The Yeangder TPC featured one of its strongest ever fields last week, with players jostling to finish as high up as possible on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, as the season enters its closing stages. They also had plenty to say about it as well. Here are the best quotes of the week, where victory went to Pavit Tangkamolprasert from Thailand.

First Round

Malaysia’s Ervin Chang after his 64 (-8) to be tied for the lead on day one:

“My putting and my damage control overall were key today. On hole number seven, my 16th basically as I started on back nine, I actually duffed my tee-shot. Then I had 185 yards to the pin, into the wind, and hit a six iron to 18 feet and made it for birdie. On hole number nine, my last hole, I hit my tee shot a little bit left, but the second shot caught a flyer over the green, but I chipped in for birdie. Earlier on three I also chipped in for birdie. There were some crazy moments, some moment that just made me wonder, like, am I doing this correctly?”.

On cutting back on his time online and on social media:

“I didn’t look at the scoreboard, and it’s something that I’ve been working on over the last three months. I didn’t cut off social media, but I cut off golf on my social media, on my Instagram, as just because on the golf course it is stressful enough, and I don’t look at golf again after the round.”

Pavit Tangkamolprasert from Thailand, who also fired a 64 on Thursday, on playing in Chinese Taipei:

“I mean, I played here a lot. I love it. I have very good friends here, you know, and all the tea, good food, very happy about this week. My irons were on fire today, kind of like three feet, four feet, left me easy putts.”

On having his wife Chorphaka Jaengjit, a Thai LPGA professional, join him during his week in Taipei:

“This week is our 20th anniversary of being together. So, it is a very special week for me. I am trying to win for her.”

Kazuki Higa.

Local star Chien-yao Hung after his 64 to join the leaders:

“I bogeyed the last, but I told myself it’s ok. I think the main highlight today was how I played through my calf cramps on the last three holes! I was just thinking about how I got it. Did I not drink enough water? Maybe because the weather is cooling that’s why I thought I didn’t need to drink too much. I knew it’s easy to make bogeys on the last three holes, so I wasn’t expecting too much. Because of the cramps, I wasn’t able to concentrate as well. I actually had an easy chip on the last, but I didn’t chip well which was a pity. But overall, it’s alright.”

Second Round

Thai Tawit Polthai on his 62, an un-official course record due to preferred lies in effect, on Friday:

“Everything was like a perfect day for me. I mean, it’s like my driving was good, irons were good and I hit all the good numbers and my putting was very well.  I’ve shot 10 under in like a practice round before, but not in a tournament.”

Fellow Thai Poom Saksansin talking about his recent form after a 64 in the second round to share the lead:

“It’s not been very good. I’ve played in local events and finished not so well. But I just opened an academy and I was teaching one of my friends, and I was just teaching him a drill, which took about two hours, and then that drill got into my swing. So good luck for me.”

About the drill he explained:

“My swing is a little bit too deep on my backswing and my shaft gets too flat, which is the same problem as my friend. So, I just told him that you have to get your hands more in front and more steep on the backswing. I kept doing that drill for two hours because I was teaching him. I wasn’t hitting any shots. Then yeah, that drill got into my swing.”

Joint leader Pavit Tangkamolprasert on his week at the halfway stage:

“I’m feeling pretty good this week, it’s been very easy game for the first two days for me. I mean, I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and my putts have dropped this week. So yeah, a couple of low rounds.”

About the Linkou International course he said:

“Well, I like this course actually. I mean, like you don’t have to hit it long, just put it in a good position, and I can reach the par fives. So yeah, this week the first two days I think my position is very good. My driving is pretty good this week, so that means my ball position I hit it from the fairway. Especially this course, you know, you have to hit it on the fairway to make a birdie. And then my irons have been good for the past two days, and my putt have dropped.”

Chien-Yao Hung.

Third Round

Leader Pavit Tangkamolprasert on being bogey free through 54 holes:

“I’m quite surprised because I’m kind of like, you know, a birdie bogey player, but yeah, this week I think I put the ball in a very good position. I mean, when I missed it’s not been in that tough a place, for the past three days. I think that’s the key.”

On what a win would mean to him after coming second twice on the Asian Tour and twice on the All Thailand Tour in 2026:

“I know would be very, very happy for myself because you know, I keep knocking on the door for maybe five or six years, even this year already, including the All Thailand Tour and Thai PGA. And yeah, if it’s my week, it’s my week, so I just have to stay calm tomorrow. Do what I did for the past three days and then let’s see.”

Defending champion Kazuki Higa from Japan after his 67 to move him up to second place after three rounds:

“I made less mistakes today, compared to yesterday. Today’s biggest challenge for me was reading the greens. Gave myself a lot of birdie chances but missed a few short putts out there which was a pity. This is the best day so far this week that I’ve hit my woods and irons. I started the final round one shot back last year too so I’m in a similar position again. I will just try and make as many birdies as I can again tomorrow and see how it goes. I don’t feel any pressure right now. I’m happy to be in this position heading into the final round.”

Filipino Miguel Tabuena after his 63 that included a back-nine 29:

“Yeah, it’s been a while. It was a bit of a slow start on the front nine, and then just the putter caught on fire on the back nine. I didn’t hit it as well as yesterday, I missed like maybe six fairways today, but you know the greens aren’t the fastest, so you can get away with being in the rough. And it’s just one of the days where the putter got hot, and a chip in on 16 also helped.”

On being back on the Asian Tour after playing on LIV for most of the season:

“You know it’s always nice coming back, it’s my favorite tour by far. It’s been the family for the longest time, and you know, it’s a nice way to end the year. Being around Asia, being close to Manila is a big boost for sure.”

Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho also went low on Saturday, posting a 64 after playing the first seven holes in six under to get back in contention:

“Yeah, it was a really fast start. Kind of two very different nines, because on the front I was hitting a lot of fairways, hitting a lot of greens, and kind of just tapping in for birdie, really. And then on the back, I just felt like I just kind of didn’t hit as many fairways, and then kind of just didn’t quite judge the wind great every single time. So felt like I was hitting good shots still, but I was just missing the greens, and I felt like my short game really went on display on the back nine and I’m really proud of how I was able to keep together a strong round.”

Taichi Kho.

On his recent form after winning the International Series Morocco in early June:

“I think the only thing that I’ve realized is, you know, I put a lot of work in after Morocco. Like I put in a lot of work before Morocco and after Morocco, and yeah, sometimes golf just has its way of doing its own thing. I’ve realized the results side of things and the performance side of things is, I think some of it’s in our control, but a lot of it is out of our control. I’m just trying to bring my best self to the table more often, and when I say that, I mean you know in terms of like the person that I am and the type of focus that I bring to the table, and less so about the performance side. So, as I’m just focusing more on that side of things this week as opposed to the scoring side, I’m obviously bringing a lot of good golf to the table.”

Final Round

Winner Pavit Tangkamolprasert on his emotions after making a birdie on the 72^nd hole to beat Kazuki Higa by one shot:

“You know, words can describe this week’s game, I think this is the most solid tournament I’ve played all year. I made only one bogey out of 72 holes, which is very fantastic. But yeah, a lot of low rounds. Still, I had to make the shots because you know, like the defending champion Kazuki Higa and me were playing together, he kept coming and he was playing very solid. But yeah, it’s just on the last hole he made par and I made birdie.”

Asked if it felt like a match-play situation with Higa he said:

“Not really. You know, I just wanted to concentrate on my game actually, I didn’t look at the scores much, and you know, I’ve been coming very close for so many times, and it helps a lot, you know. I just keep trying, keep trying, doesn’t matter. But yeah, as I told you, so it’s this week and it was my luck.”

On what was the key moment in the final round:

“Yeah the first hole, I started with an eagle again. So that boosted a lot of confidence, followed on the third and fourth holes with birdies, so yeah, a hot start. You know, when you play in the final round, you know everyone is shooting low. A couple guys shot like 10 under, nine under, coming up. But yeah, four under first four is the key, just make it very, very easy for myself.”

Runner-up Kazuki Higa on his final round at Linkou after coming up one shot behind:

“I played alright the last four days. Thought I will just add some pressure to the other competitors like Pavit today. I didn’t hit a good tee shot on the last, second shot i thought i hit it good but it went into the bunker. I thought my bunker shots are my strongest but this week, i was in the bunkers four times and i only hit one good one. That was disappointing.”

Describing his mindset during the final round:

“I told myself i needed to make at least a birdie in every three holes to be able to keep up the challenge. My putter held up when it mattered most so that was good. I didn’t set any targets today. i just wanted to make a birdie in every three holes. That was my main mindset today.”

Main picture Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Pictured by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.