Taipei, Chinese Taipei: Pavit Tangkamolprasert holed a nerve-jangling four-foot birdie putt on the final green to hold off defending champion Kazuki Higa and complete a memorable wire-to-wire victory at the Yeangder TPC.

The Thai’s one-shot win over his Japanese playing-partner secured him his first victory on the Asian Tour in seven years, after a string of near misses. It also moved him into first place on the 2026 Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Pavit closed with a six-under-par 66, for a four-round total of 25-under at Linkou International Golf & Country Club. Higa – attempting to become the first player to successfully defend the title – shot the same final-round score.

Chinese-Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao claimed third on his own by making birdie on the last for a 65, finishing one stroke further back. His compatriot Wang Wei-hsuan and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond were joint fourth, after carding 62 and 65 respectively.

Pavit’s last win on the Asian Tour came at the end of 2019 when he claimed the Sabah Masters in a play-off. That was his second title on the Tour, having triumphed at the Macau Open three years earlier, also in extra time. Few thought a third win would have taken quite so long – although the two-year break caused by the global pandemic did not help.

“Words can’t describe this week’s game,” said the 37-year-old. “I think this is the most solid tournament I’ve played all year. I made only one bogey out of 72 holes, which is fantastic. A lot of low rounds. Still, I had to make the shots because defending champion Kazuki Higa and me were playing together. He kept coming.”

Pavit described his four on the last as the ‘best birdie of my life’, while he will also long remember the opening hole, also a par-five.

Having begun the day with a one-shot lead over Higa, the Thai made the perfect start by eagling the first. Remarkably, he played the hole in seven-under this week, with three eagles and one birdie.

For most of the day he appeared on course for a comfortable victory, and also a record-setting one.

Lying three ahead of Higa with six to play he had not made a bogey all week and was attempting to become the first player in Asian Tour history not to drop a shot over 72 holes.

However, a disappointing bogey on the 13th and a birdie by Higa, denied Pavit the record and also cut his lead to one. His Japanese opponent then birdied the next hole, meaning they were tied with four to play.

Pavit had a chance to move one ahead on the 17th but missed a 12-footer for birdie, meaning they were level playing the par-five 18th.

The Thai took the upper hand by reaching the front of the green in two, while Higa hit his second left into a greenside bunker.

Facing a challenging long bunker shot, Higa splashed out to 20 feet while Pavit chipped up to four feet. Higa came close to making his putt but after it slipped past the hole, Pavit confidently holed out for a long-awaited victory.

He was also able to enjoy the win with his wife Chorphaka Jaengjit, a professional on the Thai LPGA Tour, who was here this week, commemorating their 20th anniversary of being together.

It is a reassuring victory for Pavit, who came close to winning earlier this year. He was second in the Philippine Golf Championship and joint runner-up in the International Series Japan.

It’s been a long wait for his third Asian Tour title although he was victorious at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open in 2024 on the Asian Development Tour – where he has triumphed a record eight times.

The expected challenge from Australian Travis Smyth, Merit list leader at the start of the week, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, and Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, did not materialise.

They were all on the shoulders of the leader at the start of the day, but Smyth carded a 70 to finish nine back, Kho shot a 71 and was eight behind, while Tabuena, playing in the final pairing, came in with a 72 to tie with Smyth – who has moved to second on the Merit list.

The Asian Tour remains in Chinese-Taipei for next week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, at Taiwan Golf & Country Club.