Kazuki Higa of Japan. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Kazuki Higa underlined his dominance on the Asian Tour with a flawless performance at the US$1 million Yeangder TPC on Sunday, clinching his second straight title just a week after victory at the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea. The 30-year-old from Okinawa closed with a bogey-free four-under-par 68 at Linkou International Golf and Country Club to finish at 17-under 271, two shots clear of the field, and surged to the top of the Order of Merit.
Higa, the highest-ranked player in the field, delivered when it mattered most. After catching overnight leader Charles Porter with a 20-foot birdie on the 11th, he seized control on the par-4 15th, sinking a clutch 12-footer for birdie while Porter stumbled to a bogey. From there, Higa held firm to secure a memorable victory made all the sweeter with tournament sponsor Yeangder also being his personal backer.
“It’s a very good feeling, I just did something special,” said Higa. “From the beginning of the season, my form has been good, but I couldn’t manage to get a win until five weeks ago in Japan. Now, the putting is better, the tee shots are stress-free, and that’s why we are getting these results.”
Porter, who had led for much of the week, could only manage a 71 to slip into a tie for second at 15-under 273 alongside Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan (67) and Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan (66). The towering 6ft 9in American rued missed opportunities, including a birdie putt from inside four feet at the 17th. Still, the runner-up finish marked his best result yet on the Asian Tour, lifting him to 32nd on the Order of Merit.
“I felt out of rhythm off the tees,” Porter admitted. “But in this game, you either win or you learn, and I’ve learned a lot this week.”
Wang, the leading local player, thrilled home fans with his joint runner-up finish despite late bogeys on the 14th and 17th. “Overall, my long irons were very good, and I exceeded my own expectations,” said Wang. “This is my best result in this tournament, and I hope to carry the positives into next week.”
Rounding out the leaderboard, the Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena (66) and American Shotaro Ban (68) shared fifth at 14-under, while Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai (70), Australia’s Travis Smyth (71), India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and Viraj Madappa (68), and local amateur sensation Hsieh Cheng-wei (71) tied for seventh at 13-under.
For Hsieh, just 17, it was a breakthrough performance, the highest finish by an amateur in the championship’s history. Already the youngest player to make a cut on the Asian Tour (2022), he further burnished his reputation despite finishing bogey-bogey.
As for Higa, the reigning 2022 Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit champion, his back-to-back triumphs confirm he is the man to beat, though he remains grounded. “It’s the middle of the season with many big International Series events coming up,” he said. “I’m not thinking too much about the Order of Merit yet, just focusing on playing my golf the way I have been.”
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.
