New Taipei City: Kazuki Higa continued his imperious form on the Asian Tour, winning the US$1 million Yeangder TPC on Sunday for his second title in two weeks following the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea, and moved to the top place on the Order of Merit.
Higa, the highest-ranked player in the field at Linkou International Golf and Country Club this week, was solid throughout the four rounds and shot a bogey-free four-under-par 68 in the final round to finish on 17-under total of 271 for a two-shot win.
Overnight leader, American Charles Porter (71), once again started with two birdies in his first four holes but managed to add just one more after that to fall to a tie for second place at 15-under 273 alongside Wang Wei-hsuan (67), the best-placed player from Chinese-Taipei and Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan (66).
Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena (66) and American Shotaro Ban (68) both birdied the final hole to finish joint fifth at -14. Indian duo of Ajeetesh Sandhu and Viraj Madappa (both 68), rounded up the top-10 with Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (70), Australia’s Travis Smyth (71) and local amateur Hsieh Cheng-wei (71).
Hsieh finished bogey-bogey, but the 17-year-old’s tied seventh place was another feather in his cap. It was by far the best showing by an amateur in the championship. The previous best was Wang’s tied 49th in 2017. Hsieh also holds the Asian Tour record of the youngest player to make the cut in 2022.
Higa, who won the BTI Open in Bangladesh on his debut on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2018, caught up with Porter with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th, and could have gone ahead on the 14th, where he missed another birdie chance from three feet.
The tournament completely turned in Higa’s favour when he dropped a well-read 12-footer for birdie on the tough par-4 15th hole, while Porter wound up making a bogey from the same distance after getting into trouble with his tee shot.
Porter could have closed the gap on the 17th hole and would have fancied his chances on the long par-five 18th holes, but his birdie attempt from less than four feet grazed the hole and missed.
Tournament sponsors Yeangder are also Higa’s personal sponsor and he had said after Saturday’s round that winning the tournament would mean the world to him.
After his Sunday round, Higa said: “It’s a very good feeling, I just did something special.
“From the beginning of the season, my form has been very good. I’ve been in contention many times, but could not manage to get a win until five weeks ago in Japan. It was just some small things that I needed to get better. Like, the putting is getting better and there’s no more stress from the tee shots. It’s the reason we could get these wins.”
On his final round, the 30-year-old from Okinawa said: “On the front nine, we hit some good shots, hit some good putts, but it didn’t just drop. The reads were just a little bit wrong and I just needed to stay patient and not to be aggressive on the tee shots. The putts started to drop at a good time.”
Higa won the 2022 Order of Merit on the Japan Golf Tour, but despite taking the lead, he was not entertaining any thoughts of adding an Asian Tour crown to his CV.
“It’s the middle of the season, and there are many International Series events, the big events, coming up now. So, not thinking too much about this. Just keeping it in mind a little bit that we are in a good spot to have a chance and just try to play golf like I’ve been doing until now.”
Despite the heartbreak, it was Porter’s best finish on the Asian Tour and elevated him to 32nd in the Order of Merit.
“I felt really out of rhythm off the tees, especially. I feel like in the future, finding a way to calm down and just swing like I know how to swing it will be beneficial,” said the 6ft 9in Porter.
“I’m just thinking about how I can learn for next time. In this game, you either win or you learn, and there’s a lot of learning. So, I will reflect on this and I will learn a ton.”
Wang, who had two late bogeys on the 14th and 17th holes, said: “My overall performance is pretty good, and I played my long irons especially well. I was able to keep it in play off the tee and hit my second shots well to give myself good opportunities for birdies.
“The three-putt on 14th and missing that short putt on the 17th was disappointing. But I’m still happy to be the best-placed Taiwanese this week. This is also my best result in the tournament. I’ve exceeded my own expectations, which is good. Hoping to carry the positives into the next week.”
Scores after round 4 of the Yeangder TPC being played at Linkou International Golf & Country Club - a par 72, 7,108-yard layout (am - denotes amateur):
271 - Kazuki Higa (JPN) 69-67-67-68.
273 - Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 73-68-66-66, Wang Wei-hsuan (TWN) 69-71-66-67, Charles Porter (USA) 67-65-70-71.
274 - Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 68-69-71-66, Shotaro Ban (USA) 72-67-67-68.
275 - Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 75-64-68-68, Viraj Madappa (IND) 74-66-67-68, Suteepat Prateeptienchai (THA) 66-71-68-70, Travis Smyth (AUS) 70-67-67-71, Hsieh Cheng-wei (am, TWN) 70-67-67-71.
276 - Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (THA) 70-68-67-71.
277 - Matthew Cheung (HKG) 69-71-68-69, Ahmad Baig (PAK) 71-70-66-70.
278 - Dominic Foos (GER) 69-67-72-70, Brett Rankin (AUS) 70-68-70-70, Poom Saksansin (THA) 70-68-68-72.
279 - Tawit Polthai (THA) 72-71-67-69, Jaco Ahlers (RSA) 73-69-67-70.
280 - Austen Truslow (USA) 74-71-66-69, Kevin Yuan (AUS) 71-74-65-70, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 71-69-69-71, Settee Prakongvech (THA) 71-73-65-71.
281 - Sihwan Kim (USA) 75-70-68-68, Charngtai Sudsom (THA) 74-70-68-69, Chang Wei-lun (TWN) 76-67-69-69, Danthai Boonma (THA) 71-75-65-70, Miguel Carballo (ARG) 74-70-70-67, Ian Snyman (RSA) 70-69-71-71, Witchayapat Sinsrang (THA) 69-69-70-73, Yuvraj Sandhu (IND) 70-71-66-74.
282 - Micah Shin (USA) 72-71-68-71, Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN) 73-70-66-73.
283 - Lee Chieh-po (TWN) 73-69-71-70, Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 71-72-70-70, Dodge Kemmer (USA) 72-68-71-72, John Catlin (USA) 73-69-69-72, Roberto Lebrija (MEX) 75-66-74-68, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 71-74-64-74, Chase Koepka (USA) 73-73-71-66.
284 - Naoki Sekito (JPN) 73-70-70-71, Liu Yanwei (CHN) 72-71-70-71, Sampson Zheng (CHN) 74-71-67-72, Prom Meesawat (THA) 71-71-72-70, Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (THA) 71-71-67-75.
285 - Sean Ramos (PHI) 74-68-71-72, Nick Voke (NZL) 74-67-70-74, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 74-71-69-71, Takumi Murakami (JPN) 70-75-69-71, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 75-70-71-69.
286 - Ervin Chang (MAS) 75-71-70-70, M.J. Maguire (USA) 80-66-71-69, Warun Ieamgaew (THA) 73-73-73-67.
287 - Chang Tse-yu (TWN) 72-71-72-72, Liu Yen-hung (TWN) 75-69-71-72, Steve Lewton (ENG) 74-70-72-71, Chen Yi-tong (TWN) 69-75-73-70, Taichi Kho (HKG) 79-67-71-70, Jose Toledo (GTM) 71-74-73-69.
288 - Shawn Lu (USA) 73-71-69-75, Justin Quiban (PHI) 73-73-68-74, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 72-68-75-73, Lawry Flynn (AUS) 72-71-73-72, Lu Wei-chih (TWN) 75-71-73-69.
289 - Manav Shah (USA) 73-71-69-76, Chan Shih-chang (TWN) 77-69-70-73, Jaewoong Eom (KOR) 73-72-72-72, Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA) 73-67-77-72.
290 - John Lyras (AUS) 73-71-70-76, Yikeun Chang (USA) 72-73-73-72, Jbe Kruger (RSA) 71-75-72-72, Berry Henson (USA) 73-73-73-71.
291 - Huang Chi (TWN) 76-70-75-70.
292 - He Chin-hung (TWN) 73-72-69-78, Wade Ormsby (AUS) 72-71-73-76, George Kneiser (USA) 73-70-73-76, Christopher Hickman (USA) 76-70-73-73.
295 - Hung Chao-hsin (TWN) 75-69-76-75.
297 - Jakkanat Inmee (THA) 76-70-76-75.
