Thailand’s hottest young golf prospect Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat may be a textbook example for any aspiring golfer, but he is also adept with the textbooks himself, as the 16-year-old just received the news he smashed his GCSE exams with (almost) straight As.

TK told Golf Digest Middle East in July about the hard work with life on tour and his studies — and he seems to have the perfect balance as he seeks to gain access to a top college in the United States as he looks to further his career.

He got news of his exam results as he was finishing off his final round at the Asian Tour’s International Series St Andrews Bay Championship in Scotland, where he finished T45.

“School is good,” said TK, who last year became the youngest winner on the Asian Tour when he claimed the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup by two shots over PGA Tour star Tom Kim of Korea.

“I just got my grades, A star in English, A in maths, so I’ll take that, you know. Like I’d hoped for an A star in math, but you can’t get everything you want. It should be good enough to get into any college alongside of good golf, but I still got a couple more subjects, so it seems like it’s a never-ending process. I did chemistry, physics and economics, now there are other subjects and I just want to get everything over with so I can finally be a full-time golfer.”

He actually received results in five subjects, with the only B he got surprisingly coming in Physical Education.

Now TK will have plenty of options where to continue his studies and golf career, with top-tier golf and academic universities on his radar.

He said: “I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve finalised a couple of deals with a couple of schools, and I just need to make up my mind as to where I want to go and commit to that place.”

While he’s not scheduled to graduate high school for another two years, he is fortunate enough that the universities he is considering are offering to start his college career earlier than that.

Regarding just how early he said: “It depends on the school. I graduate in 2025, by age I should start in September of 2025, but for one college I would start in September of 2024 and the rest I would start in January of 2024. That would be two years early, one year earlier has always been the plan all along, but some schools have even gone further than that and offered me two years early.”

The post TK hitting aces on the course and at school appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat has been making waves in the world of golf over the past year after winning the Asian Tour’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup last April to become the youngest golfer ever to win on one of the world’s major tours at the age of 15 years and 37 days.

The Thai amateur, now 16, has gone on to feature in International Series events, the PIF Saudi International and also play on the LIV Golf Series — all while balancing his school studies.

TK was competing at the Amateur Championship at Hillside Golf Club in England while taking time to take to Golf Digest Middle East.

● ● ●

It has been a very busy and hectic time trying to get the balance right between school and ‘work’, but I usually just focus on the task in hand. If I have a golf tournament, I focus on that, I put all my attention toward golf for the moment. With my international travel, regarding my schoolwork, I do a lot of work online and work with tutors on phone calls so I can catch up with all the work, which can happen from any country before I return home to school.

● ● ●

Honestly, finding time to relax doesn’t really exist at the moment. The only time I am not golfing or studying I am usually in the car. Let’s say, if I get a rare moment at home to relax, I am usually just listening to music or watching TV series. Sometimes I like to watch a bit of football and chat with my friends when I can. When I am actually physically in school, sure I am studying, but I am with my friends, having fun, so that is relaxing for me. 

● ● ●

I have some pretty ambitious career goals as I want to win a major Grand Slam and become world No. 1, these are my all-time goals. In the nearer future, I aim to get to amateur world No. 1 — while I am still an amateur — break into the top 200 in the world, get my second Asian Tour title, and win one of the amateur majors — like the one I am playing in right now — and get into one of the majors.

● ● ●

The experience I have gained playing alongside some of the top professionals on the Asian Tour, the International Series and on LIV Golf has been vital. I think the Saudi International was especially life-changing the two years I got to play there, and the International Series, where I also got to play alongside so many world No. 1s and major champions. The stuff they have passed on to me at LIV has been life-changing, too. Playing with the pros has also made me more mature. You spend weeks around these determined adults and it changes how you see things. Some of the pros like Phil [Mickelson] and Cam Smith have been inspirational. 

● ● ●

The International Series has been a great introduction for me as I have learnt golf in Europe and Asia are almost a different sports: the climate, the grass, the way you play and plan the course. It rained here in England for a couple of hours this morning but I missed it. I got lucky with the British weather! I think it is great that the Asian Tour has expanded to these new destinations and I am super-excited to get to Scotland [Fairmont St Andrews for the International Series St Andrews Bay Championship in August]. I 100 per cent want to play in as many places as possible as, if you want to play pro, it is super important to help you learn new shots and see things differently, and it is great to get that exposure early on. 

● ● ●

When it comes to my favourite place to play, that is a tough one. I love Singapore as the three courses I have played — Laguna, Sentosa and Tanamera — have all been amazing, but I love to play in the States because they have some stunning courses and the weather can be not as hot as in Asia … I am done with the heat! If I was to pick a favourite course it might be [LIV Golf destination] Centurion Club, because it is just perfect.

The post Journey: Schoolboy wonderkid TK takes in all in his stride appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

As has become the norm, the 2023 champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2024 Masters and the 152nd Open, while the runners-up will gain a place in Final Qualifying for the Open.

“We are proud to announce the return of the AAC to Royal Melbourne,” said Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A, who run the championship alongside the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and Augusta National. “We are committed to elevating amateur golf across the Asia-Pacific and taking this championship back to one of the world’s best courses.”

All of which is for the future. More immediately, many of the pre-tournament favourites gathered at Amata Spring Country Club just outside Bangkok made their collective presence felt by the end of a day where rain constantly threatened but eventually came to naught.

Bo Jin of China, T-3 last year in Dubai and the younger brother of 2015 champion Cheng Jin — is looking down on the other 119 competitors after an opening-round 65 that included six birdies, an eagle and only one dropped shot. The 20-year-old junior at Oklahoma State leads by two, but as many as 18 others broke 70 and 40 broke par. “Bunched” is the word we are looking for to describe the leaderboard.

https://twitter.com/AAC_Golf/status/1585592385186430976

Perhaps most significantly, the highest-ranked player in the field, Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, is among the three-strong group on 67. But others with legitimate ambitions of ultimate success are also lurking nearby. Arizona State graduate James Leow from Singapore matched Chantananuwat’s score. Three members of the formidable seven-strong Australian squad — Harrison Crowe, Karl Vilips and Joshua Greer — shot in the 60s. And, even more impressively, all six of Jin’s compatriots shot par or better.

All of which suggests much more is likely to happen over the next three days. So far at least, this is little more than traditional opening round jostling for position.

“Two behind is OK,” said TK, neatly summing up his situation. “I’ve played in professional events. You don’t win on the first day. You don’t win until the 72nd hole. I’ve learned that from personal experience. I tried to win on Saturday, and it did not work out.”

Still, the local man — if such a term can be attached to a 15-year old, no matter how mature — left the course a little disappointed. While he was quick to dispel the notion that he could have “run away” from Jun’s score, his voice failed to conceal his regret. Armed with ball-striking tee-to-green that produced a plethora of birdie opportunities, TK’s score could and perhaps should have approached the 12-under 60 he shot in his only practice round.

“My putting is usually on point,” he said. “It’s just case of whether they go in or not. But today it was a bit below average, which is probably the result of me not having a proper practice session in the past three weeks because of school and travelling. My iron game has been the biggest variable in my whole career. But it is solid now. I’ve figured it out somehow. Something just clicked. Now I need to put it into the rest of my game. Putting is the easiest to fix. I’m going to hit 300 putts tonight. It will be fine tomorrow.”

Not surprisingly, Jin was making more positive noises after such a strong start to an event he came so close to winning last year. Missing only “three or four” fairways, he took advantage of the preferred lies that were in place after heavy overnight rain.

“I am pleased,” he said. “It is hard not to be. I did everything well. Drove it great. Putted great. Approach shots were pretty good, too. Everything pretty much went my way. We all know there is going to be some pressure to come. But I’m just trying to enjoy my game and get as much out of it as I can.”

Ultimately, that would be a trip to Augusta, Georgia, another to Liverpool, England and, just maybe, an opportunity to defend this title on one of golf’s greatest courses Down Under.

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The post Favourites lurk on bunched leaderboard after Day 1 of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Which makes sense. A winner on the Asian Tour in April this year at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup, TK has risen to 12th in the World Amateur standings by beating those who play for money as well as those who play for fun. En route to becoming the youngest player in history to claim victory in an Official World Golf Ranking event, he shot a closing 65 to win by two shots from a guy named Tom Kim. You may have heard of him. He’s done rather well for himself since.

Along the way, TK has also played on a variety of professional tours, including the LIV Golf circuit. In the inaugural event of the league, TK shot 11-over par for the three rounds and finished T-38. In so doing, he beat six players, including former European Ryder Cup player Bernd Weisberger.

Ratchanon Chantananuwat at LIV Golf in London. LIV Golf

All of which only confirmed the enthusiasm that caused LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman to invite TK in the first place. Speaking to the South China Morning Post, the two-time Open champion was almost giddy in his praise.

“This is a kid who knows what he wants in life,” Norman told the newspaper. “After our call I said to my team: ‘We’ve gotta lock this kid up, we’ve got to get him on board because he’s 15 now, but can you imagine where he will be in 10 years … Oh my god.’ I’m pretty good at spotting talent, and trust me, this kid has got it. If I can give him an opportunity to play golf, I’m going to give it to him.”

That isn’t necessarily going to happen though. By playing in that LIV event as an amateur, TK has sensibly not burned any bridges with golf’s established and traditional tours.

“That’s one reason why I haven’t turned pro,” he says. “I want to keep my options open. For the past century America has been the centre of golf. College is there. And so is the PGA Tour. Again, those are reasons to go to college in the States. Regardless of what happens in the future, the best tour will likely be there.

“World Ranking points are literally the only thing I’m playing for right now. That’s the only thing that motivates me other than winning. As an amateur I don’t get anything -— I don’t get money — so the only thing I want is World Ranking points.”

At least in the short term then, we can assume that TK will not be committing himself to LIV, where there are currently no World Ranking points on offer. Besides, not surprisingly and despite his clearly prodigious talent, he is far from the finished article as a player, a fact he readily acknowledges.

“This week, I have no idea how I compare with any of these players,” he says. “But I know the talent level is very high. As for when I’m up against the best in the world, I’m far behind. I’m getting there, but I have a long way to go. I can shoot low scores like they can. But they are so much more consistent. They don’t do the really stupid things. Their games are tighter than mine. I am still capable of hitting a couple of leaks. I played recently with Charl Schwartzel. His ball-flight didn’t seem to be affected by anything. It was like the ball was in a vacuum.

“It’s an old cliché, but it’s true: We are all only as good as our bad shots. That’s the perfect way to say it, even if my good shots are just about as good as those of the pros. They can hit good shots. I can hit good shots. But their bad shots are way better than mine.”

A 15-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat celebrates his win on the Asian Tour.

Sensibly — which again comes as no surprise given this young man’s amazing level of maturity — he is aways from turning professional. College in the US is likely to be the next stop in his burgeoning career, academics always a big part of his life. This week he has already sat for exams in physics and economics.

“I love school,” TK says. “I really want to go to college, and I don’t think that will ever change. In the States that is. I like California. So Stanford would be the dream. But I have to see exactly what grades I get and what options I then have. What will be important wherever I end up is getting the right school/golf balance. I want to be somewhere I will be happy.

“Academics are important to me and my parents,” he continues. “They have sent me to one of the top, Division I golf in college. To do that I will have to go to a good school.”

Which is not to say some thought has not already been given to what comes after college.

“When I do turn professional, I will try to play on the tour where I have the most opportunities,” he says. “LIV Golf were first to approach me. And I really appreciate the opportunities they have given me to compete alongside world-class players. But in the future, I want to be wherever the best players are. I really hope that peace breaks out in the world of golf before I get to that point. I want to play against a full field. So I hope any discrimination between the various tours just goes away.”

More immediately, TK has a tournament to think about, one that will bring its on pressures. Already something of a star in his home country, he will make his AAC debut as one of the favourites to claim the Masters invitation and Open Championship exemption that go to the eventual champion. As ever though, TK is playing it cool.

“Playing here this week is not as big an advantage for me as you might think,” he says. “People think I’ve played here hundreds of times. But until three months ago I had played the course once. But in the last two months I’ve been here maybe five times. So I know it better than I did. I am familiar with this style of golf though. Most Thai courses are similar in that regard. Having said that, Amata is way above average. When you think of golf in Thailand you think of here.”

OK, what about tactics?

“I’ve tried to play events with a target score in mind,” he says. “And I’ve played others with nothing in mind. When I’ve won or at least played well, I’ve found that I do better when I have the least expectations. So tomorrow I’m not going to set myself a score. Today in practice I had an extraordinarily ‘deep’ score. So I’m going to have to get that out of my head … some of it anyway. I’m going to keep the good parts, the confidence and the good shots. Anything bad, I’m going to forget.”

Which is not something anyone should do whenever Ratchanon Chantananuwat is mentioned. If nothing else, he’s going to be a big name in golf.

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The post He’s 15, has won on the Asian Tour, competed in a LIV event and wants to play college golf. Meet ‘TK’, the favourite at the Asia Pacific Amateur appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

We have seen some old buddies teaming up for the innovative and lucrative tournament and others are getting to know each other for the first time. Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are in the same ‘Majesticks’ team, while veteran Phil Mickelson will have the youngest player by his side in Asian Tour teen star ‘TK’ Ratchanon Chantananuwat on ‘Hy Flyers’.

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Two players — Louis Oosthuizen and Poulter — selected only fellow countrymen in the draft. The Stinger team is made up entirely of South African players, whereas Majesticks is an all-English team.

We have all you need to know here. And you can follow all the live action here.

Here is the full breakdown of each team:

Crushers
Peter Uihlein, Richard Bland, Phachara Khongwatmai, Travis Smyth

Stinger GC
Louis Oosthuizen, Henni Du Plessis, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace

Iron Heads
Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Hideto Tanihara, Viraj Madappa

Torque GC
Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford, Adrian Otaegui, Andy Ogletree

Fireballs
Sergio Garcia, David Puig, James Piot, Jediah Morgan

Hy Flyers
Phil Mickelson, Justin Harding, Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Chase Koepka

Majesticks GC
Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter

Smash GC
Sihwan Kim, Scott Vincent, Jinichiro Kozuma, Itthipat Burananatanyarat

Cleeks GC
Martin Kaymer, Pablo Larrazabal, JC Ritchie, Ian Snyman

Punch GC
Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Blake Windred

Niblicks GC
Graeme McDowell, Bernd Wiesberger, Turk Petit ,Oliver Fisher

Aces GC
Dustin Johnson, Shaun Norris, Oliver Bekker, Kevin Yuan

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By Matt Smith
History was made on Thursday as the International Series England teed off at Slaley Hall outside Newcastle — the first Asian Tour event in the UK.

Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun upstaged a stellar field to take the first-round lead with a six-under-par 65.

Hot on his heels is Dubai-based Indian veteran Shiv Kapur, who posted a 67 alongside some big names including Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Tanapat Pichaikool, and Kasidit Lepkurte, Korean Joohyung Kim and fellow Indian SSP Chawrasia.

Kapur shot a blemish-free four-under days after he urged his fellow Asian Tour players to revel in the opportunities they now have, thanks to Saudi investment in the game

Little-known Chang, a winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2017, birdied his last three holes — after a handy tip. “My family gave me some advice before I flew here,” said Chang. “My grandfather is a professional golfer, and my uncle is a coach. They told me the first and third days are the most important. So, I was just trying to stay focused out there. They told me to just play consistently.

“Coming into this week, I wasn’t thinking too much. I have been playing well this season, but I know I can do better. The weather was much cooler than I expected. I was actually more concerned about the weather, so I prepared myself for bad weather conditions, but today’s condition is actually not too bad.”

Six-time Asian Tour winner Jazz said he has really benefited from catching up with his coach Pete Cowen this week.

“My game is getting better, training the right way since beginning of the year. Hitting good, just waiting for the scoring to come back,” said Jazz.

“I haven’t seen my coach Pete Cowen much. I saw him in Dubai but that was a while ago, and I saw him at the British Masters, and he is here this week with G-Mac [Graeme McDowell] so it has been really great, as obviously it’s just me and G-Mac so I can have as much time with him as possible.”

American Sihwan Kim, who currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit, started well with a 70, while playing partner Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, the 15-year-old amateur sensation from Thailand, shot a 71.

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The post Dubai-based Shiv Kapur revels at historic Asian Tour International Series as Chang Wei-lun leads in Newcastle appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 48-man field will play across 12 teams of four players each, which will be determined at The Draft on Tuesday, June 7.

MORE: Dustin Johnson to headline LIV Golf field in London

“Free agency has finally come to golf. This is an opportunity to start a movement that will change the course of history by bringing new and open competition to the sport we all love. The desire shown by the players to participate in LIV Golf demonstrates their emphatic belief in our model and confidence in what we’re building for the future,” said Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf. “We couldn’t be happier at the diversity of our field, featuring players from around the world including major champions and those making their debut with us competing in their first professional event. We can’t wait to start our journey at Centurion Club with this group of first movers who are committed to growing the game in new and exciting ways.”

Here are the top five marquee players in the field

Dustin Johnson
The former world No. 1 was something of a surprise inclusion and will certainly draw in the crowds. The 37-year-old has two majors to his name (2016 US Open and 2020 Masters) and has racked up nearly 30 pro titles on tour. One of the most popular golfers on the planet.

Lee Westwood
The 49-year-old is one of the oldest guys still performing at the top on the main tours and is often mentioned as one of the best players never to win a major (he has three second-place finishes and three thirds across the four tournaments). He has been quite open and honest about looking for a bumper payday on the LIV Tour as he reaches the twilight of his career.

Sergio Garcia
The Spanish 2017 Masters champion dropped a not-so-subtle hint about his intentions to play on the LIV Golf tour when he was overheard saying he “cannot wait” to quit the PGA Tour after an errant penalty at the Wells Fargo Championship last month. A huge favourite in England, across Europe and the UAE.

Ian Poulter
Here is a man to watch for his fashion sense as much as his golf as he always dresses to impress during the big tournaments. While he has never won a major, the former world No. 5 has 17 wins on tour and is famed for his exploits for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup, meaning he always has a loyal band of followers.

Louis Oosthuizen
The South African shot on to the scene in 2010 when he won the Open Championship at St Andrews and has finished an agonising second in the other three majors a collective five times since, most recently at both the 2021 PGA Championship and US Open. Would love a money-spinning win before the Open heads back to the Old Course in Scotland as he searches for that elusive second major.

Here are Golf Digest Middle East’s five other players to watch:

Charl Schwartzel
The South African has been a fan favourite ever since he won the 2011 Masters at Augusta to claim the green jacket and his place in history. The 37-year-old has 13 pro titles on the PGA and DP World Tours and — win or lose — is always smiling on course.

Richard Bland
The veteran has been very outspoken about his intention to play the LIV Golf events, even if it means a ban from the DP World and PGA Tours. The 2021 British Masters champ has bloomed over the past couple of years and is playing the best golf of his life — possibly just at the right time.

Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat
One of the finest young exports to come out of Asia in recent years, TK is already a winner on the Asian Tour this season at the age of 15, where he became the youngest ever player to take a title on one of the main professional tours.

Adrian Otaegui
The 29-year-old Spaniard will hold a certain interest in the UAE as he is a Dubai resident. He has three DP World Tour wins to his name and recently hit the headlines by shooting a course record 63 at Al Hamra Club during the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in March, and just missed out on the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain in April.

Chase Koepka
If just for the name alone. The younger brother of a certain Brooks Koepka, Chase certainly knows his way around a golf course, too, with three amateur titles to his name, and runners-up spot at the Italian Challenge and Kazakhstan Open. He also finished fifth with brother Brooks at the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

The full field for the LIV Golf Invitational Series in London

(Name, Country, OWGR: Career Highlights)
Oliver Bekker, RSA, 93: Seven career wins
Richard Bland, ENG ,66: Two career wins
Laurie Canter, ENG, 114: One professional win
Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat (Am), THA, N/A: Youngest to win an OWGR event
Hennis Du Plessis, RSA, 128: Three professional wins
Oliver Fisher, ENG, 979: One professional win, 16 top-10 finishes
Sergio Garcia, ESP, 54: Major champion, 36 career victories
Talor Gooch, USA, 35: Two professional wins
Branden Grace, RSA, 118: 14 professional wins
Justin Harding, RSA, 111: 11 professional wins
Sam Horsfield, ENG, 72: Three professional wins
Dustin Johnson, USA, 13: Former World No. 1, Two-time major champion
Matt Jones, AUS, 68: Four professional wins
Sadom Kaewkanjana, THA, 125: Former Asian Tour Order of Merit leader (2 wins)
Martin Kaymer, GER, 210: Former World No. 1; Two-time major champion
Phachara Khongwatmai, THA, 133: Youngest player to win pro event (2013)
Sihwan Kim, USA, 138: Two Asian Tour wins
Ryosuke Kinoshita, JPN, 87: Three professional wins
Chase Koepka, USA, 1,543: Six professional top-10 finishes
Jinichiro Kozuma, JPN, 103: Two professional wins
Pablo Larrazabal, ESP, 65: Eight professional wins
Graeme McDowell, NIR, 376: Major champion, 16 professional victories
Jediah Morgan, AUS, 235: 2021-22 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit
Kevin Na, USA, 33: Nine professional victories
Shaun Norris, RSA, 69: 12 professional wins
Andy Ogletree, USA, 1,349: 2019 US Amateur Champion
Louis Oosthuizen, RSA, 20: Major champion; 20 professional wins
Wade Ormsby, AUS, 276: Four professional victories
Adrian Otaegui, ESP, 162: Three professional wins
Turk Pettit, USA, 720: 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Champion
James Piot (Am), USA: 2021 US Amateur Champion
Ian Poulter, ENG, 89: 19 professional victories; former World No. 5
David Puig (Am), ESP, N/A: Seven top-10 finishes in 2021 (NCAA)
JC Ritchie, RSA, 154: 10 professional victories
Charl Schwartzel, RSA, 120: Major champion, 23 professional wins
Hudson Swafford, USA, 91: Four professional wins; 12 top 10 finishes
Hideto Tanihara, JPN, 173: 16 professional victories
Peter Uihlein, USA, 319,: Former No. 1 Amateur; Four professional wins
Vincent Scott, ZIM, 109: Four professional wins
Lee Westwood, ENG, 74: Former World No. 1, 44 professional wins
Bernd Wiesberger, AUT, 90: 13 professional victories
Blake Windred, AUS, 250: Earned first professional win in 2021

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The post From DJ and Sergio to Bland and Koepka, your players to watch at the LIV Golf Invitational Series in London appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Asian Tour No. 1 Sihwan Kim is treating this week’s historic International Series England event like any other as he looks to build on his two victories and Order of Merit lead this season in Newcastle.

“Golf is a funny game,” said the American, who turned professional in 2011 but had been winless until this year. “I won twice this year in four weeks, but I still worry about the same things that I did before I won, so it has not really changed me that much in that sense. It is still a tough game, and I don’t take anything for granted but the aim is always to win.”

He competes in this week’s International Series England at Slaley Hall Hotel, an event that marks the Asian Tour’s first ever trip to the UK.

He added: “It is a very fickle game. I am just trying to enjoy it as much as I can because you don’t know when it is going to go away. I am enjoying it but when golf goes south, I don’t think anyone enjoys it. When part of my game is bad, I try to work on it, and I know it is going to get better and you just keep on grinding.

“As I have said many times before, you have got to get lucky to win. It always comes down to the last one or two shots and when you get that lucky break that’s all that you need. In the years before I didn’t have that, I kind of got unlucky bounces here and there.”

The 33-year-old has competed many times in the UK on the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour over the past 10 years, although it is his first time at Slaley Hall.

“It is good, some holes are a little funky,” said Kim, who took time out to try his hand at clay pigeon shooting on Wednesday.

“You can’t hit driver, you’ve got to hit two iron from the tee and have a four or three iron into the green. But other than that, the course looks good. The cold conditions mess with my yardage a little bit. When it’s cold and damp the ball doesn’t travel as far.”

Kim has been paired with Thailand’s 15-year-old amateur star Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat and Scott Hend from Australia, a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour, for the first two rounds and start on Thursday at 7.02am.

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The post Asian Tour No. 1 Sihwan Kim takes aim at history in International Series England appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The15-year-old heads to Slaley Hall after taking the Asian Tour by storm this year and became the youngest male golfer to win on one of the game’s main Tours when he claimed the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand, last month.

But it simply hasn’t sunk in for the teenager.

“I thought I would wake up one day and think ‘hang on, I just won’. It did kind of come eventually but it didn’t hit as hard,” said the schoolkid.

“It doesn’t feel real, which is actually one reason that I want to win again because I want to know what it actually feels like, maybe this time it won’t feel as unreal. It did sink in eventually that I did set a world record — I just need to somehow make that more official.

“Now that I have won I am just going to try and win again. I don’t know what to expect playing in the UK, but I plan to enjoy it and play some great golf courses.”

TK flew to England for the first time to compete in the International Series at Slaley Hall, near Newcastle, and he will tee it up at the LIV Golf Invitational at Centurion Club, St Albans, the following week before heading to the Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Anne’s Old Links.

“This will be my first-time playing golf outside of Asia, other than the US, and my first time in Europe,” TK said.

“I have been thinking about this trip for weeks. Every five minutes I am sitting in school I wish it was Thursday [the day he departed]. I just wanna go, I love travelling and flying. It’s just chill sitting on an aeroplane.”

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The post International Series England: TK Ratchanon Chantananuwat aims for a crowning achievement at Newcastle ahead of LIV Golf Invitational Series appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

South Korean Joohyung Kim, last season’s No. 1, former US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Thailand’s 15-year-old wonderkid Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat and the current top 10 in the Asian Tour rankings will compete in the $2 million tournament – which will take place at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort, near Newcastle, from June 2-5.

The ground-breaking event will mark the first time the Asian Tour has sanctioned a tournament in the UK and the exciting opportunity will mean a full turnout of the Tour’s membership – for what will be the ninth event of the 2022-23 season and the second International Series event.

Sihwan is leading the way on the Tour at the moment thanks to two victories for the American — including at the first-ever International Series event, played in Thailand in March — and has earned close to half a million dollars, but Slaley Hall will also see a wealth of other in-form players competing.

Korean Bio Kim, who is second on the Merit list, and third-ranked Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand will compete having both recently recorded their first wins on the Asian Tour, following its restart in November last year after a two-year COVID-19 enforced break.

And Joohyung Kim, who at 19 years of age became the second youngest winner of the Merit title in January, has picked up where he left off from last season with top-10 finishes in his last three events to sit in fourth place on the rankings. Joohyung and Bio will make their way over to the UK after competing in this week’s US PGA Championship in Oklahoma. Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and South Africa’s Justin Harding, also in action at the season’s second Major Championship, will also be making the trip across the Atlantic.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the 2019 Merit champion and six-time winner on Tour, Malaysian Gavin Green, the 2017 No. 1, and Australian Scott Hend – the most successful international player on the Tour with 10 victories and the 2016 Merit list winner will also be looking for strong performances in the North of England.

As will Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, a two-time winner on the Tour since last year’s restart, and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, also a winner this season.

“The International Series England is a landmark event for the Asian Tour which provides our members with a great opportunity to compete internationally in an exciting, new location,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“An incredibly strong field with assemble for the tournament, which is a reflection of the appetite our members have for the International Series and will also allow us to showcase the Asian Tour’s depth in world-class talent to European fans. We have also received enormous interest from international players wanting to be part of the Asian Tour having seen our steady growth over the past few months.”

A host of Asian Tour legends will be in attendance, in particular Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant – the winner of a record 18 Asian Tour titles – and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, who like Thaworn, has claimed two Merit list titles.

In addition, a number of high-profile players have been extended invites including McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, who claimed the US Open in 2005, England’s Lee Slattery, Wu Ashun from China, Jovan Rebula from South Africa, Americans Peter Uihlein and Andy Ogletree, both former winners of the US Amateur Championship, and rising Australian stars Blake Windred and Louis Dobbelaar.

Some of the games’ leading amateurs have been invited, most noticeably Ratchanon, who has taken the Tour by storm with some brilliant performances, including winning the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Thailand in April to become the youngest male player to win on one of the game’s major Tours.

Exciting young amateurs England’s John Gough, the reigning English Amateur Champion, and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho will also play.

The event also features twelve dedicated spots for professionals from the United Kingdom, which include various rising stars such as Sam Broadhurst, son of six-time European Tour winner and Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst, as well as seasoned professionals such as Welshman Stuart Manley.

The International Series England is promoted by LIV Golf and will be followed by eight more International Series events this season.

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The post Asian Tour: Stellar field for landmark tournament in England appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.