2025 YEANGDER TPC
Round 1
2025/9/18
Taiwan’s first Asian Tour event of the year — the YEANGDER TPC CHAMPIONSHIP with a total prize purse of US$1,000,000 (approximately NT$30 million) — officially teed off today (18th) at Linkou Golf Club. In strong winds, defending champion Suteepat Prateeptienchai of Thailand relied on precise chipping and putting to card a six-under-par 66, taking the outright lead and earning the Mr. Hsu Jin-der Memorial Award of US$1,000 for the day’s low round. Charles Porter (USA) is one stroke back after a 67.
Miguel Tabuena (PHI) shot a four-under 68 to sit third.
Seven players share fourth at 69: Asian Tour Order of Merit No. 2 Kazuki Higa (JPN), Chen Yi-tung, Wang Wei-hsuan, Dominic Foos (GER), Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Witchayapat Sinsrang, and Hong Kong’s Matthew Cheung.
Suteepat’s 66 featured one eagle, five birdies, and one bogey. He hit 11 fairways; while his irons were less sharp, his short game and putting were superb — just 21 putts, best of the day. He went four-under on the par-5s with one eagle and three birdies, highlighted by a 15-yard eagle putt at the 4th. At the 1st (par-5) he chipped close for birdie, and at the 3rd (par-4) he holed a 10-yard birdie putt.
Afterwards he said, “The wind was really strong — the strongest I’ve ever seen at Linkou. I didn’t think about defending. With conditions this challenging, you just focus on execution.”
The 208 cm American Charles Porter made six birdies against one bogey. With basketball-like stature he averaged 362.5 yards off the tee. Despite finding only six fairways, he took just 26 putts. The 24-year-old San Franciscan is making his tournament debut and noted that patience was essential in the wind and on the tricky greens.
Miguel Tabuena tallied six birdies and two bogeys, including birdies on the par-5 1st, 4th, and 10th, but a bogey on the par-5 18th. “The greens are tough to read this week and the wind is strong, so low scores are hard to come by,” he said. A YEANGDER TPC regular since its 2010 debut, Tabuena knows Linkou well: runner-up in 2014 and 2015 and third in both 2010 and last year. He ranked 7th on the 2023 OOM and is currently 28th.
Kazuki Higa recorded four birdies and one bogey. His driver was sharp; irons and putter were average. He still converted the key chances he had, including birdies on three par-5s — notably a 12-yard chip-in at 18 — and nine-foot par saves at 14 and 15. He praised the greens as the best he’s seen this year and stated his goal plainly: to beat Suteepat and win.
Chen Yi-tung posted two eagles, three birdies, and four bogeys. At the par-5 1st he reached in two and holed a 30-foot eagle putt; at his closing hole, the par-4 9th, he holed a 50-degree wedge from 138 yards for a second eagle. His prettiest birdie came at the 2nd after a six-iron approach to three feet. He said the wind made tee shots and approaches difficult and was satisfied with the score.
Wang Wei-hsuan made seven birdies and four bogeys, including three birdies on par-5s. His longest birdie was 15 feet at the 2nd. “My irons controlled the wind well and left a lot of good looks. Putting was solid — 26 putts,” he said. Some faster-than-practice green speeds led to a few heavy-handed chips and bogeys. He’ll adjust his short-game pace tomorrow and, having rested the past two weeks, aims to stay steady and maintain form.
Seventeen-year-old amateur Hsieh Cheng-wei shot 70 to sit T11. In 2022, at age 14, he became the youngest YEANGDER TPC competitor and, at 14 years 33 days, the youngest player to make a cut on any international tour (including PGA and DP World Tour). This is his fourth straight appearance after three missed cuts. “The early strong winds made distance control tough,” said the Linkou-trained player, adding he now feels technically and mentally more mature under pressure.
The YEANGDER TPC, inaugurated in 2010, is Yeangder Group’s 14th hosting in 15 years and the first of three Asian Tour events in Taiwan this year. It is the 13th stop of the 2025 Asian Tour’s 23-event season.
This 72-hole event features 144 players from 25 countries, competing for the trophy and a winner’s check of US$180,000 (approx. NT$5.76 million). The robust purse elevates the event, attracts international elites, and boosts world ranking points. Kazuki Higa (JGTO Money King 2022) arrives off last week’s tri-sanctioned Shinhan Donghae Open victory and his 8th JGTO title at the ISPS Handa Explosion in the Summer on August 17.
Round-2 tee times: morning wave 6:30 a.m.–8:20 a.m.; afternoon wave 11:10 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Since 2010, prize money has grown from US$700,000 (2020) to US$750,000 (2023) and US$1,000,000 (2024), maintained this year.
The field includes players from Argentina, Australia, England, Spain, France, Germany, Guatemala, Indonesia, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, and Chinese Taipei. Of the 144 players, 99 are international and 42 are from Taiwan (including two amateurs). Thailand leads with 26 entries, the United States has 11.
The championship is co-sanctioned by Yeangder Group, TPGA, and the Asian Tour, with Linkou Golf Club as co-organizer. Play is on the South and West courses, total 7,108 yards. Narrow fairways, exacting approach targets, demanding greenside shots, and precise putting will decide the title.
Over the past decade, the tournament has drawn significant attention across Asia and internationally, providing Taiwan’s players with a global stage. Upholding international standards, the organizers are also providing complimentary buffet lunches each day for all players and their families or caddies.
Special Prizes
Hole-in-One (Hole 8): NT$100,000 to the first ace during official rounds, sponsored by ThreeBond Hong Kong Ltd. Taiwan Branch.
Hole-in-One (Hole 11): NT$100,000, sponsored by SOCH Furniture | Diandiansleep.
Mr. Hsu Jin-der Memorial Award: US$1,000 to the lowest scorer each round (shared if tied).
Hole-in-One Bonuses: NT$12,000 each on all four par-3 holes, sponsored by Linkou Golf Club.
Course Record Bonus: NT$20,000 for breaking the 63 held by Coach Lien Lu-sen, sponsored by Linkou Golf Club.
Spectators are welcome free of charge but must register at the service desk for an entry pass. All spectators must stay on cart paths; golf carts and hole-to-hole shuttles are prohibited. For safety, children under six and pets are not allowed on course.
The final two rounds (Sept. 20–21) will be live-streamed from 11:00 a.m. on the TPGA Facebook page and YouTube. News and replays are also available via Yahoo Sports, the TPGA website, LINE Golfourit, LINE Today, and Videoland Sports Channel. In addition, Golf Media — Taiwan’s only digital golf-course media network — will simulcast across 20 courses nationwide for real-time coverage.
