Friday’s final round of the 2026 Friends of TLPGA & Royal Open was completely washed out after a nearby typhoon hammered the Royal Kuan-Hsi course with torrential rain. With subsequent forecasts showing no signs of the downpour letting up, tournament officials made the call to cancel the final round and shorten the event to 36 holes. This secured the title for overnight leader Pakin Kawinpakorn of Thailand, who was crowned champion with her stellar two-round total of 9-under 135.

Thai compatriots Wannasiri Sirisampant and Pimnipa Panthong took home runner-up and third-place honors with totals 137 and 138, respectively.

Huang Ching (黃靖) and Chang Ya-Chun (張雅淳) finished as the top Taiwanese players in a tie for fourth at 139. Meanwhile, Royal Kuan-Hsi Club’s own Olivia Hung (洪阡瑋) finished with a 141 to claim the low-amateur victory, while securing an impressive tie for sixth on the overall leaderboard.

Celebrating her breakthrough maiden TLPGA Tour victory, an emotional Kawinpakorn shared her joy at the closing ceremony. “Winning a title here has been one of my biggest career goals, and after eight years of chasing it, it feels incredible to finally hold this trophy,” Kawinpakorn said. “It’s been a long wait, but I really hope this breakthrough is a great omen that opens the door to many more championships to come.”

“I want to thank all the players for pushing so hard. You didn’t make this easy for me at all, which makes this first trophy mean so much more. Huge thanks to the Friends of TLPGA. You aren’t just friends of the tour, you are truly my best friends now,” Kawinpakorn continued with a cute sense of humor. “Thank you for creating this event, and thanks to all the staff and volunteers. It’s a shame we couldn’t battle it out on the course today, but yeah, I’m feeling happy and lucky to take this victory!”

“It’s a true honor to return to a tournament with such a meaningful story behind it,” Friends of TLPGA Advisor and former TLPGA Chairwoman Liu Yi-Chen shared. “Back in 2021, when the pandemic hit hard and tournaments were canceled, Friends of TLPGA Executive Committee Member Mr. Huang J-T. rallied his friends in the business world to establish a development fund. They supported our players like a tight-knit team and launched the inaugural Friends of TLPGA Open to provide vital playing opportunities and income when players needed it most. It is incredible to see Royal Kuan-Hsi Club returned as a co-title-sponsor this year as well, making it now a premier NT$6 million event.”

Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club Chairman Liao N-C. expressed his pride in hosting such an elite international field. “It has been an absolute privilege to watch these amazing women compete,” Liao said. “A successful tournament requires an immense team effort. I want to thank our Friends of TLPGA partners, as well as the TLPGA and the event officiating team for their professionalism. Our course staff also worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep everything running flawlessly. I am confident that a high-caliber international event like this will continue to elevate global visibility of the TLPGA Tour. I’m looking forward to the next edition already.”

TLPGA Chairwoman Huang Bie-Shyun (黃璧洵) extended her deep appreciation to everyone involved in the week. “Our heartfelt thanks go out to the Friends of TLPGA, Mr. Huang and all of the supporting members, Advisor Liu Yi-Chen, and Royal Kuan-Hsi Club Chairman Liao Nien-Chi,” Huang said. “It is entirely due to your unwavering dedication that the TLPGA can continue to grow this tournament, making it bigger and more successful with each passing year.”

The title-sponsoring social club, "Friends of TLPGA," was founded in 2021 by a group of passionate, golf-loving local entrepreneurs. They believe that high-level competition and the global success of local players are key to sparking interest among sports fans and junior golfers, which is vital for the growth of the sport in Taiwan. 

Through the "Friends of TLPGA" sponsorship program, funded by member donations, the organization provides monthly financial aid and tournament sponsor exemptions to promising, up-and-coming TLPGA Tour talents.

Co-title-sponsor Royal Kuan-Hsi Golf Club has been a cornerstone of support for the TLPGA Tour over the years, having also hosted seventeen editions of the TLPGA & Royal Open since 2002 itself. By joining forces with the Friends of TLPGA this year to push the prize money to an all-time high, the club once again demonstrates its deep, long-term commitment to the women’s golfing environment and its proactive dedication to building a premier competitive stage for local players.