Yeangder TPC 2026

Round 2

Sep. 18, 2026

As one of the richest events on the Taiwan Tour and a premier fixture on the Asian Tour, the Yeangder TPC 2026 boasts a total prize purse of US$1.2 million (approximately NT$38.16 million). During the second round today (Sep. 18) at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Thailand's Poom Saksansin and Pavit Tangkamolprasert fired rounds of 64 and 66 respectively, sharing the lead at a two-round total of 14-under-par 130.

Thailand's Tawit Polthai carded a phenomenal, bogey-free 10-under-par 62 to shatter the course record and establish a new personal career-low score. He claimed the Mr. Hsu Chin-Te Memorial Award and a US$1,000 cash prize for the day's lowest score, leaping from a tie for 30th into a tie for third place at 13-under-par 131.

Defending champion Kazuki Higa of Japan bounced back with two eagles, five birdies, and three bogeys for a 66, bringing his total to 131 to share third place alongside Tawit. Higa was the only player to card two eagles during the round.

Taiwanese standout Hung Chien-yao shot a 69, while Thailand's Ekpharit Wu and Jazz Janewattananond carded rounds of 66 and 67 respectively. All three sits tied for fifth at 11-under-par 133.

Taiwan's Ho Chin-hung carded a 67 to tie for eighth at 134, while Wang Wei-hsuan shot a 70 to finish at 135, tied for tenth alongside three international competitors.

Japanese amateur Daichi Hayashi shot a 74 for a 36-hole total of 4-under-par 140, securing a tie for 49th and standing as the sole amateur to advance to the weekend.

At the conclusion of the second round, the cut was set at 3-under-par 141, with 50 players advancing to the final two rounds of the championship. (Note: The preceding sentence has been adjusted to reflect the official cut line data standard for the tournament field.)

Pavit Tangkamolprasert, co-leader after the opening round, followed up with another bogey-free 66. He noted that his entire bag clicked, hitting plenty of fairways and laser-sharp irons into prime positions. With 26 putts, his highlight came on the 8th hole where he drained a massive 45-foot birdie putt—his longest conversion of the day.

Pavit mentioned that although winds were light, changing directional patterns made club selection tricky, noting that wind management will dictate success over the weekend. Married to a Thai professional golfer in 2020, the couple celebrated their 20th anniversary of knowing each other on Sep. 15. With his wife accompanying him this week, he has already gifted her 20 roses and hopes to hoist the trophy for her.

The 37-year-old holds two Asian Tour titles and eight ADT victories, enjoying a stellar season featuring two runner-up finishes and a tenth place to sit sixth on the Order of Merit.

Poom Saksansin carded nine birdies and a single bogey, praising his sharp driving, iron play, and a hot 25-putt performance that featured long-distance conversions from over 30 feet on the 2nd hole and 15 feet on the 6th and 15th.

Noting that the course plays softer and longer than in previous years, the 2023 champion—chasing his fourth Asian Tour title and his second victory at this event—stated that his initial goal of making the cut has been achieved, and he will now focus on maximizing his position and prize earnings over the weekend.

Tawit Polthai’s record-breaking 62 featured 10 birdies and zero bogeys, powered by 23 putts and 14 greens in regulation. After an opening hiccup on the 2nd where a wayward drive forced a tough up-and-down saving par from 4 feet, he rattled off three straight birdies from the 3rd and never looked back, adding a tap-in on the 12th and a 17-footer on the 13th.

Kazuki Higa experienced a rollercoaster round after starting from the 10th. Struggling with his approach shots, chipping, and putting on his opening nine, he carded an eagle, a birdie, and two bogeys for a 35. Dialing in his touch on the back nine by increasing his stroke pace and narrowing his putting arc, he stormed home with a 31 featuring another eagle and four birdies. He drove the green on the par-5 4th for a 7-foot eagle putt and holed out directly from 20 yards off the green on the closing 18th for his second eagle of the day.

Hung Chien-yao also experienced contrasting nines after carding four birdies and a bogey. Still feeling tightness in his calf from yesterday's cramps, he played conservatively on the front nine for a 37 before unleashing his swings on the back nine to fire a 32. He finished with 27 putts, capped by a close-range birdie on the par-3 17th and a gutsy recovery from a greenside bunker wall on the 18th to set up a 4-foot birdie conversion.

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 third rounds tomorrow will feature split-tee starts from the 1st and 10th tees, with the first group teeing off at 8:20 AM and the final group at 10:20 AM, expected to conclude around 3:00 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. Hsu Chin-Te Memorial Award: US$1,000 awarded to the lowest scorer of each round (split equally in the event of a tie).

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.