significantly. Although the 2020 edition was canceled due to the global pandemic and the 2021 tournament was restricted to domestic players, the event returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2022. Prize money has steadily climbed from US$700,000 in 2020 to US$750,000 in 2023, US$1 million in 2024, and now a record-breaking US$1.2 million this year. The winner's share has likewise scaled from US$126,000 in 2020 to US$135,000 in 2023, US$180,000 in 2024 and 2025, and peaking at US$216,000 this week.

The second round tomorrow will feature split-tee starts in the morning and afternoon. Morning groups tee off from 6:30 AM to 8:20 AM, while afternoon groups run from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The influx of world-class talent from 28 countries and regions—including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, England, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mauritius, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, Wales, and hosts Taiwan (comprising 104 foreigners and 40 locals, including two amateurs, with Thailand boasting the largest contingent at 22 players followed by 13 Americans)—promises a fierce battle.

Linkou's 7,108-yard layout across the South and West courses features narrow fairways, elevated 'tabletop' greens, challenging chipping areas, and demanding putting surfaces that will thoroughly test every aspect of the players' short games and precision.

Tournament Special Awards:

Hole-in-One Prize: NT$10,000, sponsored by ThreeBond Hong Kong Limited Taiwan Branch, awarded to the first professional to make a hole-in-one on the 8th hole during the four official rounds. Mr. C.K. Hsu Memorial Award: US$1,000 awarded to the lowest scorer of each round (split equally in the event of a tie).

Course Record Bonus: NT$20,000 provided by Linkou Golf Club for breaking the existing course record of 63 set by Lien Lu-sen.

Spectators are welcome to attend. Passes can be obtained free of charge by filling out registration details at the tournament service desk. Spectators must walk strictly on the cart paths; golf carts and inter-hole shuttle services are not provided. For safety reasons, children under 6 and pets are prohibited on the course.

Live and recorded broadcast coverage will be available. Highlights of the first two rounds (Sept 17–18) will be broadcast at 11:00 PM on Sportcast Golf Channel 2, alongside streaming on the Sportcast Taiwan YouTube channel and TPGA Facebook page. The final two rounds (Sept 19–20) will feature live TV and online broadcasts starting at 11:00 AM across all three platforms.